2 Times When Peanut Butter May Give You Diarrhea

Peanut butter is a popular, versatile snack that’s great on sandwiches, with crackers, or even just by the spoonful. But can PB mess with your stomach? More specifically, can peanut butter give you diarrhea?

Peanut butter is actually a good low-fiber food to enjoy while recovering from diarrhea, according to Mayo Clinic. However, while it doesn’t typically ‌cause‌ diarrhea, there are two situations in which it might.

Here, learn the reasons peanut butter sometimes causes diarrhea, how it may help ease diarrhea in other cases, and how to treat diarrhea if you have it.

2 Reasons Peanut Butter May Cause Diarrhea

There are a couple instances where peanut butter could cause diarrhea: a peanut allergy or contamination. Here's a breakdown of the two:

1. Peanut Allergy

A peanut allergy is one of the most common food allergies, according to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI). It happens when your immune system overreacts to the proteins in peanuts because it mistakenly thinks they're harmful, according to Cleveland Clinic.

Your body creates antibodies to "fight off" the peanut proteins as if they were a virus or harmful bacteria. During this process, certain cells in your body start releasing the chemical histamine.

Histamine helps to defend and protect your body, but it can cause inflammation in your soft tissues. This is what causes allergic reactions like hives, rash, swelling and, in severe cases, anaphylaxis.

Most people develop peanut allergies in childhood, but they can sometimes appear later in life, according to the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (ACAAI). Other times, children develop an allergy when they're really young, but then outgrow it in adulthood, according to the AAAAI. However, allergies can recur — even if you haven’t had a reaction in years — so it’s important to be cautious.

For people with severe allergies, so much as touching, inhaling, or eating trace amounts of peanuts may cause a potentially dangerous reaction. If you have a serious allergic reaction after eating peanuts or peanut butter, including symptoms of anaphylaxis such as face or throat swelling, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room, as these can be life-threatening.

Symptoms of a Peanut Allergy

Common symptoms of a peanut allergy are usually immediate, happening within minutes of exposure. However, they can sometimes appear hours later. Symptoms can include the following, according to Mayo Clinic:

• Skin reactions, such as hives or redness
• Itching or swelling around the mouth or throat
• Digestive issues, such as diarrhea, stomach cramps, and nausea
• Tightening of the throat
• Sneezing
• Shortness of breath
• Runny nose

Diarrhea involves loose, watery stools and a sense of urgency to go to the bathroom, according to Cleveland Clinic. When you get diarrhea, you may also experience symptoms such as stomach pain and cramps, bloating, and nausea.

Persistent or severe diarrhea may cause fever, weight loss, bloody stool, or dehydration. It’s important to seek medical attention if you have these symptoms or your diarrhea doesn’t go away within a few days.

How Long Will Diarrhea From a Peanut Allergy Last?

The length of time you have diarrhea from a peanut allergy will vary. Most allergic reactions subside in a few hours, but they can sometimes last for days. Symptoms may even subside and return hours later, according to Food Allergy Research & Education.

The diarrhea may go away once the peanuts are completely out of your digestive system. Either way, if your diarrhea continues beyond a few hours, or you get other severe allergic reaction symptoms, call your doctor immediately and go to the emergency room.

Peanut Allergy Treatment

The best way to treat an existing peanut allergy is by avoiding peanuts and foods with traces of peanuts, according to Mayo Clinic. But sometimes this can be difficult. Reading product labels before eating anything and asking restaurant employees about foods on the menu that may contain peanuts can help.

If you accidentally eat peanuts, antihistamines (like Benadryl) may help relieve a mild allergic reaction like itchiness or hives, according to the National Health Service (NHS).

For severe reactions, an immediate injection of epinephrine (also known as adrenaline) can help alleviate symptoms. Your doctor may prescribe epinephrine if you've had episodes of anaphylaxis in the past, or if there's potential to have an anaphylactic episode in the future. Make sure you carry your epinephrine with you at all times.

In 2020, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved another peanut allergy treatment called oral immunotherapy, according to the AAAAI. This is when an allergist gives you small doses of a food allergen over the course of several months under their supervision. Over time, this therapy may help reduce your risk of anaphylaxis associated with peanut exposure.

2. Peanut Butter Contamination

You may get diarrhea from peanut butter if the food has been contaminated with a bacteria, like salmonella.

There have been a few reported cases of salmonella-contaminated peanut butter jars in the United States, with the most recent case in May 2022, according to the FDA. Because these products often have a long shelf life, the salmonella can remain in the products for months.

Often, companies recall contaminated peanut butter and notify the public about the problem, so the chances of eating contaminated peanut butter are rare.

Symptoms of Food Poisoning

Other symptoms of eating contaminated food include the following, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC):

• Stomach pain or cramps
• Nausea and vomiting
• Fever

If you have diarrhea from eating peanut butter, but don’t suspect an allergy (or if everyone in your household that ate peanut butter is having the same symptoms), call your doctor. You may have salmonella or another bacterial infection, which may require antibiotics.

How to Treat Diarrhea From Peanut Butter

Treating diarrhea from food poisoning or allergies takes time. Often, you simply need to let the diarrhea run its course, according to Cleveland Clinic. In the meantime, there are things you can do to feel better.

First, drink plenty of fluids. Mount Sinai suggests aiming to drink 1 cup of liquid ‌every time you have a loose bowel movement. This can help cleanse your system and replenish fluids lost. Try water or diluted, pulp-free fruit juice, sports drinks with electrolytes, broth, or caffeine-free soda, but steer clear of caffeine, alcohol, or sugary beverages, which could worsen diarrhea, according to Cleveland Clinic. For young children and babies, call your pediatrician for instructions on keeping them hydrated.

Additionally, Cleveland Clinic recommends sticking with soft, low-fiber foods once you feel good enough to eat. Examples include rice, yogurt, bananas, white bread, crackers, applesauce, or baked chicken or turkey without the skin. Avoid fried, fatty, spicy, or acidic foods as these may worsen your symptoms.

Can Peanut Butter Help Treat Existing Diarrhea?

While peanut butter won't necessarily ‌treat‌ pre-existing diarrhea, it is low in fiber, which could make it a good food to eat while recovering from an infectious diarrheal episode, according to Penn State College of Medicine. Smooth peanut butter, specifically, is better than chunky peanut butter, according to Mayo Clinic.

For example, if you're trying a bland diet for diarrhea, you could add some smooth peanut butter to a banana or a slice of toast, according to Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. This can also help you get a bit of protein and healthy fats, instead of just carbs.