You don’t have to be a football fan to appreciate the most anticipated game of the year. For some of us, the snack spread is the main attraction. However, the most popular foods can also wreak havoc on our digestion. Doctors even see more patients for food-related medical problems around national holidays and big sports events.
Luckily for most people, game day indulgence is more likely to cause indigestion or heartburn than a medical emergency. Still, it’s a good idea to snack strategically, so you can enjoy your favorite foods without discomfort. We talked to gastroenterologists to learn about the digestive side effects of some of our favorite grub, along with pointers for keeping your gut happy as you chow down.
Here’s the snack-by-snack analysis.
Chicken wings
Fried, fatty and spicy: Chicken wings are a game day staple — and a trifecta of potential digestive distress.
“Fried, fatty foods are going to relax the lower esophageal sphincter. It’s like a door between the esophagus and stomach,” says Dr. Andrew Boxer, a gastroenterologist in New Jersey. “The stomach has stomach acid in it. If you open that door, you have a higher chance of acid getting up into the esophagus, which can lead to acid reflux and heartburn.”
Spicy wing sauces and rubs can increase the potential for heartburn.
“Most of the buffalo spicy sauces just have vinegar, water, salt and cayenne pepper,” says Dr. Kenneth Brown, a Texas-based gastroenterologist. “But for a lot of people, that cayenne pepper can be an irritant.”
Another complication: Common dipping sauces, like ranch dressing, can be tough on digestion. Most store-bought varieties are made with processed oils that are hard to digest, which can lead to acid reflux and bloating.
Pizza
Pizza is a crowd-pleaser, but its ingredients, including dairy and tomato sauce, can lead to symptoms like diarrhea, bloating or heartburn. Still, Boxer says you typically have to consume a lot of dairy to get diarrhea. “It’s not like one cheese stick,” he says. “It’s a decent amount of lactose, like a few pieces of pizza or a big bowl of cheese dip.”
If you’re lactose intolerant or you feel uncomfortable after eating a lot of dairy, be mindful when mixing pizza and other cheese-based snacks.
“Tomato sauce is also going to increase the likelihood of heartburn and reflux,” Boxer adds.
Raw garlic and onions are harder to digest than their cooked counterparts. If these ingredients trigger bloating and gas for you, proceed with caution around garlicky, oniony sauces and dips.
Dips and spreads
Speaking of dips, the options are limitless: buffalo dip, spinach and artichoke dip, bean dip, taco dip… You’re likely to find one or more at any snack table.
“When talking about dips, I’d think about gas, bloating,” Boxer says. This especially applies to cheesy, creamy dips: “A lot of people have some degree of lactose intolerance.”
Dips also tend to have high-FODMAP ingredients, which can take an extra toll on your stomach. High-FODMAP foods, which include many dairy products, beans, garlic, onions and vegetables like cauliflower and artichokes, contain sugars that can be hard for the bacteria in the digestive system to break down.
“The foods that have a lot of these will create a lot of gas and bloating,” Boxer says. Some people, particularly those with irritable bowel syndrome, may be especially sensitive to these types of foods.
Chili
If spicy foods trigger discomfort for you, tread lightly with chili. As with pizza, a tomato-based stew could increase your risk of heartburn. Of course, you already know that fiber-filled beans are a famous source of flatulence.
“Chili is frequently really high in sodium, so it draws water into the intestines, which causes more bloating,” Brown says. “That’s assuming you’re making the chili at your house. If you’re buying the chili in a can, those have more additives.”
Nachos
Nachos are a choose-your-own adventure snack: If you like yours with the works, that could include beans, salsa, guacamole, sour cream, cheese, jalapenos, meat and other toppings on a bed of fried tortilla chips. Any GI distress ultimately depends on which toppings you choose and which foods you’re mixing.
“You’re eating a whole lot, and you’re taking in a lot of different modalities of food at the same time, while still slowing down the intestines,” Brown says.
Jalapeño poppers and fried snacks
If your favorite game day foods are crispy and fried, watch out for heartburn. Jalapeño poppers — those delicious breaded peppers filled with cream cheese — can also create the perfect storm for an upset stomach.
“The jalapeño has capsaicin in it, which is a big irritant,” Brown says. “As it goes through the digestive tract, it’s an irritant the whole way through, which is why some people have bad diarrhea when they have really spicy foods.”
People with gallbladder issues should be extra careful with fried foods.
“For someone with known gallstones, it could bring about gallstone problems or gallbladder pain.” Boxer says.
Ways to keep your digestion on track
If you’re already managing an issue like IBS, chronic acid reflux or pancreatitis, don’t throw caution to the wind on game day. Even if you don’t normally experience much gastric distress with rich foods, these tips can help you stay comfortable.
Stay hydrated
“Drinking water will help keep everything moving so the stomach can digest these foods,” Brown says.
Watch the booze
Game day is often synonymous with cracking a cold one, but alcohol can put an added strain on your digestive system.
“Alcohol actually slows gastric emptying,” Brown says. “It increases gastric acid, and it has a neural effect that causes the lower esophageal sphincter to relax,” which can lead to that dreaded heartburn.
Keep it moving
Sitting on the couch or lying back in your favorite recliner on a full stomach won’t fix any discomfort you might be feeling.
“Get up and move around,” Brown says. “The more moving around you do, the better it will stimulate digestion. Take a little break during commercials or halftime.”
Use antacids wisely
It’s a good idea to have your antacid of choice on hand if you know you’ll be eating foods that trigger heartburn. But don’t pregame with a handful of tablets.
“If you do that on the front end, it may actually backfire,” Brown says. “It will raise the pH in your stomach and your body will compensate by creating more acid. It’s better to take them when you start to feel symptoms.”
Stay mindful
Most of us are distracted while snacking during a football game. Enjoying a few bites of your favorite foods probably won’t cause issues with bloating, constipation, heartburn or diarrhea — just avoid mindless noshing that could lead to an upset stomach.