Q I work near Incheon Dong-gu and every time I eat at a nearby snack restaurant, my stomach bloats up in the afternoon. What ingredients might be causing this?
A Flour (gluten/FODMAP fructans), dairy (lactose), onions, garlic, and cabbage (FODMAP oligosaccharides), fermented foods (histamine), and artificial additives are common triggers. Keeping a 2-week food diary of what combination of foods you eat when symptoms appear can help narrow down the cause.
Detailed Answer
Snack restaurant foods often contain high-FODMAP ingredients like flour, onions, and garlic, as well as additives like MSG and preservatives, which are prone to triggering intolerance reactions. Since individual thresholds differ, some people are fine with small amounts but experience symptoms when eating above a certain amount.
Korean Medicine Clinic Perspective
From a Korean medicine perspective, the same food can have varying effects depending on your condition, stress level, and eating speed, which is why symptoms can be inconsistent. Recording your condition and stress level on the day along with your food diary when you visit can help with more accurate analysis.
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