How to Get Rid of a Belly Ache from Too Much Junk Food

Co-authored by Claudia Carberry, RD, MS

Last Updated: November 3, 2022 References Approved

When you eat processed foods commonly referred to as "junk food," including candy, foods high in fat, and snacks, you may get a stomach ache. Stomach aches as well as constipation can occur as a result of a lack of fiber, since junk food often contains very little.^{[1]
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Research source} Sugar, fat, and carbohydrates are also to blame for stomach aches, in part as a result of bloating. Here are some ways to help stomach aches go away after you've had too much junk food.

Part 1

Part 1 of 2:

Treating a Junk Food-Induced Stomach Ache

1
Drink lemon water. The acid in lemon juice can help speed digestion, which can help treat a stomach ache that is the result of eating too much junk food.^{[2]
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Research source} Simply mix the juice of a lemon with 8-12 ounces of warm water and sip until you start to feel better.
- You can also try mixing the lemon juice with regular tea, and it is permissible to add a small amount of honey to help it go down. Just don't add too much honey or you may further upset your stomach.
2
Drink chamomile tea. Chamomile tea can act as a natural anti-inflammatory, helping your digestive tract to relax while easing food through your system.^{[3]
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Research source} Simply steep a chamomile teabag in boiling water for 5-10 minutes or until tea is cool enough to drink. Sip until all the tea is gone or until your stomach ache subsides.
- This is especially helpful if you're going right to sleep as chamomile tea tends to aid in falling asleep.
- Always be careful with drinking hot liquids. Test the tea with a spoon before sipping from the cup to be sure it is cool enough to sip.
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3
Drink peppermint tea. Peppermint can also help relax digestive tract muscles, and it also helps with bile flow, which helps with digestion.^{[4]
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Research source} Peppermint tea can be purchased in grocery and health food stores in ready to use teabags and as loose tea. Simply steep the tea in boiling water until it is cool enough to drink and sip until it is gone or until you begin to feel better.
- If you have peppermint growing on the side of your house, you can cut a stem worth of the plant's leaves and hang to dry for use as tea. In doing so, you can have homegrown peppermint tea on hand for when you have junk food-related stomach aches.
4
Drink ginger tea. You can also chew on soft ginger candies. Both of these help to soothe the stomach.
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Apply a heat treatment. Some stomach aches can be soothed by applying a heat treatment to the outside of the stomach.^{[5]
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Research source} This relaxes the muscles and can distract from the pain. If you have a hot water bottle, fill it with hot water and lie down. Place the bottle on your stomach and relax until the ache begins to subside.
- While laying down with the hot water bottle applied, you may fall asleep—this can also help you through your stomach ache.
- You could also use a heating pad if you do not have a hot water bottle.
6
Take Pepto-Bismol. Pepto-Bismol can be used to treat an upset stomach, among other things. As with any medicine, it is best to check with your doctor before taking Pepto-Bismol if you are taking any other medications, as drug interaction could be involved.^{[6]
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Research source}
7
Drink rice tea. 1/2 cup of rice boiled in six cups of water for 15 minutes creates an effective rice "tea" that you can drink to try and alleviate an upset stomach. Once the concoction has boiled, strain out the rice and add a small amount of honey or sugar. Drink the finished beverage warm.
8
Try eating burnt toast. While it may seem like something as bitter as burnt toast would intensify rather than alleviate an upset stomach, the burnt part of the bread may actually help your upset stomach feel better. The burnt bits of the toast are said to absorb certain elements in the stomach that may contribute to your feeling ill.
- Apply a small amount of honey or jelly to make the toast more palatable.
9
Eat a small amount of apple cider vinegar. Apple cider vinegar can be helpful at calming an upset stomach when mixed with hot water at a ratio of one tablespoon to one cup along with a tablespoon of honey. The concoction can help with cramping as well as gas in your stomach and may help with heartburn as well.

Part 2

Part 2 of 2:

Preventing Junk Food-Related Stomach Aches

1
Limit your junk food intake. Junk food, according to some, is engineered to be difficult to put down. For this reason, it is important to avoid binge-eating junk food, as this can give you a stomach ache due to the lack of fiber and the high levels of sugar, fat, and carbohydrates in junk food.
- Most foods have serving sizes listed on their packages along with the nutrition information for a serving. Measure and eat only one serving of a junk food item to avoid getting a stomach ache.
- You can also buy single-serve packs of snacks so you do not overeat.
2
Substitute healthier snacks for junk food. Fresh fruit or a fruit smoothie might satisfy a craving for a sweet treat. Salted nuts might curtail your potato chip craving in much the same way.^{[7]
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Research source} Junk foods in moderation typically aren't the cause for stomach-aches. It is typically the frequency or amount that they are eaten. In order to cut back on frequency, choose healthy snacks in lieu of junk-food containing snacks throughout the day. In general, you should be able to find a healthy substitute to any kind of junk food. Having these foods on hand and eating them instead of junk food will help you prevent stomach aches you may get from eating too much junk food.
- Be sure to cut fresh fruit as soon as you get it home to put in a container in the refrigerator so it's ready to eat when you get cravings.
- Try mixing nuts with dried fruits for a sweet and salty snack.
3
Avoid beverages that may cause stomach aches. Drinking water instead of beverages that may cause stomach aches is a good way to help prevent a stomach ache. This is especially the case if you are having a serving of another junk food. Coffee, alcohol, and carbonated drinks may upset your stomach by themselves or if consumed along with junk food.
- Sodas in particular can cause stomach aches because of the sugar and other ingredients they contain.