Why does Taco Bell make you shit? 6 reasons why! (2023)

author of the photo:PIEDRA(Licencia Creative Commons)

I thought it was just me. I thought he was the only wimp who couldn't metabolize Taco Bell food 9 times out of 10. Why does Taco Bell make you shit? I often wondered.

I was pleasantly surprised when I came across a term called "Taco Bell crap."urban dictionary. Apparently I'm not the only one.

Taco Bell shit is described as "shit so big, so strong, so stinky it could only have been caused by eating Taco Bell." I had a good laugh.

Laughter aside, I was really curious why Taco Bell makes you poop. So I put on a thinking hat, had a cup of coffee, and sat down to do some googling.

The first thing that struck me was that many people had diarrhea after eating at Taco Bell, it was more than a coincidence. And the second thing I noticed was that Taco Bell is often associated with loose moves as a joke or a racist and xenophobic meme, which I neither like nor condone.

Long story short, I've deduced a few reasons why eating Taco Bell makes you poop. I kept searching and searching to find viable and probable reasons to answer the question of the century!

We'll see!

Why does Taco Bell make you shit?

Taco Bell can make you poop for a variety of reasons. The fructose and caffeine in your drinks and the gluten, fat, and spices in your food can trigger a bowel movement. It could also be due to too much fiber in the beans or an allergic reaction to cheese or sour cream.

So you see, we can't just make up a reason why Taco Bell makes you poop. It could be because you are lactose intolerant, cannot eat hot or spicy foods, or your food contains too much fructose, caffeine, or fiber!

Also, not everyone reacts to the same things in their food. Therefore, there may be more than one menu item that urges you to urgently look for a bathroom.

But before we discuss these reasons in detail, let's discuss the how and why of poop.

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The science of pooping

Poo poo, feces, or just what's left after your intestine absorbs nutrients and fluids from food, bowel movements have an extra name.

As the stool passes through the digestive tract, the small intestine secretes water to moisten the stool so that it passes easily through the intestines. This water is then reabsorbed by the large intestine.

Therefore, if the correct amount of water is first secreted and then absorbed, the stool will come out solid and lumpy.

However, if too much water has been excreted or too little water has been ingested, the stool becomes watery, which is also known as diarrhoea. Likewise, when less water is secreted but more is absorbed, you feel constipated.

In this article, we will focus on the first case: diarrhea. You see, there are 2 types of diarrhea: osmotic diarrhea and secretory diarrhea.

Osmotic diarrhea occurs when the water in the colon contains so many non-aqueous particles that it prevents the water from being absorbed. On the other hand, secretory diarrhea occurs when the small intestine is stimulated to secrete more water than necessary.

Why does Taco Bell make you shit? It could be the weather!

Many items on the Taco Bell menu are hot and spicy. The ingredients responsible for this contain a compound called capsaicin. Therefore, chili peppers contain capsaicin, which makes them spicy.

Capsaicin is also an irritant, which is why you feel a burning sensation when you eat something spicy. Therefore, capsaicin binds to and activates your TRPV1 receptors.

TRPV1 has numerous bodily functions to perform, but one of its main functions is temperature regulation. When TRPV1 present in your gastrointestinal (GI) system is activated by capsaicin, the GI system goes into spasm.

What happens is that the GI system gets more stimulated than normal and things get faster, making you want to poop right away!

By the way, TRPV1 receptors are also present in your anus. Therefore, capsaicin that was not absorbed by your body during digestion is excreted. That's why it burns.

If you think the seasoning might be causing the problem, ask for a milder sauce, keep the sauce on the side, or just skip the hot sauce.

Why does Taco Bell make you shit? It could be the milk!

Sour cream and cheese are the basic ingredients of any taco, burrito, quesadilla, chalupa, crispy or gordita. I can't imagine these dishes without the creamy, cheesy ingredients.

But did you know that more than 60% of the North American population is lactose intolerant? People with lactose intolerance cannot fully digest the sugar (lactose) in milk.

The main problem for people with lactose intolerance is that they lack the enzyme responsible for breaking down lactose.

As a result, they have diarrhea, gas, and gas after eating or drinking dairy products. This condition is known as lactose malabsorption, which is usually harmless but hey, the symptoms can be uncomfortable.

The urgent need to find a bathroom right after eating dairy products is not convenient at all.

Unfortunately, our bodies tend to stop producing this enzyme as we age. Lactose is not as easily digested. When these sugars pass through the digestive tract, they lead to indigestion, gas, and gas. And of course you will feel a strong desire to poop.

If you think lactose is causing the problem, just ask them to omit the cheese and cream.

Remember that cheese contains much less lactose than sour cream. Therefore, people with mild lactose intolerance can easily digest cheese.

Why does Taco Bell make you shit? It could be the beans!

Another common suspect that makes you want to pee right after a Taco Bell meal is beans. Yes, beans, which we all know and love as a complete and healthy food.

Beans are high in fiber, which is great for the gut. But there's a slight setback: Many people have a hard time breaking down fiber.

Just one cup of beans has over 10 grams of fiber, which is insane!

And fiber is known to draw water into the digestive system to form a gel-like consistency that softens stool and makes it easier to pass.

That's why some people have to run to the bathroom as soon as they grab a snack at Taco Bell.

Beans also contain an oligosaccharide carbohydrate that is not digested until it reaches the colon. In the colon, it becomes food for the bacteria that live in your digestive tract, causing gas and bloating.

So if you think the beans might be to blame, just ask them to leave the beans off your plate to eliminate this nuisance.

Better yet, ask for a bean-free meal. You can try Cheesy Gordita Crunch, Beef Quesarito, Beefy Fritos Burrito, Beefy Nacho Griller, and Crunchwrap.

Why does Taco Bell make you shit? It could be the meat!

A staple of many Taco Bell items, beef is probably the ingredient that makes you poop nonstop. Red meat, like beef, contains fiber, and we've already discussed how fiber makes you poop.

Just a quick recap: Fiber helps move water into the colon and softens stool, allowing it to flow smoothly through the digestive system.

Also, many people do not have enough stomach acid to adequately break down and digest large amounts of animal fat and protein.

This person on Reddit commented that it could also be due to the combination of meat and spices. So maybe getting a softer beef taco next time is a good option.

If you find that beef makes you poop at inconvenient times, you can ask them to replace it with seasoned chicken.

Or you can try eating non-beef foods like Cheesy Roll-up and Cheese Quesadilla.

Why does Taco Bell make you shit? It could be the drink!

What is your favorite drink to order at Taco Bell? Mine is Diet Pepsi and Iced Coffee. Both drinks are super low in calories, but did you know that they contain a generous helping of caffeine?

Caffeine sends a signal to the stomach to release gastrin. As a result, it triggers a wave of contractions in the intestine called peristalsis. So what does peristalsis do? It transports food and liquids through the intestines.

And for some, that leads to a trip to the bathroom in a matter of minutes.

Additionally, several studies have shown that caffeine activates contractions in the colon and intestinal muscles. Contractions in the large intestine push the contents of the stomach into the rectum, the final section of the digestive tract.

Caffeine can apparently make the colon 60% more active than water and 23% more active than decaf coffee.

So if you suspect that it's that drink that's making you poop right after your trip to Taco Bell, try skipping it. Just stick with a regular glass of water or orange juice.

Why does Taco Bell make you shit? It could be the fat!

It's no surprise that, like most fast food chains, most of Taco Bell's menu items are greasy.

Unfortunately, fatty foods trigger gastrocolic reflexes in the intestine. In most cases, foods high in unhealthy fats increase the contraction pressure of the gastrocolic reflex.

Also, fatty foods are not absorbed properly. They usually make their way to the colon, where they are broken down into fatty acids, causing the colon to produce fluid and causing diarrhea.

These are just a few of the reasons why you may have the urge to urinate right after eating fatty, fried foods at Taco Bell.

Well, to no one's surprise, Taco Bell has more than one item on their menu that fits the bill.

According to the USDA, the daily intake of saturated fat should be limited to less than 10% of the daily calories consumed. Assuming the average person consumes 2,000 calories a day, ideally, food should contain no more than 22 grams of saturated fat.

And guess what? There are at least 27 items on the Taco Bell menu that contain at least 10 grams or more of saturated fat. So if you're someone like me who prefers combo or economy meal packs, you'll be maximizing your daily intake of saturated foods in no time.

So what can you do? When ordering at Taco Bell, try to stick to one item at a time.

While researching this thread, I found several people sharing their experiences of pooping after a meal at Taco Bell. On the contrary, there were so many people firmly convinced that it was all a joke, a meme, racist to begin with.

I have summarized some of the comments below for you. They are quite funny.

Why does Taco Bell make you shit? Real answers from real people!

"Taco Bell doesn't cause more poop than any other fast food chain. These rumors mostly come from drunk or hungover people who mixed Taco Bell with alcohol or people with weak digestive systems."

“If greasy food, spicy food, or drunken food makes you shit, you shit. If not, you should be fine.

"Well, because Taco Bell is greasy as hell. If your body isn't used to eating fat on a regular basis, it will have a hard time digesting it.

"Spicy has nothing to do with poop. Ignore the gringos. Taco Bell is milder than mayonnaise.

"Like most fast foods, Taco Bell is terribly greasy and greasy. This can lead to GI issues."

"Taco Bell sells spicy food. A compound called capsaicin, in my experience, can cause digestive problems."

"Most people don't need to have a bowel movement immediately after Taco Bell. Otherwise, the FDA, local health officials, and the media would be all over the world."

"You may be sensitive to the spices used there."

"In my experience, ordering food with bean dip makes diarrhea easier."

"I love Taco Bell, but I think they changed the ingredients for the meat about 20 years ago. Their current meat has oatmeal as a filling, which I am very allergic to.

"Taco Bell doesn't make me poop. But it gives me heartburn and triggers my heartburn."

"The only Taco Bell item that doesn't give me diarrhea is the soft meat fajita tacos. It's just chunks of meat and flour-based tortillas, so I can deal with that.

"Taco Bell ground beef made me poop. Steak and chicken don't do that. There's a particular additive in ground beef.

“What is most likely to trigger poop is all that grease. Only the taco meat is so fatty.

"I only feel the immediate need to poop when I'm crazy enough to eat the sour cream or many different mayonnaise-based sauces they smother the food with."

"I know a lot of people are saying it's just a joke, but there are a lot of people seriously reporting these issues."

"No. Taco Bell never upset my stomach."

"I can only assume that some people's diets are so bad that their systems can't process hot sauce and beans."

"I've only seen these types of issues in Taco Bell and Chipotle threads. I smell racism here."

Final words: Why does Taco Bell make you poop?

If you haven't read the entire article, I recommend you do, because there are many reasons why Taco Bell makes you poop.

The following items found in one or another Taco Bell food could be the reason you have a strong urge to poop as often as possible:

• season
• dairy
• beans
• bovine meat
• Caffeine
• Fett

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