Indigestion with Almonds and Cashews

The feeling of fullness or discomfort in your upper-chest cavity is a common result of overeating or eating too fast, but if you develop these symptoms every time you eat almonds or cashews, you may have another digestive condition. Common digestive conditions that cause indigestion from eating nuts include a tree nut allergy and gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD. Avoid almonds and cashews until you can talk to your doctor.

A spoonful of cashews. (Image: ribeirorocha/iStock/Getty Images)

Indigestion Defined

Indigestion typically occurs between your naval and your chest and can make you feel like you're full even after a small amount of food. Indigestion may develop because of various reasons, such as eating spicy foods, ulcers or cancer, according to the National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse. Indigestion is the result of stomach acids coming back up into your esophagus that cause burning, pain and discomfort. If you develop these symptoms only after eating almonds and cashews, you may be allergic to these nuts.

Nut Allergy

A nut allergy will cause inflammation to occur in your digestive system and other parts of your body. Almonds and cashews are both classified as tree nuts and may trigger a nut allergy. During a tree nut allergy your immune system reacts to the proteins in the nut as if they could harm the body. The reaction of the body is to defend itself by producing immunoglobulin E, or IgE, antibodies, according to the KidsHealth website. Antibodies are disease-fighting agents that the body uses to protect against infection and infectious organisms. When IgE antibodies enter the blood stream, other cells produce chemicals such as histamine, which causes inflammation.

Allergy Connection

Your indigestion is most likely connected to an allergic reaction because the symptoms are specific to certain tree nuts, not all nuts. The increased amount of histamine in your digestive tract will cause inflammation in your esophagus, small intestines and stomach. This can cause digestive acids to back up and affect your throat and upper-chest region. A tree nut allergy will cause other symptoms to develop, such as sinus congestion, asthma, diarrhea, vomiting, nausea and stomach pain.

GERD

GERD is a chronic digestive condition that can cause indigestion to occur on a regular basis due to a malfunction of your sphincter muscle, according to MayoClinic.com. The severity of symptoms will vary in every person, and some foods may trigger your symptoms more than in another person with the same condition. Avoid almonds and cashews if you develop constant indigestion and you've been diagnosed with GERD.