Abdominal pain and diarrhea Should not we drink water with cherries?

Everyday myth under the magnifying glass
If you eat cherries and drink water, you do not have to be surprised about stomach pains. This "warning" we know from childhood. Whether that's really true is still debatable.

Abdominal pain from kirsch? (Image: Kitty / fotolia.com)

On the peel of cherries, as with other types of fruit, yeasts are often found. In the stomach, the unwanted germs have little chance of survival, since they are killed by the stomach acid. However, if you eat large quantities of more than half a kilogram in no time, the stomach can be overwhelmed. Then the yeasts ferment the sugar from the sweet cherries into alcohol. This produces carbon dioxide, which causes unpleasant bloating.

If you drink a lot at the same time, you can dilute the stomach acid and intensify the effect.
Another theory for the myth of cherries / water is that the water carries the cherries more quickly into the intestine and thus the yeasts can not be killed by the stomach acid. This could be fermentation processes in the colon play, which aggravate the symptoms.

However, our body is constantly confronted with microorganisms while eating and drinking, without causing us any problems. "More likely, the warning is due to the poor quality of drinking water in earlier times," says Harald Seitz of the Federal Center for Nutrition. Germs in the water could cause flatulence and diarrhea, regardless of fruit intake. "Today, drinking water is of very good quality," says Seitz.
It is best to wash the fruits thoroughly before eating to remove possible germs on the skin. If you want to play it safe, do not eat too much at once. Against a glass of water to the fruit is certainly nothing to object.

Cherries have high season in summer. This year a particularly high harvest is expected. According to initial estimates by the Federal Statistical Office, the quantities of sweet cherries (44,300 tons) and sour cherries (16,800 tons) are significantly higher than in the previous year.

When shopping helps a close look. Cherries must be ripe, firm and undamaged. Ideally, the shell shines, and the smooth stem sits firmly on the fruit. In the fridge, the fruit stays fresh longer. Important ingredients besides sugar and fruit acids are potassium, iron, B vitamins, folic acid and anthocyanins.
Heike Kreutz, bzfe