Why Do I Get Stomach Pain After Eating Pork?

People with a pork allergy may also find that the severity of symptoms depends on how the pork was prepared.

"Fresh (undercooked) pork meat or dried and smoked pork products tend to cause more reactions, while well-cooked pork meat causes fewer reactions," says Niket Sonpal, MD, a gastroenterologist in New York City.

What Is Pork Intolerance, Causes and Symptoms

Diagnosing food intolerances isn't always an exact science. "Because the body's symptoms overlap with other conditions and illnesses, it can sometimes be difficult to diagnose a hypersensitivity to a certain food," Dr. Sonpal says. To shed light on your situation, he recommends keeping a diary of the foods you've eaten, as well as your symptoms.

Another helpful tool for diagnosing a pork intolerance is an elimination diet. "We refrain from consuming the suspected food — in this case, pork — for a period between 2 to 8 weeks," Dr. Sonpal says. "If symptoms subside, this can be an indication that there is a food intolerance to pork. You can then introduce a small portion of pork into your diet and observe the effects to confirm the intolerance."

While you can undertake an elimination diet on your own, experts say it's best to do so with the guidance of a doctor or dietitian.

Pork and Food Poisoning, Causes and Symptoms

When diarrhea or stomach cramps become a pattern after eating pork, it's logical to consider an allergy or intolerance. However, if you experience these symptoms just once, the more likely culprit is food poisoning from undercooked pork.

Trichinella is a type of roundworm often found in pig meat. When pork isn't cooked to the internal temperature of 145 degrees Fahrenheit or higher, these parasites can survive, causing the following symptoms:

According to the Mayo Clinic, you could experience more severe side effects, and it takes about a week after eating undercooked pork for these symptoms to appear.

Read more on: livestrong