The short explanation
Several reasons are possible. Street foods are sometimes made with water or ingredients that carry germs, and how much a person reacts can vary. Some people have more sensitive guts, for example with IBS, and spicy, oily or tangy foods can trigger symptoms even when there is no infection. Others may be reacting to a specific ingredient, such as onion, chickpeas or dairy. Your friends may also have built up some tolerance, or may have mild symptoms they do not mention. If your upset usually settles within a day and you have no fever or blood in the stool, it is likely to be a mild reaction. Choosing stalls that use filtered water and fresh ingredients, and noticing whether specific foods trigger you, can help.
What depends on your situation
The parts of this that change from woman to woman. Uncertainty is stated, not hidden.
- Repeated episodes of loose stools, cramps and bloating with many foods, not only street food, may point to IBS.
- Persistent diarrhoea, fever, blood in stool or weight loss need medical review.
- Hepatitis A and typhoid can spread through contaminated food and water; vaccines are available for both, which you can ask your doctor about.
What this answer cannot determine
The boundary of online education. These need a clinician who can see you.
- This cannot tell you why you react to street food. A doctor can help if symptoms are frequent or severe.
Questions for your clinician
Take these with you. You can add any of them to an appointment card.
- Could I have a sensitive gut or IBS?
- Should I avoid any specific foods?
- Should I get vaccinated for hepatitis A or typhoid?
- When should I get stool tests?
When to seek help
Clinician-approved guidance for this topic. When in doubt, being seen is never the wrong choice.
Get help the same day
- Get care the same day if you have high fever, blood in your stool, or cannot keep fluids down.
Book an appointment soon
- See a doctor within a few days if loose motions continue or keep coming back.
Raise it at a routine appointment
- Book a routine appointment if you often get stomach upsets after eating out.
Sources
The evidence this explanation is built on.
- Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) NHS
- Stomach ache NHS
- Indigestion NHS
Who wrote and reviewed this
Every AskHer answer names its author. A clinically reviewed answer also names the clinician who signed it off — if no clinician is named below, it has not been clinically reviewed.
- Author
- AskHer Editorial (AI-assisted draft) AskHer's editorial team — not an individual clinician Works in English, தமிழ், हिन्दी
- Clinical reviewer
- Nobody yet No clinician has signed this answer off, and no person on the editorial team has read it yet. That is what the “Written with AI assistance” label means. It is queued for an editor to read, and then for a clinician who works in this area. The sources it was drafted against are listed above.
- Review status
- Written with AI assistance — not yet reviewed by a person
- Last reviewed
- Not yet reviewed by a person
- Version
- 1
Correction history
Substantive changes are listed, not quietly edited away.
No corrections have been made since this answer was first published.
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