Tomato Replacement??

This is a little odd. I've never been allergic to anything and never had any problem eating any sorts of food. But lately I've been having some adverse reactions to tomatos.

I didn't know if it was just some bad sauce the first time, but it seems to be any type of tomato sauce. I have been staying away from it lately and have been too scared to see if I will get the same reaction to just tomatos fresh. I have however, eaten a spoonful of salsa without having a terrible reaction (heart burn + just AWFUL pain in my stomach), but then again the other night I had chips and salsa and was in pain the entire evening (but I also got sick off the meal as well...so hard to say what caused what).

I am fine with every other sort of acidic food and like I said am not allergic to anything. Could it be bad sauce? The sauce was made poorly so the tomatos get too acidic?? Or me and tomatos are just enemies now?? And does anyone have any idea what I can use instead of tomatos?? I am guessing there is no tomato replacement, but I want to make some food that calls for it - also anything like Beano for tomatos??

You need to see a Doctor to figure out why the tomatos that have bothered you did.  Sounds like GERD (Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease) so Prilosec may help but again you should see your Doctor.

I've used stuff such as pepto bismol and once even a heartburn pill, both helped. Pepto bismol worked  right away actually. I was thinking it was acid reflux but it is ONLY with tomatos. I can eat anything else, no problem. Tomatos...well, tomato sauce (like I said I have yet to just eat a tomato and see how I feel) they do me in.

I guess it wouldn't hurt to get some professional advice on this though. It's just it doesn't come up often enough (I don't eat much with tomatos) that I wasn't even thinking a doctor was needed, just wanted to know if there was anything I could do when tomatos do come up.

GERD is funny stuff, it's why I started trying to lose weight.  I had chest pain all the time to the point I convinced my self it must be my heart (left side at night, worse after working out.)  I feel better now that I know.  That and now that I watch how much I eat I don't have the problem.

Its not in the chest its a throat burning/insane stomache.

Blegh, I guess the logical answer is just stay away from tomatos right?? Eh, no harm there, I don't eat them a lot and now it's just another excuse not to eat pizza...and I don't even need an excuse for that I find pizza gross.

Lots of things can induce repetitive hearburn - have you been under a lot of stress lately?

There is a condition called GERD (gastro intestinal reflux disease), and a hiatal hernia would cause that too.

I discovered I had the latter after I had consistent hearburn after everytime I ate chocolate or anything with a tomato sauce.  My doctor put me on Nexium, and in this next year I'll be scheduled for an endoscopy to check my esophagus. 

You don't want to mess with repetitive hearburn - after a while, the acid can erode the lining of your esophagus and cause a lot of other problems.  In the meantime, lay off the tomatoes a little bit, but see a doctor.

I make a pesto sauce with basil, pine nuts, parmeasan cheese (reduced cal) nutmeg and instead of olive oil i use chicken broth.  search out a few pesto recipies and substitue broth for oil....anything that can take tomatos as a base or a suace can use pesto instead.

I guess instead of tomatoes find a different recipe. Eg salsa - make a mango/cucumber salsa. Pasta sauces, go creamy ones (using Hugnry Girl's girl-fredo recie for low cals/fat) Pizza bases, maybe try chopped capsicum or something pureed like pumpkin
What else do you need to sub?

I was thinking of making Gazpacho. I had to look at only Mango Gazpacho because every other recipe has tomato. But I figure that is just how gazpacho is.

It's possible you are intolerant to tomato (i.e. your body doesn't produce the enzyme required to digest them). This can cause pain as you describe.  There is a company in Essex producing a tomato replacement. have a look at http:www.tomatofree.co.uk

Some salsas give me heartburn and others don't.  It could be the peppers in it, or the amount of acid.  Having it with guacamole helped because the fat absorbed the heat.

I went low carb for a while and almost all of my heartburn problems went away.  I started eating more breads again and guess what?  Heartburn returned so maybe it's what you are eating with the tomato sauce.  I'd keep a food diary for a few weeks and see what you are really reacting to.  If you make your own tomato sauce try adding a tiny bit of baking soda to it (cuts the acid) and see if that helps.  Or maybe salsa with jalapenos is the real culprit. 

Good luck.