Plant-Based Diets: Friend Or Foe To Your Gut?

A plant-based diet is a great way to improve your health and increase your stamina. However, it can also lead to bloating, especially when you're new to it. This is because plant-based diets are typically high-fibre diets, with staple foods such as fruits, vegetables, beans, legumes, nuts, seeds and whole grains all being rich sources of fibre.

When you switch from a low-fibre omnivorous diet to a plant-based one, your body needs time to adapt to the higher fibre load. This can take anywhere from a few days to a few months. In the meantime, you might experience an increased sensation of pressure in your abdomen, along with some visible protrusion.

The good news is that there are several ways to minimise bloating on a plant-based diet. Here are some tips to help you beat the bloat:

- Increase your fibre intake slowly and gradually.

- Drink plenty of water to help fibre do its job.

- Chew your food thoroughly to aid digestion.

- Eat cooked vegetables as they are easier to digest.

- Spread fibre consumption throughout the day.

- Avoid processed vegan food, which is usually loaded with added sugar and unhealthy amounts of sodium.

High-fibre foods

However, this doesn't mean you should avoid high-fibre foods. Fibre has numerous health benefits, including lowering cholesterol and blood sugar, regulating bowel movements, and aiding weight management. It also plays an important role in maintaining a healthy gut microbiome, which may have anti-inflammatory properties and reduce the risk of certain cancers.

If you're experiencing bloating from high-fibre foods, here are some tips to help you manage it:

• Increase your fibre intake gradually: Start with one high-fibre meal per day and slowly add more as your body adjusts.
• Spread your fibre intake throughout the day: Instead of having a single high-fibre meal, try to include smaller amounts of fibre in each meal.
• Drink plenty of water: Water helps fibre move through the digestive tract and prevents constipation, which can worsen bloating.
• Cook your vegetables: Cooking helps break down the plant fibres, making them easier to digest and reducing bloating. Cruciferous vegetables like cauliflower, broccoli, and cabbage are especially prone to causing bloating, so consider steaming, roasting, or stir-frying them.
• Soak and cook beans properly: Beans contain indigestible carbohydrates that can cause bloating. Soaking them overnight and then cooking them with seaweed or a bay leaf can help reduce these carbohydrates and make them easier to digest.
• Choose lighter-coloured lentils: Lighter varieties, such as red lentils, are lower in fibre and may be less likely to cause bloating.
• Eat smaller meals and chew your food thoroughly: This will reduce the amount of air you swallow and give your body more time to break down the food, potentially reducing bloating.
• Include probiotic foods: Probiotics can help improve gut health and reduce bloating. Try incorporating kimchi, miso, tempeh, or sauerkraut into your diet.
• Avoid processed vegan food: Junk food, even if it's vegan, is often high in sugar and sodium, which can contribute to bloating. Stick to whole, plant-based foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes.

FODMAP intolerance

Diagnosis and Management:

To get a proper diagnosis and rule out other conditions, it's best to consult a doctor or gastroenterologist. A FODMAP elimination and reintroduction diet can help identify trigger foods and tolerable amounts. This process typically involves:

• Eliminating high FODMAP foods for up to six weeks to assess symptom improvement.
• Systematically reintroducing different FODMAP types over the next two months to identify specific triggers and tolerances.
• Designing a personalised eating plan that minimises problematic FODMAPs while maintaining taste, nutrition, and long-term sustainability.

It's ideal to work closely with a nutritionist, dietitian, or physician during this process.

Common FODMAPs:

• Fructose: Found in fruits, vegetables, and added sugars.
• Lactose: Found in dairy products like milk.
• Fructans: Found in grains like wheat, spelt, rye, and barley, and vegetables like onions, artichokes, and leeks.
• Galactans: Present in legumes.
• Polyols: Sugar alcohols like xylitol, sorbitol, maltitol, and mannitol, found in some fruits and vegetables and used as sweeteners.

Tips to Manage FODMAP Intolerance:

• Gradually increase fibre intake, aiming for the recommended daily amounts: 25 grams for women and 38 grams for men.
• Spread fibre consumption throughout the day instead of concentrating it in one meal.
• Drink plenty of water to aid fibre digestion and prevent constipation.
• Chew food thoroughly to aid digestion.
• Cook vegetables instead of eating them raw.
• Choose lower FODMAP plant-based proteins like tofu, soy milk, and mock meats over legumes.
• Opt for refined grains like white rice or white bread instead of whole grains.
• Prepare beans and legumes properly: soak, cook thoroughly, and rinse well to reduce indigestible carbohydrates.
• Avoid carbonated drinks, straws, and gum, which can contribute to bloating.
• Manage stress and anxiety, as mental health can impact digestion.

Remember, FODMAP intolerance is not an allergy or immune reaction; it's an intolerance to certain types of food that can be managed through dietary adjustments.

Larger meal portions

When switching to a plant-based diet, it is common to experience bloating due to an increase in fibre intake. Plant-based diets are typically high in fibre, which is fantastic for health, but the body needs time to adjust. Fibre is not digested in the same way as other foods; it passes undigested into the large intestine, where it is fermented by gut bacteria, producing gas and leading to bloating.

One way to reduce bloating is to manage your meal portions. Eating smaller meals more frequently throughout the day will reduce the load on your digestive system and may help alleviate that bloated feeling.

Tips to manage meal portions:

• Spread your fibre intake throughout the day: Aim for a variety of high-fibre foods at each meal, such as beans, berries, or hardy vegetables. Smaller fibre doses of 5-10 grams throughout the day are more manageable than a large dose in one sitting.
• Opt for cooked vegetables: Cooking vegetables helps break them down, making them easier to digest. Try steaming, roasting, stir-frying, or sautéing your veggies until tender.
• Choose cooked legumes over raw: Legumes, such as beans, lentils, and chickpeas, are excellent plant-based proteins but can cause bloating due to their high fibre content. Soaking and cooking dried beans can help reduce bloating. Soak them overnight, discard the water, and rinse before cooking. Alternatively, if using tinned beans, be sure to drain and rinse them thoroughly.
• Incorporate lower-fibre plant proteins: Include some tofu, soy milk, protein powder, or mock meats in your meals instead of legumes to reduce fibre load.
• Vary your grains: Swap out some whole grains for more refined varieties, such as white rice or white bread, which are lower in fibre.
• Add calorie-dense foods: Nuts and seeds, avocado, olives, coconut, and olive oil are calorie-dense options that can help you meet your energy requirements without increasing the volume of food you consume.

Remember, it's all about balance and listening to your body. While plant-based diets are typically high in fibre, which can lead to bloating, there are ways to manage it. Start slowly, listen to your body's signals, and make adjustments as needed.

Incorrect preparation of legumes

Soaking and Rinsing

Soaking legumes in water overnight and then discarding the water and rinsing them before cooking can help reduce bloating. This process releases some of the indigestible carbohydrates into the water, making them easier to digest. For canned beans, drain and rinse them thoroughly until the water runs clear without any foam or bubbles.

Gradual Introduction

Instead of consuming large amounts of legumes, start with small portions and gradually increase the amount over time. This allows your gut bacteria to adapt and get used to the higher fibre load. For example, start by adding 1/4 cup of beans to one meal every day and slowly increase the amount as your body adjusts.

Cooking Methods

Cooking methods can also impact the digestibility of legumes. Ensure that beans are thoroughly cooked until soft. Cooking legumes in water with a bay leaf or seaweed can help further digest the fermentable carbohydrates. Additionally, cooking vegetables, instead of consuming them raw, can make them easier to digest and reduce bloating.

Alternative Legumes

Some legumes are easier to digest than others. For example, adzuki and mung beans are more digestible, while black-eyed peas tend to be less demanding on the digestive system. Lighter-coloured lentils also tend to have less fibre and are easier to digest than darker varieties.

Combination with Other Foods

Combining legumes with other foods can help reduce bloating. Tofu, soy milk, protein powder, and mock meats are lower in fibre and can be good alternatives to legumes in some meals. Additionally, incorporating more refined varieties of grains, such as white rice or white bread, can also help reduce fibre intake.

Stress and anxiety

Bloating is a common problem for people starting a plant-based diet. This is because plant-based diets are typically high in fibre, and it takes time for the body to adjust to this change. The good news is that the body catches up fast, and within a few weeks on a plant-based diet, you will feel less bloated and gassy.

To reduce anxiety-related bloating, a two-pronged approach is necessary. Firstly, address the anxiety through practices such as meditation, prayer, breathing exercises, journaling, and visualisation. Therapy sessions and medication can also help to lower stress levels and reduce anxiety symptoms. Secondly, address the digestive symptoms by identifying and removing any problematic foods from your diet, especially when you're stressed. Natural remedies such as ginger and peppermint can also provide relief.

Frequently asked questions