Brenda Khan
A vegan diet can bring about several health benefits, but it can also lead to an increase in gas and bloating. This is usually due to the higher intake of dietary fibre, which the body can take a while to adjust to. The good news is that there are several ways to reduce gas and bloating while on a vegan diet.
What You'll Learn
Soak legumes and grains before cooking
Soaking legumes and grains before cooking is a great way to reduce gas and bloating on a vegan diet. This is because legumes, such as beans and lentils, contain complex sugars called oligosaccharides, which are not easily digestible and can cause fermentation in the large intestine, producing gas and bloating. Soaking legumes overnight before cooking helps to break down these sugars, reducing the chance of an upset stomach.
The same is true for grains and seeds. Sprouting or soaking them makes them easier to digest, leading to less bloating and gas. Soaking legumes and grains is also a great way to reap their health benefits. Sprouted grains, for example, make it easier for the body to absorb nutrients.
In addition to soaking legumes and grains, there are a number of other ways to reduce gas and bloating on a vegan diet. Firstly, it is important to incorporate proper food preparation techniques. Cooking vegetables, for example, makes them easier to digest, reducing the amount of gas produced. It is also beneficial to incorporate gut-friendly foods and enzymes that promote healthy digestion, such as probiotics found in fermented foods like kimchi and sauerkraut.
Staying well-hydrated can also be beneficial for those on a vegan diet experiencing gas and bloating. Increasing water intake can help flush out the intestines and promote regular bowel movements. Drinking plenty of water can also aid in digestion and decrease gas production.
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Eat more probiotic foods
Eating more probiotic foods is a great way to reduce gas on a vegan diet. Probiotics are beneficial bacteria that live in the body and provide several health benefits. They are present in some foods and supplements.
- Include a variety of fermented plant foods in your diet: Fermented plant foods such as sauerkraut, kimchi, pickles, tempeh, natto, miso, fermented oats or rice, water kefir, coconut kefir, kombucha, and plant-based yogurts and cheeses are excellent sources of probiotics. Look for unpasteurized and unheated options as heat kills probiotics.
- Choose fortified foods: Opt for fortified dairy alternatives such as soy- and nut-based milk and yogurts that contain live cultures. Check the labels for Lactobacillus and other probiotic strains.
- Read labels carefully: When choosing probiotic supplements, ensure they are vegan by carefully reading the labels. Some supplements may contain animal-derived ingredients such as gelatin, lactose, or other milk sugars.
- Consider the delivery mechanism: Probiotics are available in different forms such as capsules, gummies, and powder. While gummies may taste better, the bacteria in them are less effective as many of them die before reaching the intestines.
- Look for multispecies and multistrain probiotics: Opt for probiotic supplements that contain a combination of different species and strains of bacteria as they work best together to promote a healthy gut.
- Choose probiotics tailored to your needs: Select probiotics that are designed to address specific health concerns. For example, if you've recently taken a course of antibiotics, choose a probiotic that supports gut flora restoration.
By incorporating more probiotic-rich foods and supplements into your diet, you can promote a healthier gut and reduce gas and bloating associated with a vegan diet.
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Cook your vegetables
Cooking your vegetables is an effective way to reduce gas and bloating on a vegan diet. Raw vegetables are likely to cause gas production because they contain high amounts of starch and fiber. Cooking vegetables helps to break down these compounds, making them easier to digest and reducing the amount of gas produced.
There are several ways to cook vegetables to make them more digestible. Baking, steaming, sautéing, or grilling your vegetables will help to pre-digest starch and fiber, which are the biggest gas-producing ingredients in veggies. Cooking vegetables also makes the nutrients in them more absorbable.
When cooking your vegetables, it is important to avoid overcooking them, as this can reduce their nutritional value. It is also a good idea to cook vegetables separately from other foods, as this will help to retain their flavour and texture.
In addition to cooking vegetables, there are other ways to reduce gas and bloating on a vegan diet. These include gradually increasing the amount of high-fibre foods in your diet, drinking plenty of water, and incorporating gut-friendly foods and enzymes that promote healthy digestion, such as probiotics and digestive enzymes.
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Drink more water
Drinking more water is an essential part of reducing gas and bloating on a vegan diet. Water is not only one of the healthiest beverages but is also crucial to your health and digestion. Water breaks down food so your body can absorb nutrients and prevents constipation by softening stool.
Dietary fibre needs water to work properly. Water prevents soluble fibre from sitting in your gut for too long. Soluble fibre is found in oats, beans, apples, citrus fruits, and carrots. Insoluble fibre, found in foods like whole wheat flour, beans, and potatoes, attracts water in the small intestine, speeding up its exit from your body.
It is recommended that you drink 80-100 ounces of water every day. It is also best to spread your water intake throughout the day, rather than only drinking at mealtimes, so that water is readily available when required for digestion.
In addition to drinking water, you can also try herbal teas, such as peppermint, chamomile, and ginger tea, which can aid in soothing digestive issues by relaxing the muscles in the gastrointestinal tract and reducing gas.
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Limit processed foods
Processed foods can be difficult to digest, even if they are plant-based. High-fat foods, especially oils and fried foods, move slowly through the digestive tract, causing bloating.
If you are switching to a plant-based diet, it is important to be cautious with "nutritious" processed options like bean pastas, cauliflower crusts, and nut flours. These foods can be high in fibre and can cause digestive issues if you try to incorporate them too quickly.
It is recommended that you increase your intake of these foods gradually over a matter of weeks or even months. This will give your body time to adjust to the higher fibre amounts.
In addition, it is worth noting that processed foods can also refer to foods that have been processed in certain ways, such as carbonated drinks, chewing gum, and hard candy, which cause you to swallow excess air, leading to a buildup of gas in the stomach.
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Frequently asked questions
There are several ways to reduce gas when on a vegan diet. Firstly, it is important to incorporate high-fibre foods gradually, as a sudden onset of high-fibre foods can shock the gut. Secondly, cooking vegetables instead of eating them raw can help to break down starch and fibre, making them easier to digest. Thirdly, soaking legumes and grains before cooking can help to break down the sugars that often cause gas.
Cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, kale, cabbage and brussels sprouts are known to cause gas. Beans, lentils and other legumes are also likely to cause gas due to their high fibre content and the presence of complex sugars called oligosaccharides, which are not easily digestible. Lastly, raw vegetables are likely to cause gas due to their high starch and fibre content.
Yes, there are several natural remedies that can help to reduce gas when on a vegan diet. These include drinking ginger tea or adding ginger to water, drinking herbal teas such as peppermint, ginger or fennel, and adding lemon to water to neutralise stomach acid.
