Plant-Based Diet: Reducing Gas And Bloating

A plant-based diet is associated with a wide range of health benefits, from improving gut health to lowering the risk of certain cancers. However, one of the most common side effects of increasing your intake of plant-based foods is excessive gas. This is because plant-based diets are typically much higher in fibre than omnivorous diets, and the body needs time to adjust to the change.

- Incorporate fibre gradually: A sudden increase in fibre can shock the gut, so it's better to introduce high-fibre foods gradually.

- Drink plenty of water: Fibre needs water to work properly. Aim to drink enough water so that your urine is pale.

- Chew your food thoroughly: Chewing kick-starts the digestive process, and the enzymes in saliva help break down carbs and starch.

- Cook your vegetables: Cooking vegetables helps to break down starch and fibre, making them easier to digest.

- Soak legumes and grains: Soaking legumes and grains helps to predigest starches and carbs, reducing their gas potential.

- Try a digestive enzyme: Digestive enzymes can help break down fibre and reduce gas.

- Limit high-gas foods: Reduce your intake of cruciferous vegetables such as cauliflower, broccoli, and cabbage, which are well-known for producing gas.

Eat cooked vegetables

Eating cooked vegetables is a great way to reduce gas when following a plant-based diet. Cooking vegetables helps to break down the cell walls, making them easier to digest and allowing your body to absorb more nutrients. This is especially true for vegetables that are known to cause gas, such as broccoli, cabbage, and cauliflower, which contain raffinose, a hard-to-digest sugar. Cooking these vegetables can help reduce their gas-producing potential.

There are several ways to cook vegetables to make them easier on the digestive system. Baking, steaming, sautéing, or grilling your veggies can help to pre-digest starches and fibres, which are the biggest gas-producing components in vegetables. Cooking also makes the nutrients in vegetables more absorbable, so it is generally recommended to opt for cooked vegetables over raw when following a plant-based diet.

Lightly steaming, sautéing, or roasting vegetables can also help to improve nutrient absorption. For example, cooking carrots increases the amount of beta-carotene, an antioxidant that turns into vitamin A. Similarly, cooking tomatoes increases the absorption of lycopene, although it decreases the amount of vitamin C.

It is worth noting that not all greens or plant-based proteins cause gas, and some are easier to digest raw. Lettuce, spinach, bell peppers, and zucchini are examples of raw vegetables that are gentle on the digestive system. However, for vegetables that are known to cause gas, cooking them can be a simple and effective way to reduce gas and improve digestion when following a plant-based diet.

In addition to cooking vegetables, there are other strategies to reduce gas when following a plant-based diet. These include gradually increasing the amount of fibre in your diet, soaking legumes and grains before cooking, and limiting high-gas foods such as cruciferous vegetables and onions.

Spread fibre consumption throughout the day

It is important to eat a wide variety of foods instead of relying on one source for fibre intake. If your body is slowly adjusting to more fibre, spread your portions across multiple meals instead of eating a lot in a single serving.

• Eat whole fruits such as pears and apples instead of drinking fruit juices.
• Opt for whole grain foods instead of white rice, white bread, and white pasta.
• Snack on vegetables instead of pretzels and chips.
• Eat beans and lentils daily.
• Sprinkle chia seeds on cereal, smoothies, or salads.

It is also important to drink plenty of water when you eat fibrous food.

If you are experiencing digestive issues, it is a good idea to cut back on your fibre intake and slowly reintroduce fibre-rich foods into your diet.

Drink water to help fibre do its job

Drinking plenty of water is essential when eating a plant-based diet to help your body digest fibre properly and avoid gas and bloating. Water is needed to aid digestion and to reduce constipation and gas.

Fibre is the part of plant-based foods that your gut can't digest. There are two types of fibre: soluble and insoluble. Soluble fibre dissolves in water and can be absorbed by the body, while insoluble fibre doesn't dissolve in water but adds bulk to your stool. Both types of fibre promote digestive health, but insoluble fibre, in particular, can lead to gas and bloating.

Soluble fibre pulls water into the stool, making it softer and easier to pass. This means that if you're not drinking enough water, you may become dehydrated and constipated. Soluble fibre also feeds the good bacteria in your gut, which turn it into usable energy.

Insoluble fibre, on the other hand, functions mainly as a bulking agent, adding content to your stool. This type of fibre is why eating a plant-based diet can make you feel fuller for longer. However, if you don't drink enough water, insoluble fibre can make you feel bloated and gassy.

When switching to a plant-based diet, it's important to increase your water intake to help your body digest the extra fibre properly. This is especially important if you're eating a lot of raw fruits and vegetables, as cooking helps to break down some of the fibre.

In addition to water, you can also drink herbal teas containing ginger, fennel, or mint, which have the added benefit of soothing the digestive tract.

It's also important to note that you should increase your water intake gradually when increasing your fibre intake to give your body time to adjust.

Chew food thoroughly

Chewing your food properly is an important step in reducing gas and bloating on a plant-based diet. It is the first step of digestion, and it helps your body extract the greatest possible amount of nutrients from the food you eat. When you chew your food, it gets broken down into smaller pieces, which are easier for your body to digest.

• Break up softer foods, such as berries, fruits, or cooked vegetables, by chewing them at least 5 times. Some softer foods may only take 4-5 chews to be broken down enough for easy digestion.
• Start breaking down meat and crunchy vegetables by chewing them 30 times. Count each bite as you chew to help break them down into more easily digestible pieces.
• Keep a slow and steady pace when chewing your food. Avoid quick, choppy bites, which won't properly grind up your food.
• Use your molars to chew tougher foods, such as nuts, seeds, and crunchy vegetables. Move these foods to the back of your mouth so your molars can break them up, making swallowing and digestion easier.
• Move food around in your mouth with your tongue to ensure all the food is evenly and properly chewed.
• Swallow your food when there aren't any more lumps in it. Continue chewing until the food is liquid and there aren't any pieces that are still crunchy or tough.
• Cut larger foods into smaller pieces. Take bites that are small enough to fit neatly onto your fork or spoon, making it easier to chew properly.
• Chew with your mouth closed to reduce the amount of air you swallow. Keeping your mouth closed while chewing keeps extra air from mixing with your food, aiding digestion and preventing intestinal discomfort and gas.

Chewing your food thoroughly will not only help with gas and bloating but also improve your overall health. It will help you eat slower, feel fuller for longer, and enhance your overall eating experience.

Soak legumes and grains before cooking

Soaking legumes and grains before cooking them is an effective way to reduce gas when following a plant-based diet. This is because soaking helps to predigest starches and carbs, thereby reducing the gas potential.

When legumes and grains are soaked, the water-soluble and gas-producing oligosaccharides, raffinose and stachyose, are leached out. Raffinose is a type of carbohydrate that is difficult to digest and leads to gas production. Soaking legumes and grains helps to reduce the amount of raffinose, thereby reducing the likelihood of gas production.

It is recommended that legumes and grains are soaked overnight or for a few hours before cooking. This process not only helps to reduce gas production but also makes the legumes and grains easier to cook and improves their texture.

In addition to soaking, there are other ways to reduce gas production when cooking legumes. One method is to cook legumes with a little kombu or wakame (seaweed) or a bay leaf. These ingredients can help to reduce gas production and improve the flavour of the legumes. It is also important to cook legumes thoroughly until they are soft, as this will make them easier to digest.

While gas production is a normal part of the digestive process, excessive gas can be uncomfortable and embarrassing. By soaking legumes and grains before cooking, you can help to reduce gas production and improve your overall comfort when following a plant-based diet.

Frequently asked questions