Fermentation In The Gut: Raw Vegan Diet Solutions

Fermentation in the gut can be a source of discomfort, causing trapped wind, bloating, and flatulence. While some gas is normal, an excess can be caused by an imbalance in the gut's bacteria, which can be triggered by a diet high in FODMAPs (fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols). A raw vegan diet can be high in FODMAPs, as it includes foods such as garlic, onions, beans, chickpeas, and lentils. However, cooking food can break down fibers and cellular walls, making nutrients more available to the body and easier to digest. Therefore, a fully raw vegan diet may contribute to gut fermentation and associated discomfort. To reduce gut fermentation, it is recommended to cook certain foods, especially those high in FODMAPs, and to increase fiber intake gradually.

Avoid high-FODMAP foods

A raw vegan diet can be a challenge for those wanting to avoid high-FODMAP foods, as many plant-based foods contain FODMAPs. FODMAP stands for Fermentable Oligosaccharides, Disaccharides, Monosaccharides, and Polyols, which are short-chain carbohydrates that the small intestine cannot properly absorb.

High-FODMAP foods include garlic, onions, beans, chickpeas, wheat, lentils, and milk. These foods can trigger gut symptoms such as cramping, wind, constipation, and diarrhea, often referred to as Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS).

• Limit or avoid trigger foods: While you don't need to cut them out entirely, it's important to limit your consumption of high-FODMAP foods. This includes lentils, beans, onions, and chickpeas. Remember that FODMAPs are dose-dependent, and their effects tend to be cumulative, so even small amounts can add up throughout the day.
• Focus on low-FODMAP plant-based options: There are still plenty of plant-based foods that are low in FODMAPs. These include fruits like blueberries, cantaloupe, and strawberries; vegetables like carrots, celery, and zucchini; nuts and seeds such as Brazil nuts, pumpkin seeds, and walnuts; and proteins like tofu, tempeh, and edamame.
• Read labels carefully: When purchasing plant-based dairy alternatives, choose those that are fortified with calcium. Also, check the labels of sweeteners, as some high-FODMAP sweeteners include fructose, high-fructose corn syrup, and corn syrup.
• Be mindful of portion sizes: Sometimes, the difference between a high and low FODMAP food is the amount consumed. For example, almonds are considered high-FODMAP, but if you consume less than 2 tablespoons, they may be better tolerated.
• Experiment with low-FODMAP recipes: Adapt your favourite recipes by removing garlic and onion. Instead, use spices and herbs like basil and cinnamon, which are low-FODMAP. Swap beans with canned lentils or firm tofu, or use tempeh instead.
• Seek professional guidance: Consult with a registered dietitian or a Monash FODMAP-trained dietitian to ensure your diet is well-balanced and to help you identify and avoid high-FODMAP foods. They can also assist in reintroducing trigger foods successfully.

Eat smaller meals

Eating smaller meals is a great way to improve your gut health and reduce fermentation. Here are some tips to help you eat smaller meals while following a raw vegan diet:

• Focus on portion control: Be mindful of the amount of food you are consuming at each meal. Listen to your body's hunger cues and stop eating when you feel satisfied, rather than overly full. This may involve paying attention to your body's signals of fullness and satiety.
• Practice mindful eating: Take time to savour and appreciate your food. Eat slowly and mindfully, savouring the flavours, textures and aromas of your meal. This can help you feel more satisfied with smaller portions.
• Increase meal frequency: Instead of having three large meals a day, try having smaller, more frequent meals. For example, you could split your usual lunch portion into two smaller meals, one in the late morning and one in the early afternoon. This will help keep your metabolism active throughout the day.
• Prioritize nutrient-dense foods: Choose foods that are rich in nutrients and low in empty calories. For example, a small handful of nuts and seeds can provide healthy fats, protein and fibre, keeping you feeling fuller for longer.
• Avoid trigger foods: Certain foods, such as refined carbohydrates and added sugars, can trigger fermentation and bloating. Minimise or avoid these foods to help reduce excess fermentation in the gut.
• Include digestive enzymes: Incorporate foods or supplements that contain digestive enzymes, such as bromelain or papain. These enzymes help break down food in the gut, aiding digestion and reducing the workload on your digestive system.

Remember, it is important to listen to your body and adjust your meal sizes accordingly. Everyone is different, so find what works best for you and your gut health.

Chew food thoroughly

To stop fermentation in the gut, it is important to chew your food thoroughly. Here are some reasons why:

Chewing is the first stage of digestion. When you chew, your saliva releases an enzyme called amylase, which starts to break down carbohydrates. Chewing also mechanically breaks down food into smaller pieces, making it easier for your body to digest. This process helps to reduce digestive problems such as gas, bloating, and constipation.

Chewing your food thoroughly also stimulates the production of more digestive enzymes, which further break down food and aid digestion. Additionally, the act of chewing triggers the production of hydrochloric acid in the stomach, which regulates pH levels, creating a more acidic environment that assists with food breakdown.

By breaking down food into smaller particles, your body can more easily absorb a greater amount of nutrients from what you're eating. Chewing thoroughly ensures that you get the most nutritional benefit from your meals.

Chewing your food well can also help to reduce bacterial overgrowth in the gut. When food particles are not properly broken down, they can lead to increased bacterial growth and fermentation, resulting in issues like indigestion, bloating, and constipation.

Finally, taking the time to chew your food thoroughly can help with portion control and prevent overeating. It takes about 20 minutes for your brain to signal to your stomach that it's full. By slowing down your eating and chewing each bite thoroughly, you're giving your brain time to receive this signal, which can help you feel satisfied with smaller portions.

Avoid trigger foods

Trigger foods are foods that are known to cause an increase in gut fermentation. While it is not necessary to cut these foods out of your diet entirely, it is a good idea to limit your consumption of them.

The most common trigger foods are high-FODMAP foods. FODMAP stands for "fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols." These are essentially short-chain carbohydrates that are easily fermented by the bacteria in your gut. Examples of high-FODMAP foods include garlic, onions, beans, chickpeas, wheat, lentils, and milk.

Another trigger food group to be aware of is processed carbohydrates. The more processed a carbohydrate is (e.g. white pasta, white bread, white rice), the more likely it is to cause unwanted gut fermentation. This is because the processing makes it easier for the sugar in these foods to be released, providing fuel for the fermentation process.

Emulsifiers are another group of food additives that can trigger gut fermentation. These are often added to manufactured food products such as drinks, dressings, meats, and plant-based milk alternatives. Some studies have linked the regular consumption of emulsifiers to an increased risk of inflammatory bowel disease.

It is important to note that trigger foods can vary from person to person, and it may be helpful to work with a healthcare professional to identify specific trigger foods that may be contributing to your gut fermentation. Additionally, while reducing your consumption of trigger foods can help manage gut fermentation, it is also important to ensure that you are still getting adequate nutrition.

Try a low-FODMAP diet

A low-FODMAP diet is often recommended to alleviate symptoms associated with gut fermentation. FODMAP stands for fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols, which are short-chain carbohydrates that the small intestine absorbs poorly. These are all foods that your gut bacteria feed on, converting them into gases in a chemical process called fermentation.

The low-FODMAP diet is a three-step elimination diet:

Step 1: Elimination

First, you stop eating certain foods (high-FODMAP foods). High-FODMAP foods include dairy-based milk, yogurt, and ice cream, wheat-based products such as cereal, bread, and crackers, some vegetables like onions and garlic, and some fruits like apples, cherries, and peaches. During this phase, you'll want to avoid all high-FODMAP foods, but there are still plenty of foods in each category that you can eat. It's recommended to follow this phase for at least two weeks and no more than six weeks.

Step 2: Reintroduction

In this phase, you will slowly reintroduce high-FODMAP foods to see which ones are troublesome. You will systematically add foods back in, one at a time, to find your tolerance threshold. This phase typically lasts about eight weeks.

Step 3: Maintenance

The final phase aims to relax dietary restrictions as much as possible and establish a personalized FODMAP diet for the long term. In this phase, well-tolerated foods are reintroduced, while poorly tolerated foods are restricted, but only to a level that provides symptom relief.

It's important to note that not everyone with gut fermentation issues will improve on a low-FODMAP diet. Additionally, this diet is meant to be temporary and should be followed under the guidance of a healthcare provider or dietitian. It's also crucial to ensure proper nutrition during this restrictive diet.

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