Have you ever been sure that you couldn’t resist a tasty, filling bean soup – and then you scolded yourself for it all day… Many people have already heard – especially those who deal with environmental protection – that ruminant animals produce a huge amount of methane, which takes a leading place among those responsible for the greenhouse effect. What can be done to prevent plant-based people from becoming the new cattle for methane production? Also, what can be done to be able to participate in social events with a sincere smile even after lunch? Read the article!
Why does this problem arise in the first place?
What is the reason that those who significantly increase the proportion of plants in their diet and reduce or completely avoid animal products develop much more gas in their bodies?
The reason is very simple – the fiber intake increases significantly. Fiber consumption has many beneficial effects, and sufficient dietary fiber is an important part of a healthy diet. The fiber passes through the small intestine undigested, then in the large intestine bacteria begin to break it down, it starts to ferment, binds cholesterol, binds water and loosens the stool. A plant-based diet contains several types of fiber. Some are better fermented by bacteria in the large intestine – these are soluble fibers, which create more gas. Some, on the other hand, pass through the large intestine with minimal fermentation – these are insoluble fibers, which are responsible for less gas formation. Lentils, beans, oats, peas and most fruits are high in soluble fiber. What makes things a little more complicated is that everyone has a different intestinal flora and the composition of their intestinal bacteria, so it varies from person to person as to which food can cause problems. However, there are some tips that can help a lot of people.
Rules of thumb for consuming plant fiber
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- Don’t start with high-fiber foods right away. At first, only 1-2 meals should contain fiber-rich foods, then gradually switch to consuming 30-35 g of fiber per day. Don’t take them all at once, spread them between your daily meals. Gradually switch from white to brown rice, from white flour to whole grain, etc. . If your stomach can handle this, then gradually start introducing beans or lentils, for example, and so on. Start with 10-15g of fiber/day, then start increasing until you reach over 30g. Give yourself time to get used to it!
- Avoid unnecessary things that can cause bloating – such as carbonated soft drinks, drinks made with sorbitol or sugar-free candies and chews.
- As you increase your fiber intake, you must also increase your water consumption! If you drink little water, you may become constipated. Sufficient water is the key to a smooth transition to a fiber-rich diet!
- In the initial period, it is better to eat vegetables steamed. Gradually introduce raw vegetables into your diet – once your digestive system is used to it, you can enjoy the beneficial health effects of raw food.
- Drink ginger tea or add some fresh ginger to your smoothies.
- Eating fermented foods has a probiotic effect, so it supports digestion and can help reduce gas formation. Eat pickles – but sauerkraut is not absolutely recommended 🙂 – choose fermented or pickled cucumbers, beets, vegetable yogurt to accompany your lunch!
- Avoid processed, hydrogenated vegetable fats as much as possible! You can also get enough fat from seeds or by eating avocados.
- If you are working with raw lentils, soak them for 8-24 hours before cooking. Pour off the cooking water before serving, because it contains a lot of oligosaccharides, the consumption of which leads to fermentation in the large intestine.If you are going to cook black beans, horse beans or lentils, soak them in warm water with a little lemon juice or apple cider vinegar. It is worth soaking dry peas in water with baking soda, and white, variegated or kidney beans in tap water with a little lemon juice.
- If using canned beans, drain and rinse, then dry before eating or cooking.
- Feel free to use herbal teas if you feel you are getting bloated. Peppermint or fennel, for example, can be good.
- Move! Sitting hunched over all day does not support optimal digestion in any way. At least take a walk (preferably 2 x 30 minutes a day) if you’re not doing sports. This will speed up your digestion, and the stagnant food will not have time to start fermenting in your body. A few minutes of twisting yoga can also greatly improve digestion!
Find out what causes your “symptoms”, always listen to your body!
As we wrote before, who tolerates what better or worse depends on individual sensitivity. You can even write a food diary to find out which type of fiber you should avoid. If something affects your digestion, first stop consuming it and slowly and gradually add it back into your diet so that your body can adapt. Don’t be afraid, after a while you will find out what is good for you! If you have been experiencing bloating and digestive problems for a long time, you should try the low FODMAP diet for a while – you can read more about it here.