Eliminating Gas and Bloating On a Vegan Diet

Some parts of the plant based diet are not so glam.

One thing I get asked about a lot is how to reduce gas and bloating that sometimes comes along with eating more plants.

I've put together some tips that I think will help you feel more comfortable digging in to your veggies!

Drink more water

Plants are very high in fiber, so when you increase the amount of fiber in your diet you should be conscious of increasing your water consumption as well.

Soak your nuts, beans and grains.

Soaking these foods makes them easier to digest. Here’s a cheat sheet on how to soak specific grains.

Nuts have a coating called Phytic acid that prohibits the body from absorbing certain nutrients and can make them hard to digest. To soak place nuts with warm water and salt in a bowl overnight, drain and rinse in the morning and then dry out in the oven (150 degrees) or in the dehydrator

For rice and beans - soak with warm water overnight

Quinoa - rinse with cool water do not soak overnight

Include bile stimulating foods into your diet.

We need bile in order to begin the breakdown of foods and help with digestion. If you're experiencing these issues you may not be secreting enough bile. One way to increase your bile is by drinking celery juice first thing in the morning

add more digestive friendly foods to your diet

My favorite food to add into my meals to help with my digestion is fennel. If you are struggling with gas and bloating, try adding fennel seed to your dishes, snacking on fennel, or trying doTerra’s Digestzen.

Practice Mindful Eating

Gas and bloating can be a result of eating too fast, not chewing enough, or too much air being taken in while eating. Slow down when you eat, chew your food (at least 15 times per bite), and practice putting your fork down in between bites. You can also take a few deep breaths before eating so you get in a rest and digest state.

If these tips are not helping, start logging your foods and symptoms to see if you are having a reaction to anything in particular.