If vegetables leave you feeling bloated, it’s time to switch it up.
It’s a well-known fact that vegetables are an important part of our diets. Mothers since the beginning of time have hammered this idea into our heads, and reminded us at regular intervals throughout our lives. You should definitely eat your vegetables. But not all vegetables were created equal.
Some vegetables can leave us feeling bloated or gassy. If you have ever eaten even a single bite of cooked cauliflower, you know what I’m talking about.
In the vegetable world, there are these things called ‘FODMAPS’, which stands for fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols, which is really just a fancy way of saying ‘fermentable sugars’.
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Vegetables in this category don’t fully digest when you eat them, so your gut bacteria causes them to ferment, releasing digestive gasses to cause bloating, gassiness, diarrhea, and pain.
FODMAP vegetables don’t effect everyone in the same way, and you can see your doctor if you are concerned that you may be especially sensitive. Cooking the vegetables helps break down the fibrous wall around them, which may help ease the problematic digestive symptoms.
If you want to avoid FODMAPs entirely, you can adjust your diet to include more dark leafy greens.
Spinach, kale, and Swiss chard are three great options. Cucumbers, asparagus, and fennel will help keep the bloat down and also help with digestion and gut health.
Fiber supplements like Metamucil can also help keep your digestive system running smoothly, in conjunction with a balanced diet, and vegetables with a high water content.
The most important thing to do is pay attention to your body, but just know that if certain vegetables don’t agree with you, there are plenty of other ways to give your body the nutrients it needs without upsetting your stomach.