If you have bloating and gastrointestinal issues every time you eat, say, chickpeas, or that cabbage dish, you’re not alone. Foods that contain high levels of soluble fiber can often make you bloat or feel stomach discomfort. For many, that means just cutting those items out of their diet, but that’s a mistake.
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Soluble fiber is a necessary and helpful ingredient that we all need to stay healthy. Rather than cutting out the offending fruits, veggies and grains that cause your stomach bloat, there are ways to adapt your body to these items so that you can still enjoy them and retain the health benefits they give you, in the form of great recipes and helpful tips that you can utilize to reduce the effects of these foods.
While aquafaba (the liquid that chickpeas are in when you take them out of the can), is a useful and innovative ingredient for vegans everywhere, if you aren’t a non-dairy person, rinse all of that liquid off before preparing your chickpeas. This is also a good rule of thumb for any other kind of bean, including black beans, cannellini and kidney beans. Getting rid of the fiber-dense liquid will make them easier to digest. Just throw them into a colander and rinse them thoroughly!
You can also try roasting your chickpeas instead of serving them raw – something about the different cooking process makes them more mellow and less likely to give you bloating issues. Plus, roasted chickpeas are a seriously addictive and tasty snack.
The same ideas apply to other types of foods that cause bloating and distress, like brussels sprouts, cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, lentils, and peas. Rinsing these foods carefully, roasting/grilling/sauteing (pretty much any cooking method other than stewing/steaming, which cooks a vegetable in its own liquid) are all much better preparation methods that will eliminate some of the gastrointestinal distress you feel. The truth is, that creatively preparing these foods can be so much more delicious than simply stewing them or throwing them into a soup. There are so many great recipes out there for roasted broccoli, sauteed brussels sprouts, and chickpea crackers. You’ll be able to find creative and delicious ideas for these vegetables that eliminate the discomfort really easily.
Natural supplements can also help, such as papaya enzymes, and over the counter medications like Gas-X or Tums might also provide relief. Try not to rely too heavily on medications, though, as you could form a dependence on them and their effectiveness will fade as you overuse them. Drinking a full glass of water before eating a meal can also help, as can avoiding items like bubbly soda or seltzer water when in conjunction with these “trigger” foods.
Now that you know why chickpeas cause bloating, you can adapt your diet accordingly and find creative and healthy ways to prepare the item, still enjoying it in moderation, but equipped with the knowledge on how to combat that upset tummy!