My Fruitive Challenge: Day 108 — How to Minimize Gassiness

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 Rip Esselstyn writes in The Engine 2 Diet that his Three-Bean Chilli recipe made visiting fire fighters gassy. It takes about 3 weeks for the gastrointestinal tract to adjust the healthy cleansing food like beans. Good to know. 

Dr. Greger writes in How Not to Die that flatulence is natural when changing to a WFPB diet especially when consuming beans: 

This happens because these foods contain types of carbohydrates that are not digested in the stomach or small intestine, making their way to the large intestine, where they are fermented by gut bacteria, producing gas as a byproduct.

Here are a few key points the book discusses regarding gassiness:

1. Adapting Over Time: The body often adapts to a higher intake of fiber-rich foods over time. The gut microbiome can adjust to the new diet, leading to a decrease in gas production after a few weeks of consistent consumption.

2. Gradual Increase: To minimize gassiness, Dr. Greger suggests gradually increasing the intake of beans and other high-fiber foods rather than introducing them suddenly into the diet. This gives the digestive system time to adjust.

3. Soaking and Cooking Beans Properly: Proper preparation of beans, including soaking them before cooking, can help reduce the amount of gas-producing compounds. This is because soaking can help leach out some of the oligosaccharides (a type of carbohydrate) that cause gas.

4. Beneficial Effects: Despite the initial discomfort, Dr. Greger emphasizes the health benefits of consuming these foods, which include reducing the risk of several chronic diseases. He suggests that the benefits far outweigh the temporary inconvenience of increased gassiness.

5. Enzymes and Supplements: For those who experience persistent issues, Dr. Greger mentions that some people find relief using enzyme supplements like Beano, which can help break down the oligosaccharides before they reach the large intestine.


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