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Question: I switched to a vegan diet following a heart attack at a young age. I feel great and I intend to remain vegan. There is however one side effect that is really bothersome: flatulence. I often release this horribly hydrogen/sulphur-smelling gas that I’m embarrassed to let out even in the bathroom. Any suggestions?

Answer:

The benefits of a plant based diet are many, including an improvement in digestion and bowel function. However, the introduction of foods so rich in fiber has one common side effect and that is an excess of gas or flatulence. The gas is caused mainly by the breakdown of undigestible fibers by bacteria normally found in our intestines.

Although this may cause us occasional discomfort or even embarrassment, the good news is that gas production is a normal and healthy process. The bad news is that it is inevitable on a diet rich in fiber filled foods. Having said that, for those of you suffering from excess, uncomfortable, or unusually smelly gas, here are a few suggestions that may be helpful in decreasing gas production:

1)reduce the amount of air you are swallowing – avoid chewing gum and drinking carbonated beverages (like soda, seltzer, and beer) as this may increase the amount of air you swallow

2)some foods like cauliflower, broccoli, garlic, onions, or cabbage are bigger culprits in gas production, these foods are also high in sulfur which results in particularly foul smelling gas – if these have been identified as your “triggers” and they are not on your list of favorites then limit or eliminate them in your diet; if, however, these “triggers” are among your staples or your favorites try cooking them with celery (which is said to help neutralize the gas production) or try cooking them as part of a bigger meal (this way you can limit the quantity but still enjoy the taste)

3)choose smaller beans (ie lentils and peas) over larger beans (kidney and garbanzo) when possible

4)sprout your beans or soak them overnight to reduce their oligosaccharide content (these sugars are broken down by bacteria in the intestines resulting in gas production)

5)as a last resort – take Bean-zyme or pro-biotics (pills or liquid form - NOT via yogurt) to improve the flora of your intestines as well as aid in digestion

Hope that helps.

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