Probiotic To Help Digestion Of Raw Veggies And Fruit?

[nvsmom]

I have started making green smoothies for myself almost daily, but there are times when I get bloated from all that vegetable. My typical smoothie is a cup or two of greens (spinach, kale, chard, etc), a couple small cucs, a pear, hemp hearts/seeds, bee pollen, a carrot, and some raspberries or grapes with water. I have not been eating a lot of greens in the past - I'm not a salad person and all my men hate salads - and I'm guessing that my gut does not have the right bacteria to handle all the green veggies which is why I end up a bit bloated for an hour.

 

Any suggestions on a probiotic that will help with veggie digestion? Thanks.

[VeggieGal]

Can't help with the probiotics but I have the same problem with kale etc...have you thought about steaming it abit first?

[VeggieGal]

nvsmom, you got me thinking and I just found this link. Within it, it mentions to be careful eating raw kale if you have thyroid issues. Any idea why?

Open Original Shared Link

[frieze]

enzymes, rather than bacteria, may be your issue....rather the lack of.....I would wonder about GMO foods as well.

[nvsmom]

nvsmom, you got me thinking and I just found this link. Within it, it mentions to be careful eating raw kale if you have thyroid issues. Any idea why?

Open Original Shared Link

VeggieGal - thanks for the idea. Kale is considered a goitrogenic food, meaning that it can make it harder for your thyroid to function and in response, your thyroid might grow bigger and result in a goiter. I am hypothyroid, and generally avoid a majority of the goitrogenic foods but I forgot about kale...  I'll be careful not to eat too much of it.

 

As for steaming kale, that's a good idea... but I'm lazy and that would require more effort.    I am the ultimate lazy eater, rather than make a salad and eat it slowly with a fork, I blend it and drink it.  LOL I'll probably just minimize my kale instead.

 

 

enzymes, rather than bacteria, may be your issue....rather the lack of.....I would wonder about GMO foods as well.

Thanks! I have never looked into digestive enzymes. Could you point me in a good direction to start researching? I have no knowledge of that topic and am not sure where to start googling. 

 

GMO ... I try to stick to organic foods when I can, but I know others who are stricter about it. It's something to consider for sure.

[VeggieGal]

Well I have no thyroid so it may not be an issue for me haha! As for being a lazy cook..ooooh me too, infact i was miss microwave queen before being dx lol. Thats a thought, we could steam kale in microwave! Thanks, i didnt know about the goitrogenic foods .. I learn something everyday on here

Open Original Shared Link

Edited... found this interesting article on gluten

[frieze]

VeggieGal - thanks for the idea. Kale is considered a goitrogenic food, meaning that it can make it harder for your thyroid to function and in response, your thyroid might grow bigger and result in a goiter. I am hypothyroid, and generally avoid a majority of the goitrogenic foods but I forgot about kale...  I'll be careful not to eat too much of it.

 

As for steaming kale, that's a good idea... but I'm lazy and that would require more effort.    I am the ultimate lazy eater, rather than make a salad and eat it slowly with a fork, I blend it and drink it.  LOL I'll probably just minimize my kale instead.

 

 

Thanks! I have never looked into digestive enzymes. Could you point me in a good direction to start researching? I have no knowledge of that topic and am not sure where to start googling. 

 

GMO ... I try to stick to organic foods when I can, but I know others who are stricter about it. It's something to consider for sure.

Hmmm most of my knowledge comes off the back of the jar, lol.   they are marked as to what they are intended to digest....sorry!

[kareng]

Just from some common sense knowledge, but some veggies and fruits are known to cause gas in "normal" people. I think pears are in that group,too.   Maybe you are just "normal"? 

[nvsmom]

Well I have no thyroid so it may not be an issue for me haha! As for being a lazy cook..ooooh me too, infact i was miss microwave queen before being dx lol. Thats a thought, we could steam kale in microwave! Thanks, i didnt know about the goitrogenic foods .. I learn something everyday on here

Open Original Shared Link

Edited... found this interesting article on gluten

Eat kale and grow a ne thyroid - that's sci-fi stuff.  LOL

 

Good article. Thanks.  

 

Hmmm most of my knowledge comes of the back of the jar, lol.   they are marked as to what they are intended to digest....sorry!

Jar reading...  I can do that!  Thanks. 

 

 

Just from some common sense knowledge, but some veggies and fruits are known to cause gas in "normal" people. I think pears are in that group,too.   Maybe you are just "normal"? 

 LOL   Normal?!  Right on!  LOL I never thought of being normal... that's disturbing right there.  LOL 

[designerstubble]

I have been having green juices EVERY day for 6 months. I juice mostly thereby removing the fibre. Helps digestion, hardly any bloat. Sometimes when I'm lazy I make a fruit smoothie and chuck some spinach or kale in... More gas defo. I fact more gas generally when any fruit & veg mixed.

I am queen of the plant realm as far as gas bloat and poop goes. As my restricted diet (due to intolerances) only allows fruit and veg. Oh and I'm vegetarian! Btw... I have researched much on the green juice, make sure you rotate your green leaves ie spinach for a few days then kale etc... These leaves (when consumed in large quantities) are known to have their own poisons (oxylates, salicylates blah blah)... Don't wanna do what I did and have ALL of them everyday!! Causes problems! Fruit doesn't need to be rotated btw.

I'm still having poop probs, but wonder if its just my diet. Keep the greenies up, I SWEAR by them... Big health boost

[nvsmom]

Thanks for all of the tips. makes sense.

[designerstubble]

Ps. IMHO...for maximum nutrient absorption...If you need to cook any of veg before smoothie, steam it very lightly. (Microwave destroys any live enzymes instantly).

[foam]

When you start going hard on green juice or a lot of raw veggies it takes some time for the bacterial species in your gut to adjust in numbers to eat the new food. You'll see an increase in the species that feed on green plants and a reduction in other species. It takes a few days, maybe even a couple of weeks and then you wont have problems any more. Same thing happens with any major diet change. If you take some live cultured veggies like Sauerkraut with water it'll help speed the re population but it'll happen by itself given some time. Of course you can not cook the veggies if you are trying to introduce bacteria into your system but after they are populated they will also feed on cooked veggies.

 

Because our immune systems, health and even mood are moderated by the bacterial load in our gut things will change with changes in the bacteria species, can be for the better, can be for the worse. That's all part of the learning. Once your stools are properly formed, then you will know the bacteria have sorted themselves out.

 

I was vegan and vegetarian for a total of over 20 years so have had my share of green juice but it was also the reason I ended up sick. First because vegetarians typically have a much higher gluten and grain/legume and nut intake than other people, all of which are much harder on the gut that meat proteins. Secondly because long term lack of protein weakens your skin and gut tissue. Live and learn though. Now I eat much better on all counts, no grains or legumes or nuts and some red meat and some fish.

[nvsmom]

Ps. IMHO...for maximum nutrient absorption...If you need to cook any of veg before smoothie, steam it very lightly. (Microwave destroys any live enzymes instantly).

If I don't adjust to the raw veggie/fruit smooties within a couple more months i might start steaming.... but I am lazy and want to avoid more work. I would have used the winking emoticon there but that would have implied I was half joking. I am lazy when it comes to my own food. lol

 

Thanks for the reminder about the microwave. I forgot about how it cooks veggies.

 

When you start going hard on green juice or a lot of raw veggies it takes some time for the bacterial species in your gut to adjust in numbers to eat the new food. You'll see an increase in the species that feed on green plants and a reduction in other species. It takes a few days, maybe even a couple of weeks and then you wont have problems any more. Same thing happens with any major diet change. If you take some live cultured veggies like Sauerkraut with water it'll help speed the re population but it'll happen by itself given some time. Of course you can not cook the veggies if you are trying to introduce bacteria into your system but after they are populated they will also feed on cooked veggies.

 

Because our immune systems, health and even mood are moderated by the bacterial load in our gut things will change with changes in the bacteria species, can be for the better, can be for the worse. That's all part of the learning. Once your stools are properly formed, then you will know the bacteria have sorted themselves out.

 

I was vegan and vegetarian for a total of over 20 years so have had my share of green juice but it was also the reason I ended up sick. First because vegetarians typically have a much higher gluten and grain/legume and nut intake than other people, all of which are much harder on the gut that meat proteins. Secondly because long term lack of protein weakens your skin and gut tissue. Live and learn though. Now I eat much better on all counts, no grains or legumes or nuts and some red meat and some fish.

I think you are right that it will just take some time to adjust my bacterial flora (am I using that term right?) since I am not a huge fruit or veggie eater. I was thinking the right probiotics might help encourage my ummm.... vegetarian bacteria to get going a bit faster. Saurkraut is an interesting idea.

 

Because i am only eating smooties (I have a "super blender" and not a juicer) I imagine it will take a bit longer to adjust to. I can handle some gas and bloat from veggies. t's a bit annoying, but most of us have had much worse, right?