Hey Guys, Dr. Rob here!
If you are experiencing gas with the consumption of cruciferous vegetables there are a few things that may be causing this and some thing you may be able to do to rectify, or at least improve the situation.
First off the cruciferous vegetables include items such as:
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Kale
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Cauliflower
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Broccoli
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Cabbage
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Turnip
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Brussels Sprouts
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Watercress
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Horseradish root
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Bok Choy
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and others
There are a couple problems with cruciferous vegetables.
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The contain raffinose — a sugar that that can cause certain people to bloat especially if they have dysbiosis. Dysbiosis is a condition in the gut where you have too much bad bacteria, yeast and other unwanted guests.
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They contain a large amount of fiber. If the gut bacteria is not in balance the fiber will essentially ferment in your gut and produce gas.
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the contain sulfur compounds such as as glucosinolates, which contain suflur. These compounds can break down in the intestines, and form other compounds like hydrogen sulfide, which is a sulfur gas like substance.
What to do?
Here are some strategies to handle the GI bloat and gas:
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Cook your cruciferous vegetables for a least a few minutes if not longer. This helps to break down the gas forming fiber that is in cruciferous vegetables.
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Purchase an enzyme supplement containing alpha-galactosidase. Alpha-galactosidase, is made from a fungus and has the ability to break down the raffinose before it causes that horrible gas, pain and bloating.
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Blend your cruciferous vegetables in a high powered blender such as a Vitamix, Blend-Tech or Nutribullet. Blending at high speeds breaks down the fiber containing plant cell walls, which makes it easier overall to digest. You also obtain more nutrients from the food in many cases when you blend cruciferous vegetables. Just remember to blend it with a fat such as, avocado, chia seeds, flax seeds or hemp. Having a fat along with your cruciferous vegetables will help to improve absorption of some of the key nutrients.
Sometimes none of the above recommendations work and this may be due to a condition called leaky gut.
Click Here to Learn More About Leaky Gut.
Much, Love,
Dr. Rob
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