Have you ever enjoyed a steaming bowl of brinjal only to feel a little bloated afterward and wonder if eating eggplant causes gas?
The purple vegetable is a lunchtime favorite that we must pay attention to, whether grilled, steamed, or fried.
Due to its abundance of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, this purple jewel is a fantastic addition to your diet. However, there are many unfavorable side effects to this.
This article will examine eggplant and how your gut reacts to its fibers.
Does Eggplant Cause Gas and Bloating?
Eggplant is unlikely to induce gas when consumed in a normal portion. However, if you eat a lot of it at once, you can bloat up or get excess gas due to its high fiber and sorbitol content.
Sorbitol, a form of sugar alcohol naturally present in many nutritious fruits and vegetables, may cause gas in certain IBS sufferers when consumed in excessive quantities. Other sorbitol-rich foods, such as avocado, apricots, or sweet corn, will have a comparable impact.
Although eggplant can cause gas, it doesn’t mean you should completely cut it out of your diet.
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Why Can Eggplant Cause Gas?
Among all carbohydrates, fiber is the one your digestive system has the hardest time breaking down. This prompts your gut bacteria to go into overdrive, wringing every last drop of nourishment out of your food, and in this process, they produce gas.
When the gas accumulates in your digestive tract, you have flatulence.
Besides fiber, sorbitol is the second reason for gas in eggplant. It is known as sugar alcohol. Additionally, sugar alcohols create additional bloating or bubbling in the intestines by attracting water to the small intestine.
However, in people with IBS or sensitive digestive systems, an excessive gas level is created if the eggplant sits around in the digestive system for too long. It might cause difficulties such as stomach cramps and bloat. Most people don’t feel this because they pass it out naturally.
Nightshade Digestion
Some people discover they have trouble digesting members of the nightshade family of plants, which includes tomatoes, potatoes, and peppers.
There are two possible explanations for this. First, many natural therapists believe that lectins in nightshades can cause digestive discomfort in people sensitive to them.
The nightshade family of plants also contains naturally occurring compounds known as glycoalkaloids. These are present in the plant to defend it from insects, and most humans can eat them without experiencing side effects.
However, some individuals discover that even low glycoalkaloid doses might aggravate a delicate digestive system.
Aubergines, aka eggplants, also include a molecule called salicylates. It is also present in aspirin and may cause digestive discomfort in some people with extremely sensitive digestion.
How to Make Eggplants Less Gassy?
It is not a good idea to stop eating eggplant because it is nutritious. Before eliminating eggplant from your diet, try the following tips to consume eggplant without feeling bloated:
- Maintain the suggested portion size
- Peel your eggplant
- Check your combinations
- Chew things well
- Add something bitter
Maintain the Suggested Portion Size
Sorbitol is one of the key culprits behind eggplant’s bloating-inducing effects. It is a member of the FODMAP sugar family, which many believe might cause digestive issues.
The ideal portion size of FODMAP-containing meals that are least likely to upset stomachs has been determined by experts at Australia’s Monash University due to the prevalence of reactions to FODMAPs and the positive outcomes of limiting FODMAP consumption in controlling IBS symptoms.
They found that 75g of eggplant is unlikely to harm most people sensitive to sorbitol.
Some may tolerate up to 182g without experiencing problems.
Peel Your Eggplant
Sorbitol may not be the source of discomfort if reducing your portion size doesn’t work or eating other nightshades such as potatoes and tomatoes causes bloating. Instead, you may be responding to one of the other chemicals in eggplant.
Try peeling the aubergine before cooking or eating it. This is one way to filter out some substances as you narrow down the causes.
Since nightshades’ skin contains most of the plant’s glycoalkaloids, removing it may help lessen the discomfort if that is your primary issue.
You can include low-sorbitol purple foods like blueberries to balance your colors since this will lower the antioxidant levels in your diet.
Check Your Combinations
Too much fiber in one meal can cause the gut flora to produce excessive gas.
Since many healthful foods can include FODMAPS, you may explore FODMAP sensitivity more if you frequently suffer from bloating.
Chew Things Well
Food entering the small intestine after the stomach not being sufficiently broken down is one of the main reasons for bloating from meals.
As a result, it stays in the digestive tract longer than it should, giving bacteria more opportunity to feed on it, resulting in fermentation and bloating. Take your time while eating and thoroughly chew your food.
Add Something Bitter
Try combining high-fiber foods with bitter foods to promote the formation of stomach acid and improve meal digestion. Rocket and endive are examples of bitter foods. You may also dress salads with vinegar.
How Long Does Bloating from Eggplant Last?
Most stomach bloating goes away after a few hours. This is because the item begins to pass through the digestive system after being broken down by microorganisms.
To ensure nothing else is wrong, have a quick talk with your doctor if you frequently experience bloating that doesn’t go away after a few hours.
How to Reduce Gas from Eggplant?
There are a few techniques to deflate things if you’re experiencing gas from eggplant and feel uncomfortable or need to slip into anything with a tight waistband in the coming hours.
Some people may benefit from peppermint pills. Just ensure they are coated so they can work in the intestines and not just disintegrate in the stomach. You’ll merely burp peppermints as a result of it.
Try using some deep breathing exercises. To soothe the vagus nerve, pay attention to low, leisurely exhalations. During an IBS flare-up, deep breathing can assist in calming the neurological link between the brain and the gut.
Gentle movement is extremely helpful. Try some pilates or yoga moves. Child position and other poses where your hips are slightly higher than your tummy are beneficial for eliminating gas.
Conclusion
Eggplant is a highly nutritious vegetable that is brimming with health advantages. But unfortunately, it’s also no secret that these purple powerhouses can make things unpleasant!
The breakdown of eggplant produces a substantial amount of gas, regrettably only evacuated as flatulence, especially when mixed with high-fiber foods or consumed in excess.
However, remember that everything should be consumed in moderation before you give up on one of your lunchtime favorites. Eat it in moderation to avoid having to leave a social gathering with friends or family because of an unpleasant scenario!
