Previously, I wrote an article called “FODMAPS: Could Common Foods Be Harming Your Digestive Health?” I described how certain classes of foods, known as FODMAPs, are poorly digested in certain people and can lead to gas, bloating, pain and changes in stool frequency and consistency. Studies have shown that conditions like Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) are associated with FODMAP intolerance, and that a low-FODMAP diet offers relief in a substantial percentage of people with IBS. (1) I also have information on what would make up a diverticulitis diet menu if you’ve suffered from an attack.
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Today I’ve got another tip for those of you with digestive issues, including IBS, constipation, diarrhea and acid reflux: eat fewer vegetables.
Yep, that’s right. Fewer vegetables.
Find out how following mainstream advice to eat six to eight servings of vegetables a day could hurt your gut.
Vegetables, Insoluble Fiber, and Soluble Fiber
Vegetables (as well as some fruits) are often high in insoluble fiber. While soluble fiber can be soothing for the gut, consuming large amounts of insoluble fiber when your gut is inflamed is a little bit like rubbing a wire brush against an open wound. (2, 3, 4) Ouch.
Vegetables that are high in insoluble fiber include:
- Greens (spinach, lettuce, kale, mesclun, collards, arugula, watercress, etc.)
- Whole peas, snow peas, snap peas, pea pods
- Green beans
- Kernel corn
- Bell peppers
- Eggplant
- Celery
- Onions, shallots, leeks, scallions, garlic
- Cabbage, bok choy, Brussels sprouts
- Broccoli
- Cauliflower
The vegetables that are high in soluble fiber, but lower in insoluble fiber (and thus tend to be safer for those with gut issues) include:
- Carrots
- Winter squash
- Summer squash (especially peeled)
- Starchy tubers (yams, sweet potatoes, potatoes)
- Turnips
- Rutabagas
- Parsnips
- Beets
- Plantains
- Taro
- Yuca
Another helpful tip is to reduce the variety of vegetables you eat at any given meal. Instead of stir-fries with six different veggies, have a single steamed or roasted vegetable as a side dish. This works better for most people with gut issues.
But Won’t I Become Deficient in Nutrients If I Don’t Eat Tons of Veggies?
First of all, I’m not suggesting that you don’t eat these foods at all if you have digestive problems. I’m simply suggesting that you limit them. There are also steps you can take to make these foods more digestible and less likely to cause problems. They include:
- Never eat insoluble fiber foods on an empty stomach. Always eat them with other foods that contain soluble fiber.
- Remove the stems and peels (i.e. from broccoli, cauliflower, and winter greens) from veggies (and fruits) high in insoluble fiber.
- Dice, mash, chop, grate or blend high-insoluble fiber foods to make them easier to break down.
- Insoluble fiber foods are best eaten well-cooked: (5) Steamed thoroughly, boiled in soup, braised, etc; avoid consuming them in stir-fries and if you do eat them raw, prepare them as described in #3 above.
Second, although fruits and veggies are high in certain nutrients, animal products like meat, organ meat, fish, eggs, and dairy are as high and sometimes higher in those nutrients. For example, the chart below compares the micronutrient profile of beef liver and beef with blueberries and kale, two plant foods often referred to as being particularly nutrient-dense:
It’s also worth pointing out that most traditional cultures only ate a few vegetables and fruits that were available seasonally. They couldn’t walk into Whole Foods and buy every vegetable on the planet at every time of year.
I have nothing against vegetables. In fact, I like them quite a bit and I do think they’re beneficial.
But the advice to eat six to eight servings a day is not based on solid scientific evidence and may cause unnecessary distress in people with gut problems.
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Fermented Vegetables: A Better Alternative?
Fermented vegetables like sauerkraut, kim chi, sauerruben, and cortido are excellent alternatives for people with gut issues. First, the fermentation process “pre-digests” the vegetables and makes them easier to absorb. Second, fermented veggies contain probiotic microorganisms that help heal the gut.
Although sauerkraut and kim chi contain cabbage, which is high in insoluble fiber (and a FODMAP to boot), I’ve found that many patients with gut problems can tolerate it quite well. FODMAPs are sugars and sugar alcohols, and fermentation breaks down sugars. This is probably why fermented FODMAPs are better tolerated than non-fermented FODMAPs.
If you’re new to fermented vegetables, you have two options:
- Make them yourself. Check out this page for a great primer. It’s really quite easy, and cheap.
- You can buy them at a health food store. Make sure that it says “raw” on the jar, and they’re in the refrigerated section. The sauerkraut you can buy in the condiments section has been pasteurized and won’t have the same beneficial effect.
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Hi – this has been very informative reading all your comments and realising that it is about finding what works for us. I have recently bought a nutri-bullet and having great smoothies with loads of fruit and added nutrition such as Macca, protein powder, hemp powder, chia seeds, spirilina added. This keeps me going easily until lunch but I think I may be overdoing the variety of fruits in one go.
I take digestive enzymes every day which helps and one thing that a nutritionist recommended which helped a great deal is linseeds – these need to be organic linseeds – make is Linusit Golden linseeds. I used to buy in the supermarket but now I can purchase this type on Amazon. It is important you get the right type. Put some in a glass at night and put boiling water on them – allow to soak over night then drink down in the morning. Not very appetising so just open up and drink down. – it may take some adjusting but certainly with constipation it soothes and is really good for you.
I hope each and everyone of you finds the answer as this is life-limiting eh?
Mel-do you drink the seeds too or just the slimy water it creates?
You can easily turn that into an appetizing pudding. If you can handle cocoa, just a bit of cocoa powder works wonders. And use almond milk.
Unless there is specific reason to, I wouldn’t use boiling water since the fats in linseed (aka flax) is sensitive to heat.
Been having trouble for a long time now. Your article makes so much sense to me. I am now going to give it a go. This has helped me understand why I am feeling the way I do.
Thank you so much
I’ve only just read this article and it interests me very much. I had to undergo a coloscopie (French – I live in France) a couple of weeks ago and one of the things I had to do on the run up to the procedure was to cut out all green veggies and no fresh bread. I was very mystified by this but now that you have explained it, it is all a lot clearer. Thanks a lot. Will endeavour to cut down on these in future and hopefully my gut will improve. I am a vegetarian by the way.
The only thing I have ever found to help with digesting vegs., is to chew, chew, chew. If it’s like applesauce by the time I swallow, I seem to be fine. Unfortunately, I’m the gobble and swallow type. I know. It’s very bad but it’s really a struggle to chew as much as I need to, to process vegs. But it does work. I still don’t think we need THAT many veg./fruit. If you look at apes or gorillas, they seem to chew on the same plant leaf forever. Same with cows eating that grass. They chew and chew before swallowing.
Hi! I’m glad to happen upon this information. Years ago, I developed anorexia and bulimia to achieve .
I seem to eat to access to achieve a calmer stomach. I always walked around tired, bloated and gassy. For as long as I can remember prior to that, I ate until I’d achieve a feeling of fullness that actually made me feel sick and uncomfortable. That’s the only time I would stop eating. Since recovering from the previously mentioned disorders, I notice that when I’m eating with others, I eat only what’s on my plate but I am thinking about food all day. And if I’m alone, I will eat small things all day and not be able to stop thinking about foods. They are specific foods such as cashews, almonds, and coconut manna, salty things too. Intuitively, it seems I’m not experiencing a proper leptin response or I am not absorbing nutrition/calories.
I don’t tolerate lactose, gluten, fructose, and caffeine well. I’m constantly out of energy but recently added near-rotten bananas to my diet and I feel a little better. I am now afraid I’ll over-consume these too. I’m not sure what to do. Any suggestions?
It sounds to me as if you’re still not eating enough. Take this advice with a grain of salt (so to speak…) since I don’t know your personal situation, but offhand I’d say you need to increase calorie intake (2500 per day split into three meals and three snacks is a good starting rule of thumb) but also work on relearning satiety (fullness) cues. It’s not easy, I know!
really depends on activity levels. 2500 can make some people big, and for others its not enough. when i did powerlifting I was eating 3500 calories a day and only worked out 3 times per week. and I didn’t gain a pound.
Youtube your eating disorders + HCLF (high carb low fat vegan diet). In sum, many people has cured their disorders with this diet and achieved slim healthy figure with unlimited eating. Try it. Just YouTube it.
And for what it’s worth, I find I do much better with vegetables when not combined with a lot of protein. I eat small salads with protein and snack on more veggies without the protein. Best of both worlds.
I was on PPI’s for a long time. Taking sodium bicarbonate helped at the worst times. It also doesn’t have the nastys that antacids have, There were periods I took HCL to help digest the proteins. Proteins can cause reflux if you have low stomach acid. Eggs can still do it for me, especially if not fully cooked but lamb/red meat never does. Go figure…
Hello, I am on my ninth day of the 30 day paleo challenge and seem to be fairing well. The only problem I am having is my continued GERD that I take Prilosec and Zantac for once a day in the evenings with the hope that the supplements I take in the late mornings won’t be as badly blocked by these meds. So far I have been unable to go off the Prilosec and would like to know if I should give it another week or so as I am going now or make a change. I am eating kale, brocolli, mushrooms, some fresh green beans, plenty of meats and eggs as well. All organic/grass fed and using coconut oil for sautees and olive oil for dips and dressings (nothing added but spices, garlic, pepper, sea salt to taste). I do not believe I am eating more that 2 or 3 cups of those veggies a day and I usually cook them with my proteins. I have not been diagnosed with a hiatal hernia, but I don’t believe I’ve ever been checked for one. I’d like to get the full benefits of this diet and get off the prilosec. I am 51 in full menopause, exercise regularly (strenght and cardio) and am obese. I am healthy, no heart problems, blood pressure perfect, no diabetes or other health problems. Cholesterol controlled with Zocor. Thank you for any help you can provide, I greatly appreciate it.
Hi Cyndi! It takes a long time to get off the PPI’s like Prilosec. I have been weaning myself off for 2 months and still can’t go without. I’m down to one pill every other day. Soon, I will cut it down to one every 3 days and do that for a month or so. Then one pill every 4 days for a month, etc. Those drugs suppress your stomach acid and when you stop taking them, your stomach over-reacts and produces more acid. Try going off of them very slowly, and talk to your doctor next time you’re in.
I’d have to disagree on eliminating greens to improve digestion. As greens and fruits take a shorter time to digest than foods high in protein, they eventually catch up to putrefying, rancidifying and decomposing dairy and meat products consumed earlier, which is what creates bloating, diarrhea etc. Eliminating dairy, meat and grains, as well as doing a liver and gallbladder cleanse has substantially improved my digestion. Not only have I not had any digestive issues ever since, but it has never been better! Moreover, my energy levels are soaring and my mind is so much clearer
The problem with IBS and other inflammatory bowel conditions is that the gut is inflamed for various reasons including poor diet, high consumption of inflammatory foods, not enough gut flora (good bacteria) and food intolerances and allergies.
Eliminating sources of insoluble fibre aka vegetables is a Band-Aid solution for a bigger problem and telling people not to eat vegetables sends a poor message. Furthermore, increased animal protein and dairy consumption is associated with other digestive problems, constipation, increased inflammation, allergies and cancer. Advising people to increase animal products is advising people to take on a whole host of other problems not to mention basically increasing allergenic and inflammation which are causing the IBS and other problems in the first place.
People need to eat a balanced diet, identify what their food intolerances may be, reduce inflammatory foods, increase good gut bacteria and heal the intestinal wall with glutamine, aloe and other anti-inflammatory, tissue building sources. Lets fix the cause of the problem not give out advice that just perpetuates it.
Absolutely. It’s that balanced diet that’s very difficult to establish as trying to relate symptoms to whatever that cause them is often a hit-and-miss endeavour.
I have had a big improvement to digestive issues and candida since starting the GAPS diet 6 months ago, I no longer get IBS, soft stools, very little bloating or wind and my candida has also improved. I don’t eat all that is allowed on the GAPS diet as I still have to avoid certain foods that aren’t candida friendly, like honey etc, but I am thoroughly enjoying the meals I have been eating since starting the diet, and over all am feeling healthier and well nourished.
wow. way too many different conversations going on here to make sense of it all. that goes for the entire internet as well. anyway. my belly hurts, badly. all day, everyday. bm troubles for 6 years now- pain, bleeding, constipation, diarhea, mucus, spasms, fissures, lower back & kidney pain. lots of bad mojo. doctor said high fiber diet. Ruined Me. 2 months ago had an ear infection- took z-pac & sudafed for it. belly pains went from monthly to hourly, tripled in pain level, & the internet is worthless. nothing helps the pain. have basically given up. wore out, you know? it`s Every Day, over & over, no relief. Like some caricature of the sick-lady on a tv show. Some joke. anyway. tried many things. fads. advice. logic. experiments. huntches. Nothing Helps. GI appointment next month (45 day wait…) so maybe they`ll figure it out. Mirolax every day till then & hope its not life-threatening or something. perhaps time to fast. or pray. heh.
Rocko, I’m sorry you’re having so many problems. I had a similar experience, and have found a solution. The GI i saw last (doctor #47) recommended a stick elimination diet. (3-5 days on chicken in chicken broth, pureed carrots, gelatin made with 100% fruit juice and unflavored gelatin, and broiled hamburgers. Nothing else except water.) After doing that for 5 days, I started adding foods back in, using a low FODMAP list as a guide. I found out that virtually everything I was eating was causing me some kind of problem. The worst offenders for me were gluten and dairy, but I also can’t eat hardly any vegetables and very few fruits. My diet is very limited in choices, but for the first time in my life, I am out of pain. I still have diarrhea, but the doc said I may have nerve and muscle memory for that and may always have it and that it does not shorten my life.
The point is – everybody’s dietary tolerances are different. Try the elimination diet and see which foods are causing you the most problems.
That should say “strict” elimination diet.
Oh, that’s encouraging to hear knowing I am not the only one who can’t seem to eat veggies and fruits. I went to another paleo site and got discouraged that it said there’s more of a risk for people in getting cancer when they eat minimal veggies with even grass fed beef . Something about the veggies having anti- cancer properties . But I’m thinking what about people who have GI problems and have miserable problems eating those veggies like bok Choy and kale with insoluble fiber ?
In 2008 I started aching & then was subsequently diagnosed with Psoratic arthritis. I’m not sure if it was the disease or the medication I’m on. But I went from being about to eat everything to having digestion issues.
Start of the year it got to the point where if I are something that didn’t agree with my stomach I would get sweaty, pale & have chest pains. At one point I though it was having a heart attack. ( I’m only 32)
So I cut out wheat, Milk ( jar set yougurt without artificial sugars etc is ok) & I would still get bloated & look 10 months preg, especially if I had a stir fry.
So than I’ve cut out onion, garlic, all vegetables high in fructans & olio-saccharides.
I pay for it big time if I eat any.
Some times it’s a bit boring having limited veges but my belly loves me for it.
I decided to “eat healthy” about eight months ago and started to drink green smoothies every morning for breakfast. Up until that point I hardly ate many veggies, especially greens. Did extreamly well for 3 months then started to have digestive issues after every smoothie. Bloating, pain, tired and even a burning sensation in my stomach. One by one I removed everything from my smoothie trying to find what was causing my symptoms. The last thing I removed was the kale, spinach, bok choy etc and only then did my symptoms go away. Who knew greens could be bad for you?! I understand now that I need to cook those first.
Limiting FODMAPS definitely helped me with SIBO. However, fermented foods actually caused my SIBO and I can’t tolerate even a small amount. I also can’t tolerate broccoli, cabbage, kale or cauliflower in any form, but luckily have no problem with lettece, spinach or Swiss Chard. Limiting food choices is not always convenient, but the results are worth it.
This is the worst article I have ever read. Does this guy work for the meat and dairy industry? Adding greens to my diet was the only thing that helped me cure and heal my digestion problems. I lost 40 lbs by adding 10-16 ounces of greens per day, while eating a high carb, low fat plant based diet.
Jan,
Me too! Been a raw high (fruit) carbs vegan for 8 yrs. Not cooking my produce and eating mostly fruits is what keeps my bowels moving. I’ve tried various diet lifestyles and that’s the one that works for “me”.
I think it depends on the “kind” of digestive issues you have. There is obviously truth to what Chris is saying. To see that, all you have to do is read some of the comments and learn about people’s experiences.
I agree. It seems to me from listening to people about what kinds of foods make them feel good, some people have trouble digesting sugars (fodmaps) and some people have trouble digesting proteins like gluten or animal meats. I think it all comes down to genetics and what enzymes your body makes more of. There isn’t one diet that fits everyone.
The author has a good point about insoluble fibers. Cellulose and other difficult-to-digest fibers CAN put a strain on the digestive system. They can, however, be digested when eaten in their youngest and most tender state, thoroughly chewed or mechanically pre-digested using a blender or a food processor. What IS easily digestible are soft, soluble fibbers found in fruits and tender leafy greens. Instead of eliminating vegetables, the intake of fruits and veggies should be increased to take up a large portion of the diet, if not constitute the whole diet, if you are looking to improve your digestion. I have been doing liver cleanses and have been raw vegan now for about a month and I am not intending to look back as my health has improved drastically, including constipation, headaches, lack of energy, etc. The books I have read have given me so much information and have transformed my mindset completely. These are: The Amazing Liver and Gallbladder Flush by Andreas Moritz and 80/10/10 by Dr. Douglas Graham. I am not trying to sell anything as I haven’t written the books, just speaking from experience, so that others can reap the benefits of a truly healthy diet as well.
Somehow I ended up this site after googling vegetables giving loose stool I have only been having this problem recently within the last month I eat something like spinach or asparagus which I love and next thing you know my stomach is hurting badly and I have very loose stool this has never happened before and its pretty painful almost feel like stomach cramps however it only happens sometime I have ate a salad or had brocolli with a meal and been fine
Hi, i dont know if someone can help me but i try to explain my issue that start back in 2012 with abdominal pain.
after months of GI visits and exams the only things they find out was SIBO, and probably it cause ibs-c or viceversa. My life become a pain since then and i lose 35 kg (i was 84 now i’m about 60).
90% of the time i ate i have immediately after bloating and my gut become swollen, but this is not the bad part, the bad part is the abdominal pain in the low abdomen and the straining to have a bowel movement after the first one.
I explain better this part, every morning i have a normal bowel movement without any straining or pain, the first part of my stools are a bit hard, small fragments, while the rest is soft.
After this my gut start to hurt, the low abdomen in the right and left side, like i have knives, and it remain after i have another bowel movement later (about 2-3 hours later), but this time i need heavy straining because my stools are hard, small and filled with mucus (viscous and white liquid).
Then the pain disappear but later again in the afternoon (and after lunch) i have pain again, bloating and i’m forced to strain again to have a bm.
Is painfull and insopportable, make my life miserable.
Actually i’m on low carb diet limiting carb only to 80 grams (rice), rest is meat, eggs and fish. I tried to eat more fiber, like boiled zucchini, carrots or green beans but everytime i try them my pain and bloating increase for the next 24 hours.
Drinking warm water (a tisane) with psyllium seems not have any result and the pain and bloating increase. Drinking lemon juice make my stools more hard and the pain increase.
I don’t know what to do anymore, can someone with a similar issue can help me to find a solution to leave this hell? Maybe paleo diet is not for me? Maybe to much meat cause my stool so hard? Or my disbiosis is so sever that there is nothing more that i can do?
Thanks a lot (and sorry for my bad english).
Had the exact same issues as you! You’re Very Much on the Right path with a paleo similar diet (rice is fine, for some carbs) and low veggies/ fiber (I liked the book Fiber Menace). It just takes a lot of time to heal. For me I couldn’t take regular psyllium (tried about 10 brands with no luck)…. it would make things a million times worse!!! Yet I needed something. What worked for me is Colonix Fiber… as it’s not just made with psyllium but a blend of 15 masterfully blended Herbs…. only people like us can’t tolerate a Full Dose at once. I take 1/2 scoop before breakfast….. maybe another 1/4- 1/2 scoop later in the day too. Since you can’t wean yourself off fiber supp yet, drink the extra water with this of course. Also take Dr Schulze Intestinal Formula #1 with meals to keep things moving, along with enzymes/ hcl/ probiotics 🙂
I was diagnosed with celiac disease about a year ago, and also have IBS. After being on a gluten free diet for a year, I was better but still had diarrhea and abdominal pain. My doctor had me try a soothing, simple diet for 5 days (pureed carrots, chicken soup that is only stock and chicken, plain gelatin flavored with 100% fruit juice, and broiled burgers) then start adding foods in from the low FODMAP list. I discovered that I am casein intolerant, and, surprisingly, I can’t eat almost any vegetables! Your article is the first I’ve read that supports my findings and makes me feel like I’m okay to not eat as many vegetables as I have always been told to eat. I am now out of pain, I have lost 12 pounds, and I can feel my gut healing. It’s clear that a diet that will work is so individual that you just have to go through the process of learning what’s okay for you.
Interesting article. I’ve googled “not digesting vegetables” and ended up here.
Ever since I came out of oral surgery and had 2 weeks of antibiotics, then 3 roothcanals and another 3 antibiotics treatments of 3 weeks total… My gut has never been the same. Taking daily heavy doses of probiotics doesn’t help nor prescription meds to stop “going”. Your article will surely help some so I’m going to give it a try! Thanks!