Does Juicing Cause Gas?

A common question that people new to juicing will always ask is if juicing causes gas? It’s a reasonable thing to ask since there are so many people with various dietary issues and stomach sensitivities. And if you’re planning on becoming a consistent juicer, then it is definitely something you need to understand. The fact of the matter is that, juicing is incredibly healthy, but it’s also a lot different than buying pasteurized juice from the supermarket and drinking it casually for breakfast a couple of times a week.

Does Juicing Give You Gas?

Personally, I don’t get gas or bloating after drinking fresh juices. However, I know that not all people are alike. Some people do not tolerate the fiber and sugars (more on sugars and how they can cause bloating later). So, yes, it is possible that drinking fruit and vegetable juices can cause but there are ways to manage that.

You do not have to simply give up drinking fresh vegetable and fruit juices just because you have experienced some discomfort. If you are wise with what types of juices you make, as well as what your regular diet consists of, then you should be able to remove the discomfort of gas and bloating and enjoy healthy juice.

But yes, juicing can give you gas.

Why Do Some People Think They Have IBS ?

Some people feel gas and bloating and immediately think that they have IBS. All of a sudden the inclusion of juices into a persons diet can cause symptoms that are similar to those of IBS. Frequent trips to the bathroom, gas, bloating, etc… but these are often symptoms of people either having a poor overall diet and not being used to an influx of fresh fiber and fruit and vegetables (sometimes people find that juices make them poop if they are not used to a high fiber diet).

The fact is that juices and juicing won’t cause IBS. They might cause symptoms that mimic IBS, but they aren’t IBS.

Can Fruit and Vegetable Juice Cause Bloating

Anyone who has jumped straight into juicing or a vegetarian or vegan diet will likely have a story about gas, bloating, having to run to the bathroom to poop (not to be gross). But this is often caused by your body reacting to the sudden change in foods and diet.

Oftentimes when someone has lived on burgers, pasta, processed foods, and

Be Careful Of FODMAPs (The Sugar Is The Problem!)

One of the main culprits when it comes to stomach issues and gas, is FODMAPS. These are carbs, basically. But they are special types of carbs. They are carbs that are not digestible or at least, they are sugars that are hard to digest for adults who have difficulty digesting foods. In an interesting study (there are several which echo this study, in fact) FODMAPs can actually benefit the guy flora.

However, when it comes to juicing, there are some people who might not be able to handle the large amounts of FODMAPs all of a sudden. And that’s ok. There is an easy way to avoid it, just avoid the leafy greens that are high in FODMAPS.

Kale and spinach are ok to eat and juice. The foods that are high in FODMAPS include beetroot (which is why you should be careful if you’re juicing this and suffer from IBS) as well as cabbage.

If you’re diet in general is high in FOODMAP foods (lentils, barley, and other items) then it might be wise to look into adjusting your overall diet so as to make a more holistic change. You might even want to follow a low FODMAP diet which includes lots of healthy low FODMAP foods such as cucumbers (great for salads or juices) grapes, melons, and quiona.

However, in general, you should be careful about avoiding all foods high in FODMAP becuase they are actually beneficial and there is a great deal of controversy regarding a low FODMAP diet.

Sorbitol: The Other Sugar To Be Careful Of

Sorbitol is a type of sugar alcohol that occurs in food. It can also be used as an artificial additive to foods in order to sweeten them. It’s one of the additives that can cause upset stomachs, and is listed on the Harvard WebsiteHarvard Website page that discusses various irritants.

However, even if you avoid foods that are sweetened by adding artificial amounts of sweeteners to their ingredients, there are natural sources of sorbitol that can cause an upset stomach. Many natural and healthy foods have these ingredients in them (such as most berries—strawberries, blackberries, and raspberries). In addition, apples also have sorbitol.

The average person won’t be negatively affected by consuming whole foods containing sorbitol. However, if you are predisposed to becoming sensitive to sugar alcohol, then it might be wise to limit the amount of apples that you juice. The sorbitol in  apple juice is one of the reasons that apple juice is considered a laxative and can help make you poopcan help make you poop.

Solution To Gas and Bloating When Juicing

If you’re dealing with a bloating problem and juicing, then what I suggest is to reduce foods high in FOODMAP and sorbitol in your diet. Limit foods that might cause this gas (cabbage, beet greens, barley) and then make green juices with vegetables such as cucumber and celery and add lemon or pineapple to sweeten or better the flavor.

Also, just because you are going to the bathroom more frequently, it doesn’t mean that you have IBS. Those are two different issues. If you have always been someone who hasn’t followed a vegetarian diet or at least had a lot of fruits and vegetables and fiber, then a sudden switch to adding juices to your diet might cause temporary discomfort. That’s all something that will pass however, in most cases.

So, I’d try and eliminate foods on the high FOODMAP scale first, then wait for a week or so to see if your body is adjusting to eating a healthier and more fiber rich diet. In many cases, once your body has gone through a detox the gas and bloating will cease. Just remember that you can’t or shouldn’t continue to eat a diet rich in processed carbs and junk food as that will likely cause you to continue to get gassy and bloated.

I’d suggest you adhere to the following plan:

1. Eliminate as many processed foods from your diet as possible. Cakes/Sweets/Fast Food
2. Start Eating More Fresh Food. Salads, Beans, Lentils
3. Go Easy on Apple Juice at first
4. Try Cucumbers and other low impact vegetables and fruits