[Smelly] Side effects of cutting meat and dairy??

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Oh my gosh, you guys.

A few weeks ago, I decided to stop eating most meat (I'll still eat fish, so pescetarianism?). That hasn't been too hard. For the past 5 days, I've decided to cut out dairy and see how I feel. My husband bought me some dairy substitutes (cheese, yogurt, etc.) and holy hell my stomach is twisted and I'm so gassy! Is this normal? Does it go away? Normally I have a bad reaction to real, whole dairy, so I thought cutting out the real stuff would make it go away. But maybe the dairy-free substitutes are just as bad?

Has anyone experienced this? Thanks!!

Replies

  • kimny72
    kimny72 Posts: 16,013 Member
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    It's probably an ingredient in the cheese substitutes. Perhaps if you specify what products, someone will know which ingredient might cause digestive issues.

    Are you eating a lot more fiber due to making this change? More beans, or cruciferous veggies? Those can cause digestive distress too if increased rapidly and may be a delayed reaction.

    For me it's sugar alcohols that get me. I had thought it was increasing protein but it turns out many protein snacks use sugar alcohols for sweetness. Diet changes can be tricky and require some trial and error!
  • skrowe88
    skrowe88 Posts: 52 Member
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    Thank you for your comment! I've been eating some Daiya cheese products, had a Silk yogurt or two (which I didn't care for, but wanted to give a try) and a few more veggie burgers with veganaise than usual.

    I'm betting it's just a combination of all of that, because I've been adding more veggies, too, like broccoli and spinach on top of the veggie burger.

    Hopefully my body adjusts soon! I may try avoiding the cheese products for a bit, and see if that helps.
  • kimny72
    kimny72 Posts: 16,013 Member
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    Did you typically eat soy products before you made these changes? I believe soy can be harder for some to digest. Maybe if avoiding those products helps, try adding them in a little bit at a time to see if it's just a question of your system figuring out how to process them through :lol:
  • mmapags
    mmapags Posts: 8,934 Member
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    It is probably caused by guar gum or xanthan gum typically used in those products for texture.