Bloated vegan; Different protein source ideas?

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  • Ophidion
    Ophidion Posts: 2,065 Member
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    Here is a cool chart I found for vegan protein sources: http://www.savvyvegetarian.com/articles/plant-food-protein-chart.pdf . I've heard of many really healthy vegans who do not consume legumes. Maybe there are specific ones you could cut out and keep in your diet, or limiting to just one meal a day. I think it's a matter of trial and error to see what works best for you. The probiotics was a great idea, too. There are supplements as well as vegan yogurts, kombucha, vegan kefirs that have probiotics.
    Wow great pdf, thanks.:flowerforyou:
  • joyousmartin
    joyousmartin Posts: 9 Member
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    Sigh... to the woman suggesting "just eat meat"...

    I'm going to give you the benefit of the doubt and assume that you actually don't know why this response is unhelpful, insensitive, and ultimately rude. Here's why people are responding negatively to you: Your suggestion is the equivalent of having someone ask for kosher protein options and suggesting pork because you think it tastes better. The OP has a lifestyle that eliminates animal products. Those keeping kosher don't consume pork. Let's just offer the OP advice she can use. :)
  • socajam
    socajam Posts: 2,530 Member
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    I've been a vegan for nearly 8 years and I thought that sodium was causing my bloating, but now I've cut way back on sodium and am still bloated. I've realized that it's all the beans I eat that's really causing the bloating. If I need about 50g of protein a day, can you give me some bean-less ways to get to that many grams or even just some new protein ideas? Thanks! :)


    When you cook the beans add a tbs of oil olive (oil of your choice) to the cooking. I find that helps. one of the things I do is drink at least 32 ounces of water before even brushing my teeth. With my breakfast smoothie I add 1 tbs of coconut oil, this have helped a lot with my bloating and the easily distribution of bodily waste.
  • TwoThirdsSkinny
    TwoThirdsSkinny Posts: 7
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    tofu, tvp, miso, nuts and nut butters, hemp seeds (great on cereal), oatmeal, soy milk, almond milk, Broccoli, lentils. Try some, you'll like it! And eat loads and loads of vegetables- raw, cooked, pickled, any way you want. Go play with your food :)>
    Yvette

    This ! the only thing I can add to this list is spirulina powder (you can add it to smoothies) anf seed in general : chia, flax, hemp etc
  • kristafb
    kristafb Posts: 770 Member
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    I'm very new to eating vegan/vegetarian, about 2 weeks now, and have been learning a lot. I work with a lady who is vegan and she recommended a protein shake made by a company called Vega. Its plant based, made with pea protein and other things. it says its dairy,gluten & soy free but not sure if its vegan for sure, but if the one I work with eats it it must be. shes pretty strict. Any way its not super high per serving, 10-12 gms per scoop but its a good tasting one, not stinky like some of the protein powders out there.

    Also, do you eat a lot of kale? I never ate kale in my life until I started this 2 weeks ago and I have found I have some horrible gas pains from it. I've had to resort to taking Gas-X after I eat it.
  • kristafb
    kristafb Posts: 770 Member
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    Sigh... to the woman suggesting "just eat meat"...

    I'm going to give you the benefit of the doubt and assume that you actually don't know why this response is unhelpful, insensitive, and ultimately rude. Here's why people are responding negatively to you: Your suggestion is the equivalent of having someone ask for kosher protein options and suggesting pork because you think it tastes better. The OP has a lifestyle that eliminates animal products. Those keeping kosher don't consume pork. Let's just offer the OP advice she can use. :)

    :drinker: Well said!
  • Victory_or_Death
    Victory_or_Death Posts: 21 Member
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    Why not just eat MEAT? None of the substitutes taste even 100/th as good!

    Why would you even waste your time making that post?



    And that bothers you...why?

    When you write and tell a self-proclaimed vegan asking for help with protein sources (in a vegan-titled forum) to "just eat meat", your comment is 1) off-topic, 2) utterly is devoid of value, and 3) frankly contentious.

    It's rude, and there's no good reason for it.
  • marniesworld
    marniesworld Posts: 74 Member
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    Sigh... to the woman suggesting "just eat meat"...

    I'm going to give you the benefit of the doubt and assume that you actually don't know why this response is unhelpful, insensitive, and ultimately rude. Here's why people are responding negatively to you: Your suggestion is the equivalent of having someone ask for kosher protein options and suggesting pork because you think it tastes better. The OP has a lifestyle that eliminates animal products. Those keeping kosher don't consume pork. Let's just offer the OP advice she can use. :)

    Very nicely put. As a vegetarian, I get the "why not just eat meat?" thing a lot, and it never gets any less disrespectful or obnoxious. I give the benefit of the doubt as much as I can, but sometimes you're just like "Really?". I hate being expected to constantly explain my dietary decisions to someone else.

    Why not just eat meat? Well, maybe because of the horrific suffering of animals? Maybe it's cost prohibitive? Maybe we DON'T like the taste? Maybe just "because"! There could be a plethora of reasons, but "why" isn't really anyone else's business. The tone of the reply in this case was less "curious" and more "judgmental".

    It would be one thing if the OP came in, guns blazing, about why everyone should be a vegan, but she didn't. She merely expressed her situation and asked for suggestions within those parameters. She shouldn't be questioned for that.
  • MoreBean13
    MoreBean13 Posts: 8,701 Member
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    Are you sure it's not gluten? Next to soy, wheat gluten is the next most common protein in all vegetarian/vegan protein products.
  • BinaryPulsar
    BinaryPulsar Posts: 8,927 Member
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    Are you sure it's not gluten? Next to soy, wheat gluten is the next most common protein in all vegetarian/vegan protein products.

    I was going to say the isolated gluten could be a problem. When I was a vegetarian there was a lot of isolated wheat gluten in foods. I would get hives all over my body and very intense abdominal pain and swelling. So, I cut that out. I can still eat wheat and bread in small (normal) amounts. Sometimes the isolated proteins: soy, wheat, whey can cause problems. Whey is not vegan of course, but I also developed an intolerance to that. It would cause me to throw up (but I can still eat dairy in small/normal amounts).

    For a while I have been using pumpkin seed protein powder by omega nutrition. It does not blend well. So, I am exploring other options (the blends usually contain rice, hemp, pea).

    Beans and some vegetables can cause gas. But, as other said, you need to soak, rinse, drain the beans to prevent that.

    I'm also just commenting, so I can read the replies. I'm not vegan/vegetarian anymore, but I still don't eat a lot of meat.
  • BinaryPulsar
    BinaryPulsar Posts: 8,927 Member
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    What do you mean by bloating?

    I can't really see how beans would cause serious water retention...? Or do you mean stomach bloating?

    I think it's obvious she is talking about intestinal bloating. We don't really need to ask her about the details. :wink:
  • pinkstargem
    pinkstargem Posts: 13 Member
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    I'm vegan and live in the uk (15 yes vegan). I don't know if you have the alpro range of dairy free soya milk/yoghurt etc but if you do have you tried the plain version in the big 500g tubs? The work for me. Also you can get protein powders- soya, pea and brown rice. As for digestive supplements have you tried acidophilus? You can get a vegan capsule and they really helped me too.

    Good luck! Add me if you like :-)
  • meerkat70
    meerkat70 Posts: 4,616 Member
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    What do you mean by bloating?

    I can't really see how beans would cause serious water retention...? Or do you mean stomach bloating?

    I think it's obvious she is talking about intestinal bloating. We don't really need to ask her about the details. :wink:

    actually, it wasn't clear to me. for reasons i detailed. hence the question.

    your point about wheat makes far more sense than the 'the beans dunnit' position
  • BinaryPulsar
    BinaryPulsar Posts: 8,927 Member
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    What do you mean by bloating?

    I can't really see how beans would cause serious water retention...? Or do you mean stomach bloating?

    I think it's obvious she is talking about intestinal bloating. We don't really need to ask her about the details. :wink:

    actually, it wasn't clear to me. for reasons i detailed. hence the question.

    your point about wheat makes far more sense than the 'the beans dunnit' position

    You're right. I probably could have said this (answered the question) without using the word obvious. :flowerforyou:
  • lithezebra
    lithezebra Posts: 3,670 Member
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    Shame that as a vegan the OP cannot avail herself of the probiotic yoghurts.

    My advice would be.... reconsider if veganism really is doing you any good, if it's causing bloating!

    That's really unhelpful. Veganism is not causing the OP's bloating. Something in her diet (or lack of proper gut flora) is. Adding meat is not going to cure that.

    If beans are causing the bloating, there aren't many good substitutes for beans, in some form or another, in a vegan diet. There is seitan, which is okay if you can have gluten, and there are rice and hemp based protein powders, if you just want protein, or like to have smoothies. Adding a serving of meat might well solve the problem, by providing a lot of protein, in an unprocessed food, without the side effects of beans. Adding dairy or eggs would be another nonvegan compromise.The OP can make her own decision based on her priorities, and how stubborn a problem the bloating is.

    Have you tried tofu and tempeh? Tofu is much lower in carbs than beans, which means that it should be lower in the sugars that are thought to be the problem with digesting beans. Tempeh is fermented, which can make it easier for some people to digest.
  • FlaxMilk
    FlaxMilk Posts: 3,452 Member
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    Good Belly makes vegan probiotic drinks and now have gluten free varieties too. I just tried one for the first time this weekend. I don't like to drink my calories (other than in smoothies where I use no more than 25 calories worth of nondairy milk), but I use the pumpkin seed protein that BP mentioned, but it makes my belly burn a bit. The problem is, I love it. It's very taste neutral for me and find that it blends really well. I'm training my belly to like it, dam it. I have to limit soy and can't stand the taste of other vegan protein powders.

    They are technically made out of beans, and they are pricey, but check out the Explore Asia noodles. They have soybean, mung bean, and black bean that I know of. High protein. I don't love the taste as much as I love brown rice noodles, but the nutrition benefits outweigh the brown rice 9 times out of 10. (If I want a traditional tasting marinara dinner, the taste is going to win over the nutrition.)

    I like PB 2 to sprinkle on bananas or on top of frozen banana blended with nondairy milk and protein powder. The serving of PB 2 and pumpkin seed protein powder will add up to 100 calories and 13 grams of protein. Pumpkin seeds themselves are 170 calories and 9 grams of protein. They keep me full for ages.

    Try a protein shaker bottle with nondairy milk, pumpkin seed protein, and PB2. 125 calories and 13-14 g of protein. Very tasty and easy to take on the go.

    Research the higher protein veggies and try to incorporate them. I agree with others that if you sit down and figure out what you really like to eat, you can hit 50 g without breaking a sweat. Consider trying a gluten break and see if that helps. (If it doesn't, don't go gluten free. It makes being a vegan a really big PITA.)

    (Check out chocolate covered katie for some bean dessert dishes to see if changing the preparation helps the bloat.)

    You could also try some of the products that are suitable for vegans that work like Beano.
  • MrsFowler1069
    MrsFowler1069 Posts: 657 Member
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    I've been a vegan for nearly 8 years and I thought that sodium was causing my bloating, but now I've cut way back on sodium and am still bloated. I've realized that it's all the beans I eat that's really causing the bloating. If I need about 50g of protein a day, can you give me some bean-less ways to get to that many grams or even just some new protein ideas? Thanks! :)


    When you cook the beans add a tbs of oil olive (oil of your choice) to the cooking. I find that helps. one of the things I do is drink at least 32 ounces of water before even brushing my teeth. With my breakfast smoothie I add 1 tbs of coconut oil, this have helped a lot with my bloating and the easily distribution of bodily waste.

    Good suggestions. Also, I don't know why it works, but I was told by a friend to add baking soda to the bean soak water and it does seem to make a difference. Also change the water a couple of times during soaking. And I'm not a vegan, so I'm sorry if there's something non-Vegan about baking soda that I'm not aware of. :)

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