Many vegetarian eaters have noticed that legumes cause slight bloating, sometimes gas, pain, and heaviness in the stomach. Sometimes, however, bloating occurs regardless of the intake of a particular food, and it is noted equally often by vegetarians, vegans, and meat eaters.
Approximately 20% of people in developed countries, according to statistics, suffer from this new generation of disease, which is called “Crohn’s disease” or “inflammatory bowel disease” (the first data on it were obtained in the 30s of the XX century).
Until now, doctors have not been able to pinpoint exactly what causes this bloating, and some meat eaters have pointed the finger at vegetarians, claiming that milk and dairy products are to blame, or – another version – beans, peas and other legumes – and If you eat meat, then there will be no problems. This is very far from the truth, and according to the latest data, everything is in order with vegetarian food, and the point here is a complex of physiological and psychological factors that lead to an imbalance in the intestinal microflora, which in turn causes “Crohn’s disease”.
The results of the study were presented at the Gut Microbiota for Health World Summit on March 8-11, which was held in Miami, Florida (USA). In the past, scientists have generally held the view that Crohn’s disease is caused by nervousness, which causes digestive dysfunction.
But now it has been found that the reason, after all, is at the level of physiology, and consists in a violation of the balance of beneficial and harmful microflora in the intestines. Doctors have proved that taking antibiotics here is completely contraindicated and can only worsen the situation, because. further disrupts the natural balance of microflora. Scientists have proven that the psychological state, oddly enough, does not affect the worsening or improvement of the course of Crohn’s disease.
It has also been shown that meat, cabbage and Brussels sprouts, corn (and popcorn), peas, wheat and beans, and whole (not ground into a paste) seeds and nuts should be avoided when symptoms of Crohn’s disease appear, until the symptoms stop. Next, you need to keep a food diary, noting which foods do not cause stomach irritation. There is no single solution for everyone, the doctors stated, and it will be necessary to select food that is acceptable for the situation that has developed in the digestive system. However, with the exception of meat, cabbage, and legumes, fiber-rich foods (such as whole grain bread) have been found to be contraindicated in Crohn’s disease, and a light, plant-based diet is best.
Doctors stressed that the typical Western diet of modern man contains a large amount of meat and meat products, which contributes to a serious deterioration in the situation with Crohn’s disease, which has confidently taken center stage among the problems of the gastrointestinal tract in the developed world in recent years. The mechanism of the disease is usually as follows: red meat causes irritation of the colon, because. animal protein releases hydrogen sulfide in the digestive system, which is a toxin; hydrogen sulfide inhibits butyrate (butanoate) molecules that protect the intestines from irritation – thus, “Crohn’s disease” appears.
The next step in the treatment of Crohn’s disease will be the creation of a drug based on the data obtained. In the meantime, the unpleasant bloating and unexplained stomach discomfort that one in five people in developed countries experience can only be treated by avoiding gas-producing foods.
But, at least as the experts found out, these unpleasant symptoms are not directly related to either milk or beans, but on the contrary, they are partly caused by meat consumption. Vegetarians and vegans can breathe easy!
Although food for Crohn’s disease must be chosen individually, there is a recipe that works in almost all cases. It is known that with irritation in the stomach, the vegetarian dish “khichari”, popular in India, is best of all. It is a thick soup or thin pilaf that is made with white basmati rice and shelled mung beans (mung beans). Such a dish relieves irritation in the intestines, has a beneficial effect on healthy intestinal microflora and restores excellent digestion; despite the presence of beans, it is not gas-forming (because mung bean is “compensated” by rice).