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When combined with the right ingredients, smoothies can be an easy and convenient way to enjoy a variety of vitamins, minerals and essential nutrients that you don't always get in your regular meals. However, sometimes these concentrated sources of nutrition can cause digestive upset for those with sensitives tummies.
If you've ever found that you feel bloated after you drink a smoothie, these could be some reasons for you to consider:
1. Hard To Digest Ingredients
Some fruits and vegetables are harder to digest than others and cause more gas and bloating. Common culprits include baby spinach, mango, peaches, pears and night shade vegetables.
If you struggle to digest fruits and vegetables in general then using a freeze-dried superfood powder, such as my Organic Superfood or Everyday Greens, is a great way to get all the nutrients you need in an easy-to-digest form.
If you're adding nuts or cashews to your smoothie, they can cause problems as they're hard for the digestive system to break down.
Another common culprit could be your protein. Many cheap proteins are filled with unnecessary fillers and artificial sugars that can cause digestive upset. That’s why I only use Healthy Chef Protein. They're pure, clean proteins with no added nasties! They're also: gluten free, low FODMAP, low carb, keto and naturally sourced.
Many cheap proteins are filled with unnecessary fillers and artificial sugars that can cause digestive upset.
2. Drinking Your Smoothie Too Quickly
This one sounds simple but is often the most common! Depending on what you put in your smoothie, it can be a lot of nutrition for your body to take in at once. Try sipping on your smoothie over 5 – 10 minutes so you have time to digest it.
Drink your smoothie over 5 – 10 minutes.
3. Possible Food Intolerances
Some people might be sensitive to certain ingredients or food combinations.
Personally, I find that mixing too many different ingredients in my smoothies causes some discomfort. I prefer to keep things simple and use just a few ingredients. My smoothie of the moment is 1/2 avocado, Healthy Chef Protein, Everyday Greens and coconut water.
What smoothie combinations work best for you will vary from person to person, so it’s best to listen to your body and adapt your ingredients depending on how they make you feel. This takes a bit of trial and error, just remember to keep it simple and try not to overcomplicate things.
Keep your smoothie combinations simple and use just a few key ingredients.
Other possible causes:
Gas and bloating can be caused by a variety of food or medical conditions. If you experience consistent digestive issues and suspect you have some food intolerances or gut dysbiosis, I recommend that you book in with a Dietitian, Nutritionist or Naturopath to address the root of the problem.