You’re a healthy eater. But in spite of that, you’re still struggling with poor digestion. It’s frustrating, isn’t it?
After you eat, you may be experiencing:
- Bloating or gas
- Moodiness
- Low energy
- Constipation or diarrhea
- Anxiety
And these symptoms show up quickly after a meal. It’s a sign you’re not properly breaking down, digesting, or absorbing your nutrients.
This can be rooted in poor digestion, nutritional or bacterial imbalances, or a leaky gut. If you’d like to look into that further, book a nutrition package with me and let’s get started.
But sometimes a few tweaks to how you cook your food can help break it down so your body doesn’t have to work so hard. That’s what we’re talking about in today’s article.
COOKING TIPS FOR BETTER DIGESTION
TIP #1 – BEANS + LENTILS
Black beans, navy beans, kidney beans, chickpeas, lentils, and so many more! Beans and lentils are super nutritious, but not easily digestible for some people.
This is because beans contain a sugar called an oligosaccharide. Your body can’t digest it because you don’t produce the enzyme necessary to break it down. You can learn more in this article.
To make them easier to digest, soak dry beans overnight. This helps break down the oligosaccharides. You can also add some seaweed into the soaking water to further break them down.
When you cook beans, add a little apple cider vinegar near the end of cooking to break them down even more.
TIP #2 – QUINOA
Though it’s treated like a grain, quinoa is actually a seed. It’s loved for being a complete source of plant-based protein. But, it can also be hard for some to digest.
Quinoa is coated in a bitter compound called saponins. A naturally occurring protective layer that prevents pests and birds from eating it. But it’s also mildly toxic and can cause indigestion for some people.
To prevent this, always rinse your quinoa before cooking. This helps rinse off the saponin layer. You can also cook it in the pressure cooker to help break down the nutrients for easier digestion.
TIP #3 – VEGETABLES
You eat vegetables because they’re good for you. But just because they’re healthy, doesn’t mean your body can break them down or digest them.
Raw vegetables tend to be the biggest culprits. That’s because of a fibre called cellulose, which can be difficult to break down. But cooking vegetables helps to break down the cellulose for easier digestion.
Try roasting, grilling, or steaming vegetables. Or par-cook them so you can still eat them “raw” without the nasty side effects. You can add them to stir-fry’s, soups, chili’s, and stews for simple meals that won’t hurt your digestion.
Digestion is intricate and complicated. So simply changing how you cook your food won’t always solve your problem, but it’s a great starting point.
If you’d like more support, book a nutrition package I’ll work with you personally to get you feeling better!
You can (and should) have good digestion. Do the work now and you’ll benefit for life.