Although oatmeal is a nutrient-dense food, it can cause bloating in some people. There are several causes for digestive problems after eating oats. We’ll tell you what helps.
Flatulence after oatmeal: This makes it easier to tolerate
If you react to oatmeal with indigestion, preparing it differently can help make the flakes more tolerable.
Heating or soaking beforehand makes oat flakes more tolerable. Suitable recipes include porridge or overnight oats.
Be sure to chew thoroughly and not eat too quickly. This can also help to avoid complaints.
Use tender oat flakes instead of hearty ones. Since tender oat flakes are more crushed during production, they are easier to digest. Melted flakes are even easier to digest than delicate oat flakes. Like other oat flakes, they are made from the whole grain. Because they are made from ground oats, they are more digestible than traditional oat flakes.
When you start incorporating oatmeal into your diet, you should slowly increase the amount. Otherwise, a sensitive digestive system can react to the increased fiber content with flatulence.
If you usually make your oatmeal with milk, you can use lactose-free milk or plant-based alternatives and see if you tolerate your breakfast better that way.
Oatmeal: Possible causes of flatulence
If you experience flatulence after eating oatmeal, there can be various reasons.
- The fiber, carbohydrates and starch contained in oats can be responsible for discomfort after eating. The breakdown of these substances in the large intestine can result in gases and thus flatulence.
- Oatmeal has a positive effect on digestion with its high fiber content. However, if you haven’t been eating oatmeal for a long time, your body may have to get used to the fiber and therefore react with flatulence.
- Eating too quickly and not chewing enough can also cause discomfort. Due to the lack of chopping in the mouth, the digestive organs have to work harder and enzymes have a harder time breaking down the nutrients.
- Depending on how the oats are grown, there may also be harmful substances in the oats. Pesticides that enter the digestive tract through food can also cause problems.
- Your body may not be reacting to the oats but to another ingredient with discomfort. If you experience flatulence after eating muesli, lactose intolerance could also be the reason.
- If you think you have a food intolerance, you should see a doctor. This can determine intolerances and allergies through special tests.
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