Vegan? Problems with Gas and Bloating?

I have digestive issues that I don’t really like talking about. I’m a very healthy 76, and have been a vegan for the last 22 years. I’m writing this anonymously because despite my overall good health, I do have some digestive issues that are a little embarrassing. I’ve spoken to enough vegans to know that my problem is pretty common among vegans and It can be a real challenge for people converting to a vegan diet for the first time.

I’m talking about gas and bloating.

For most of my time as a vegan I’ve tried to eat as much raw plant based food as I can. That’s a lot of roughage (fiber) and I experienced a lot of bloating and gas. I’m now confident that my diet before becoming a vegan (along with who knows how many rounds of antibiotics) really got my digestive bacteria out of balance, and the bloating and gas I was experiencing on a vegan diet was the consequence. I have tried many sources of probiotics including homemade sauerkraut and fermented vegetables, and tried many different probiotic supplements over the years. Nothing ever seemed to help very much.

One of my children told me about the Ultimate Probiotic by Silver Fern™ Brand, so I purchased a bottle to give it a try. Wow! I could tell the difference the very first day I took it. The next day, I decided to eat pinto beans and ate them with 2 full meals that day. I absolutely had no problem with bloating or gas. I mean zero problems!

So, what is the explanation? I’m no expert on the topic, but I do know the difference it has made for me personally. I did do some online research about the strains of bacteria that are in this probiotic (bacillus subtilis HU58, bacillus coagulans, bacillus clausii, pediococcus adidilactidi & saccharomyces boulardii). Bottom line is that these strains survive the stomach acids and transit on into the intestinal tract, and… These organisms digest fiber.

Many people who become vegan begin eating larger amounts of fiber than they are accustomed to. My theory is that the modern American diet just doesn’t provide nearly enough fiber. So vegans who have issues with gas and bloating are eating much more fiber than they are used to and they have the wrong gut bacteria needed to digest it. The result is gas and bloating.

Again, I have to say that from my vegan point of view, this probiotic supplement is absolutely superior to anything I have ever taken.