Porridge causing bloating - Is All-Bran an alternative?

another question

Last year I was eating porridge for maybe two months before I started having bloating problems, the lower stomach area, usually started up in the afternoon, a couple of hours after I had eaten the porridge.

At first I didn't know what was causing it as I had been eating it with no problem. By a process of elimination, I stop eating it and the problem went away.


About a month ago, I saw the well known Irish brand of Organic oats porridge on special offer and said 'ah sure, I'll give it a go again' - I love porridge.

After a few days, I thought this is great I'm not having any problems. Then last week the problem was back. Everything in the digestive department has slowed down and I'm uncomfortable and bloated practically all of the time. The only time I have a relatively flat stomach is first thing in the morning.

I saw an ad on TV for a 5-DAY All-Bran New challenge by Kelloggs for their new All-Bran Red Berry Crunch/Golden Crunch. It seems to be getting great reviews but I am particular about my sugar intake and even with 8g of Protein and 6g of fibre - 13g of sugar per 45g serving sounds a lot?

Does anyone have an opinion as to whether this would be a good replacement for breakfast to counteract my problem or does anyone have an alternative to the 'healthiness' of porridge that won't produce the effects that it is causing me at present.

Stench Blossoms

No, it's not a good alternative.

Go for eggs instead.

Or even wheetabix but not All-Bran.

another question

Stench Blossoms wrote: »

No, it's not a good alternative.

Go for eggs instead.

Or even wheetabix but not All-Bran.

I can't eat eggs.

Wheetabix I actually like.

Any reasons for being against the All-Bran out of interest? How does it compare positive/negative v wheetabix?

Stench Blossoms

You can't eat eggs or you don't like them?

All-Bran is heavily processed sugary sh!Te like every other cereal.

Anything Kellogg's markets as 'healthy' is muck.

First of all the typical portion of All-Bran is 30g. Ya know those little kids sized boxes of cereal? Yeh that size. No grown adult only eats that much cereal.

codie

Are you eating bread,potatoes ,pasta etc /carbohydrates?If you are maybe you need to cut down elsewhere.Bread is a killer. porridge is great but then followed by maybe 2 slices of toast and maybe pasta /rice/potatoes for dinner then maybe a sandwich for tea.That was an example of my daily food intake with a bar of choc thrown in.Felt the same as you but then gave up the bread altogether cut down on the portion sizes of pasta etc.

Alf Veedersane

Have some fruit and/or proper Greek yoghurt if you don't want porridge or eggs.

Or have some meat.

Most cereals are poor alternatives.

another question

codie wrote: »

Are you eating bread,potatoes ,pasta etc /carbohydrates?If you are maybe you need to cut down elsewhere.Bread is a killer. porridge is great but then followed by maybe 2 slices of toast and maybe pasta /rice/potatoes for dinner then maybe a sandwich for tea.That was an example of my daily food intake with a bar of choc thrown in.Felt the same as you but then gave up the bread altogether cut down on the portion sizes of pasta etc.

No I actually don't to be honest. I cut down on carbs a long time ago. I don't eat pasta/bread/potatoes/wraps/pittas. I have one cereal/seed wholegrain bagel in the evening toasted but I am literally eating them for years and never have they given me any problems.

Apart from that, I eat a couple of oatcakes at lunch and that's about it. I'll have a square or two of chocolate at some point aswell.

But apart from the porridge/bagel/3 oatcakes - my carb intake is low.

another question

Alf Veedersane wrote: »

Have some fruit and/or proper Greek yoghurt if you don't want porridge or eggs.

Or have some meat.

Most cereals are poor alternatives.

Thanks for the reply. I eat fruit and yogurt at lunch so I don't really want to replicate that.

I'm vegetarian so meat is out I'm afraid.

another question

I know that in general that cereals are considered crap but I thought there might be one other there apart from porridge that was considered healthy. I think I'll go back to wheetabix and see how I get on with that.

I looked at museli the last time this happened to me and I was utterly in shock to see how much sugar was in every brand. I actually couldn't find a single brand of museli that didn't equate to a mars bar.

Alf Veedersane

Tuna/Salmon would be worth a try.

Also, as you didn't answer it earlier, is it that you can't eat eggs or you don't like them?

another question

Alf Veedersane wrote: »

Tuna/Salmon would be worth a try.

Also, as you didn't answer it earlier, is it that you can't eat eggs or you don't like them?

I was brought up vegetarian/never ate meat/eggs/fish - not going to start now. I know there are veggies that eat eggs, I'm not one of them

Alf Veedersane

Have Weetabix so.

Avoid All Bran though, just to refer back to your original post. Kelloggs ads will usually give their products great reviews and people who lost x amount of pounds (due to everything else in their diet and exercise regime) to participate in their ads.

codie

Wouldn't there be a lot of carbohydrates in the oatmeal and bagel

Alf Veedersane

codie wrote: »

Wouldn't there be a lot of carbohydrates in the oatmeal and bagel

Doesn't mean it's a problem.

If the OP exercises, they'll need fuel.

codie

Alf Veedersane wrote: »

Doesn't mean it's a problem.

If the OP exercises, they'll need fuel.

The OP is looking to solutions for bloating I am sure he/she is glad to every suggestion

Stench Blossoms

codie wrote: »

Wouldn't there be a lot of carbohydrates in the oatmeal and bagel

Yes there would be.

Alf Veedersane wrote: »

Doesn't mean it's a problem.

If the OP exercises, they'll need fuel.

Alf I think the point Codie is making that the OP is not actually 'low carb' as they calmed to be.

Alf Veedersane

Stench Blossoms wrote: »

Alf I think the point Codie is making that the OP is not actually 'low carb' as they calmed to be.

Ah. I just read it as that aside from the porridge, bagel and oatmeal, their carb intake was low.

codie

Stench Blossoms wrote: »

Yes there would be.




Alf I think the point Codie is making that the OP is not actually 'low carb' as they calmed to be.

Exactly

another question

codie wrote: »

The OP is looking to solutions for bloating I am sure he/she is glad to every suggestion

Thanks Codie, the bagel is actually very light and one of the lowest carb bagels on the market. I understand that the general perception of bagels is that they are quite carb heavy, this one isn't.

Yes, I do a lot of exercise, so I need some carbs, I'd conk out otherwise but I try to make the best selections of carbs as possible.

codie

Wasn't pinpointing out the bagel but sounds like an awful lot of oats between the porridge and the 3 oatcakes.Oatcakes are very high in Carbs.Maybe have the porridge and if you can sub the oatcakes for something else.

Alf Veedersane

codie wrote: »

Maybe have the porridge and if you can sub the oatcakes for something else.

The OP said it was the porridge causing the bloating though.

Not carbs in general.

Stench Blossoms

Alf Veedersane wrote: »

The OP said it was the porridge causing the bloating though.

Not carbs in general.

It could be excess carbs causing the bloating though.

Alf Veedersane

Stench Blossoms wrote: »

It could be excess carbs causing the bloating though.

I'm not trying to be argumentative with codie by any stretch. I'd just thought that OP had narrowed it down to the porridge causing the bloating.

codie

Alf Veedersane wrote: »

I'm not trying to be argumentative with codie by any stretch. I'd just thought that OP had narrowed it down to the porridge causing the bloating.

But OP loves porridge so if OP wants to keep enjoying porridge then by process of elimination cut out other carbs and see if bloatness continues.If that fails just stop eating porridge.I agree with Stench Blossoms -more likely a build up of carbs.Nothing ventured nothing gained Alf.

Alf Veedersane

codie wrote: »

But OP loves porridge so if OP wants to keep enjoying porridge then by process of elimination cut out other carbs and see if bloatness continues.If that fails just stop eating porridge.I agree with Stench Blossoms -more likely a build up of carbs.Nothing ventured nothing gained Alf.

Couldn't agree more.

I'd just read it as though OP had narrowed it down to porridge causing the bloatedness, that's all.

dor843088

another question wrote: »

Last year I was eating porridge for maybe two months before I started having bloating problems, the lower stomach area, usually started up in the afternoon, a couple of hours after I had eaten the porridge.

At first I didn't know what was causing it as I had been eating it with no problem. By a process of elimination, I stop eating it and the problem went away.


About a month ago, I saw the well known Irish brand of Organic oats porridge on special offer and said 'ah sure, I'll give it a go again' - I love porridge.

After a few days, I thought this is great I'm not having any problems. Then last week the problem was back. Everything in the digestive department has slowed down and I'm uncomfortable and bloated practically all of the time. The only time I have a relatively flat stomach is first thing in the morning.

I saw an ad on TV for a 5-DAY All-Bran New challenge by Kelloggs for their new All-Bran Red Berry Crunch/Golden Crunch. It seems to be getting great reviews but I am particular about my sugar intake and even with 8g of Protein and 6g of fibre - 13g of sugar per 45g serving sounds a lot?

Does anyone have an opinion as to whether this would be a good replacement for breakfast to counteract my problem or does anyone have an alternative to the 'healthiness' of porridge that won't produce the effects that it is causing me at present.

Its the fibre causing your bloating. Go for a lower fibre breakfast that you enjoy . Problem solved.

another question

dor843088 wrote: »

Its the fibre causing your bloating. Go for a lower fibre breakfast that you enjoy . Problem solved.

Yes, you see that I don't know. I went to the doctor last time this happened and she asked me to keep a diary, eliminating one food out of my diet at a time from the possible foods that could be causing the problem.

Porridge was actually one of the last foods I gave up and the problem was solved in a day or two and hasn't come back until now.

When I went back to her and said I only noticed an immediate difference after stopping the porridge and no difference with the other foods in my diet so nodded in agreement and said that you would be amazed at how many people are affected negatively by porridge after a build up in the system hence why it doesn't occur for a a week or two of continuous eating.

She said loads of people complain of bloating, flatulence and gas rumbling from eating porridge but that she doesn't like to tell anyone to eliminate any one particular food from their diet until they are sure that is what is causing the problem, therefore recommending a food diary.

As Alf correctly mentioned aboved, my question primarily related to porridge as I know that is what is causing the problem and nothing else. I do love but not that much that I would suffer the bloating for it. I didn't have it this morning for the first time in about 3 weeks and by this evening I have already noticed a huge difference. I bought Wheetabix earlier and will have it in the morning and take things from there.

I'll let ye know how I get on because when I actually read the nutritional information throroughly, Wheetabix does seem a good breakfast option, high fibre, low saturated fat and low sugar and practically 100% natural and wholegrain, so fingers crossed this agrees with me.

Mary-Ellen

another question wrote: »

I know that in general that cereals are considered crap but I thought there might be one other there apart from porridge that was considered healthy. I think I'll go back to wheetabix and see how I get on with that.

I looked at museli the last time this happened to me and I was utterly in shock to see how much sugar was in every brand. I actually couldn't find a single brand of museli that didn't equate to a mars bar.

Make your own.
I use oats, flaked almonds, other crushed nuts, coconut, raisins other dried fruit.

Although if oats are causing your problems, muesli might not be much better.

A few other ideas:
Cheese and salad
Apples and bananas with peanut butter
scrambled tofu
cheese stuffed mushrooms

Heat_Wave

another question wrote: »

When I went back to her and said I only noticed an immediate difference after stopping the porridge and no difference with the other foods in my diet so nodded in agreement and said that you would be amazed at how many people are affected negatively by porridge after a build up in the system hence why it doesn't occur for a a week or two of continuous eating.

She said loads of people complain of bloating, flatulence and gas rumbling from eating porridge.

This is very interesting.

I started eating porridge for the first time ever about 8/9 days ago. I've had it almost every morning since then and all day yesterday I suffered from extreme bloating/stomach discomfort.

I had it again this morning (not realising that it was most likely the cause for yesterday's discomfort) and once again today I am experiencing severe bloating.

I'm considering taking a break from it for a few days to see if the break eliminates the problem.

Pity because I love my morning porridge.

cosmic

Have you tried oatbran instead? Regular porridge oats block me up really badly. Oatbran keeps things moving along nicely though. Jesus, there is no way to explain that without sounding disgusting!
Anyway, I find oatbran way tastier too.

doctorwhogirl

cosmic wrote: »

Have you tried oatbran instead? Regular porridge oats block me up really badly. Oatbran keeps things moving along nicely though. Jesus, there is no way to explain that without sounding disgusting!
Anyway, I find oatbran way tastier too.

Oatbran WAY nicer than porridge. I adore the stuff

DonnaDarko09

Porridge does not agree with me...and really not a fan of the stuff taste-wise. I can feel bloated after a few days eating it and am usually hungry an hour or so later..oat bran however...yummy, no bloating and not hungry until lunch time.

Stench Blossoms

doctorwhogirl wrote: »

Oatbran WAY nicer than porridge. I adore the stuff

I knew someone mentioning oat bran would make you post

Alf Veedersane

I'm in the minority when it comes to oatbran. I'd bin the bag I have only it's handy to have something in my desk at work just in case.

Benda

A good old fashioned spoon of Andrews in orange juice will work wonders with bloating in the morning

doctorwhogirl

Stench Blossoms wrote: »

I knew someone mentioning oat bran would make you post

Haaaaa!

I wonder how many people I've coerced into oatbran and cottage cheese! :P

cosmic

Alf Veedersane wrote: »

I'm in the minority when it comes to oatbran. I'd bin the bag I have only it's handy to have something in my desk at work just in case.

Blasphemy! :P