Pea protein is a protein powder (made from yellow pea) that’s become increasingly popular as an alternative to egg and milk based protein powders.
When considering what protein powder to use, people often ask about the potential for unpleasant side effects and when it comes to plant based protein powder, gas/bloating is always a worry.
A common question we see is; does pea protein cause gas?
For most people, pea protein doesn’t cause gas because it’s low in fiber, but that’s not the full story…
Some people do experience excess gas from pea protein. As I’ll go on to explain, there are a variety of things that can be done to prevent excess gas from protein shakes.
From reading this article, you’ll learn:
- If pea protein causes gas
- Why pea protein can cause gas for some people
- How to prevent gas from pea protein shakes
Table of Contents
Does Pea Protein Cause Gas?
For most people, pea protein doesn’t cause gas. This is because gas is often caused by consuming high fiber foods. Pea protein is low in fiber, so it usually doesn’t cause gas.
However, if you have an intolerance or allergy to pea protein it can cause gas, amongst other symptoms.
Excess gas is often caused by fiber.
Foods with a high fiber content are harder to digest and become fermented by bacteria that live in the digestive system. It is this fermentation process that causes gas to build up.
This excess of gas then causes symptoms like bloating, burping, or flatulence.
Related – Does pea protein cause bloating
As pea protein is low in fiber – at around 1 gram per two scoops of powder – it doesn’t usually cause digestive symptoms such as excess gas in most people.
People may think that pea protein would cause gas because peas are high in fiber. Peas are well known to cause excess gas and bloating in many people.
However, as pea protein is made by isolating the protein from peas, it’s much lower in fiber which makes it easier for people to digest.
In comparison to other protein powders, pea protein is usually well tolerated by most.
There are a couple of reasons that pea protein can cause excess gas in some people, as I’ll explain in the next section.
Why Does Pea Protein Make Me Gassy?
Pea protein can make people gassy if they have an intolerance or allergy to one of the ingredients it contains.
A food intolerance is when someone has difficulty with digesting certain foods.
Food intolerances are very common, particularly if you have a digestive disorder like IBS. The kinds of foods people can be intolerant to vary, but common ones include lactose and gluten.
Pea protein is actually low FODMAP so it can be a good supplement for those with IBS rather than being something that would trigger it further.
Experiencing excess gas, as well as other symptoms like bloating, after using pea protein can be a sign that you may have an intolerance to it.
Excess gas can also be a sign that you’re allergic to pea protein. Allergies are different to food intolerances as they involve your immune system reacting to a certain food.
Allergies are more likely to cause other symptoms, such as rashes, and they’re more serious.
If you experience allergy-like symptoms after using pea protein you should get medical attention and stop using that product.
How to Prevent Gas From Pea Protein Shakes
Pea protein is usually well tolerated by people. However, some people do experience excess gas when they’ve used pea protein.
Excess gas isn’t pleasant and is something you’d want to avoid. Here, I’ve covered some different options to prevent gas when using pea protein in your shakes.
This advice doesn’t apply if you’re bloating as a result of an intolerance or allergy.
If it’s a result of an intolerance or allergy then it’s best to change to another type of protein powder to avoid further bloating, as well as other potential side effects.
1) Reduce Your Mixing Time
When incorporating pea protein into a shake many people will use a blender to mix all of their ingredients together. Whilst this gives your shake a good consistency, it also introduces a lot of air.
These pockets of air will be visible on the top of the shake, and around the sides when you pour it into a glass.
This excess of air can cause gas as it goes into the digestive system. It can also cause other unpleasant side effects such as bloating.
To avoid this, don’t over mix your protein shake. One option is to reduce your mixing time.
You should only have the blender on for as long as it takes for the ingredients to be incorporated. After this, stop mixing otherwise excess air will be incorporated.
Another option is to incorporate pea protein into food, instead of a shake, to reduce the amount of air you’re putting into it.
2) Drink More Slowly
People can also have excess gas from pea protein shakes if they drink them quickly.
It’s normal to take in some air when eating or drinking. However, when people drink quickly they end up gulping. As this happens the body takes in more air, which ends up in the digestive system.
To avoid this, pace how quickly you’re drinking your shake. It shouldn’t be something you’re gulping down before the gym. Ideally, you’d give yourself 5 to 10 minutes to drink the shake.
You should also sit down whilst drinking, and for a short time afterwards. Sitting down helps to aid digestion and reduces symptoms like excess gas and bloating.
3) Look at What You’re Mixing Pea Protein With
People will use different ingredients in their shakes, but it’s common to use milk.
Milk is a common food intolerance for many people and it’s possible that it’s the milk, or other ingredients that you’re using alongside pea protein, that could be causing excess gas.
To check this, you can swap out different ingredients in your shake for a few weeks and see how you react.
While it’s not specifically written for pea protein powder, check out our article on the best options to mix protein powder with to get some ideas.