We obviously love protein snacks just as much as our customers, and we love debunking myths around them, too. However, there’s one uncomfortable thing that actually isn’t a myth, and we’re upfront about it.
You’ve probably wondered if protein cookie dough can make you bloated; the answer is yes, it can.
That does not mean you need to ditch your protein snacks or give up on getting enough protein for big gains. You just need to understand the relationship between protein snacks and bloating, and how you can prevent that issue. Luckily, it’s pretty easy.
Does Protein Cookie Dough Make You Feel Bloated?
Cookie dough still counts as protein, and can get you bloated. However, it’s not actually the protein that makes you swell up most of the time.
There are several reasons you can feel bloated after enjoying a delicious bag of protein cookie dough.
1. Lactose Intolerance
The best source of pure, complete protein for adding to recipes is milk. Whey is the leftover fluid after milk curdles, and milk itself can be turned into a protein isolate. That’s why almost any time you hear protein mentioned, whey is the main ingredient, and milk is usually in there, too.
Well, that’s unfortunate for a portion of the population that can’t properly digest milk. Pretty much any high-quality protein product is going to trigger lactose intolerance problems.
If you’re experiencing a lot of bloating after eating protein cookie dough, you might be lactose intolerant. See how your body reacts after eating other dairy products.
The good news is that isolates are almost entirely pure protein. It’s a lot less problematic to have milk protein isolate than it is for a lactose-intolerant person to eat a lot of cheese or ice cream.
2. Fiber Can Cause It
You need some fiber if you’re eating a high-protein diet, or you can experience a little constipation. However, some protein cookie dough recipes lean heavily on plant-based protein and high-fiber ingredients as a marketing ploy.
If you eat those high-fiber options, or you mix our protein cookie dough with too much fiber-rich food, you can experience bloating.
This isn’t because of the protein, though. The plants are essentially fermented in your gut. That process creates gas, and your stomach swells.
Luckily, this is usually only a problem if you eat a lot of plants with your protein or eat a product that is loaded with fiber for no reason. So, it’s easily avoidable.
3. Overloading Your System
Your body can absorb nutrients pretty quickly, but it can’t work miracles. One of the downsides to diets that require you to eat excessive amounts of food is that your body just can’t keep up. That’s something that’s common for bodybuilders and other people with intense fitness regimens.
Unfortunately, this just comes with the territory when you live a lifestyle that requires lots of food. Some things can ease the problem, but you’re not going to get rid of it entirely. Even though protein cookie dough bites are healthy, they can’t override the basic limits of how much your body can process at once.
4. Your Gut Health
Your gut health is also a key factor in how bloated you get when you eat protein. Your gut is an entire ecosystem. It’s like having a rainforest tucked inside your body with all kinds of tiny organisms living inside of it.
Like any other ecosystem, when something is out of whack, the whole system starts to suffer.
If you don’t focus on your gut health, you can experience bloating after eating protein snacks and a lot of other foods.
Your gut health also impacts hormone production, serotonin levels, and more.
What Can You Do to Prevent Bloat When Eating Protein Cookie Dough?
Luckily, the only problem on this list that you can’t do much about is the point we made about lactose intolerance. Everything else can be worked with if you know how to approach it.
1. Focus on Gut Health
If you’re eating garbage and not trying to balance the ecosystem in your gut, you’re going to have issues with bloating. That being said, it matters which snacks you choose. Not all protein cookie dough recipes are the same, and there are ingredients you certainly don’t want in yours.
The best way to fix that is to take your gut health seriously and start reading labels.
Additionally, eat yogurt with probiotics, fermented foods, and other food items that help promote good gut health. It’ll take a while, but once the issue is resolved, your body should handle protein cookie dough a lot more easily.
2. Boost Your Metabolism
This is for those of you who have to eat a ton to keep your gains. Your body can only handle so much at a time, but you can work to increase how fast it deals with such a large amount of food.
Your metabolism is responsible for breaking down the food you eat and absorbing nutrients. If you boost your metabolism to speed it up, it’ll break food down a lot easier between those giant meals, and you’ll have fewer problems with bloating.
It also helps with another common issue: some people notice that protein snacks make them feel sleepy. This usually happens when your body has to put extra energy into processing larger amounts of protein, which can leave you feeling tired instead of energized. By improving your metabolism, you reduce that post-snack crash and stay alert throughout the day.
There are a lot of ways to boost your metabolism, and if you’re into fitness, you’re probably already doing a few of them. Research your options and start implementing them into your daily routine.
3. Limit Fiber
Fiber is important, but you don’t need tons of it.
Make sure you’re getting an appropriate amount that balances all the protein you’re getting. You’ll get the benefits you need from the fiber, but you won’t end up having it all fermented in your gut.
Also, avoid plant-based proteins in large amounts. Some diet plans try to replace animal proteins with a variety of legumes, beans, and similar plants, but those will make you bloated. If you insist on that type of diet, bloating is something that you’ll have to get used to.
Try FUUL for a Balanced and Complete Protein
FUUL gives you a balanced, bloat-friendly way to enjoy protein cookie dough without the heavy, uncomfortable feeling some snacks can cause.
Our birthday cake and chocolate chip flavors deliver great taste while keeping the macros clean and easy on your stomach.
If you want a snack that supports your wellness goals without the bloat, this is the perfect fit.
Contact us today to get your FUUL protein cookie dough!