How to Make Passover Easier on Your Digestive System
We're only halfway through the weeklong holiday of Passover, and while the rest of the country may be on Spring Break, those of us clinicians who work in gastroenterology practices are putting in overtime. That's because the traditional diet on Passover -- where most grains and any leavened grain products are off limits for a week -- is notoriously tough on the digestive system. For the week each year that Jews celebrate their freedom from slavery in Egypt thousands of years ago, Jewish patients are often on a desperate search for a different kind of emancipation: emancipation from constipation.
Passover novices might wonder: Why is this holiday different from all other holidays in terms of stopping up the digestive inner workings? There are a few reasons. For one, the religious prohibition against eating any leavened wheat, barley, rye, spelt or oats essentially eliminates most of the key sources of laxation-inducing fiber from the typical American diet: breads, cereal and oatmeal. Jews of Eastern European descent also avoid corn, rice and legumes -- or any packaged foods that contain ingredients derived from them. So there goes even more fiber from staple foods such as crackers, bean soups, bars and brown rice.
To complicate matters, the foods that most American Jews use to replace these grain-based staples aren't high-fiber fruits and vegetables, but rather starchy, fiberless packaged foods. Matzoh -- the traditional unleavened cracker of fiber-free white flour and water -- has essentially the same ingredient list as Play Doh, and a comparable effect on gastrointestinal motility when eaten in excess. And on Passover, it's used for everything from pseudo-French toast (matzoh brie) and sweet casseroles ( kugel) to matzoh pizzas and matzoh-meal based cakes. Passover cake and cookie mixes are typically composed of potato starch alongside the ground up matzoh -- starch and more starch. Between the slowing effect of dense, gluey carbs and the lack of dietary fiber, it's no wonder that my people have such a time going on Passover.
But it doesn't have to be this way, and with a little bit of willingness to depart from our old school Passover playbook, the Passover diet can be not just healthier, but digestively friendlier. Here's how:
Step away from the matzoh. Unlike the rest of the year, when many people might only consume bread once daily, the lack of other carb options on Passover may result in folks munching on matzoh three or more times daily. Compared to airy, leavened breads, however, matzoh is dense and somewhat gluey once chewed and swallowed. Too much matzoh is bad news for the Jews who are prone to constipation, and this is particularly so for regular and egg Matzohs made from white flour. I advise patients to limit matzoh intake to one square daily, and to choose relatively higher fiber versions such whole wheat or spelt.
Take a page from the Paleo playbook. Without all that matzoh, one might ask, how does one fill his or her plate? This is where we Jews can draw inspiration from our flourless Paleo friends, and seek out unprocessed plant-based foods such as veggies, fruits and nuts to fill in for the missing starch. A cauliflower "pizza crust" is Passover friendly and far more nutritious than a matzoh-based one; a zucchini "noodle" lasagna sure beats a matzoh-based one in terms of nutrition (and probably flavor). Other Paleo staples such as veggie and egg fritatas, chia seed puddings, meat-and-vegetable stews, lettuce wraps and shakshouka (eggs cooked in stewed peppers and tomatoes) are all Passover friendly, super flavorful and fiber-forward. Get thee on Pinterest, and find some Paleo picks that strike your fancy.
Bake with almond meal. Those starchy, sugary Passover cake mixes aren't doing you any favors in the bathroom ... or otherwise. Ditch them, and try your hand at baking with a high fiber, Passover-friendly flourless alternative like almond meal. For inspiration, Elana Amsterdam's blog contains loads of simple, flourless muffin, pancake and cake recipes that use almond meal. Or give Martha Rose Shulman's fantastic Flourless Carrot Cake a try -- it's loaded with gut-loving fiber from shredded carrots and ground almonds.
Fall in love with quinoa. If you just can't get on board with the grain-free Paleo vibe for your meals, then try putting some quinoa on the plate where your rice/pasta/bread used to be. Since quinoa is a seed, not a cereal grain, many religious authorities have deemed it kosher for Passover. It cooks up in the same way as rice -- just use two parts water per one part quinoa -- add a dash of salt and glug of olive oil, and simmer covered for 15 minutes or until all the water is absorbed. (I recommend rinsing dry quinoa well before cooking to remove some of the earthy, bitter flavor compounds.) Quinoa is great on its own or tossed in a soup in place of a grain, or can be used as the basis of a healthy lunchtime tabbouleh salad, a springy veggie pilaf or a warm, comforting breakfast porridge served with berries.
When all else fails, try a magnesium supplement. If you tend toward constipation and just don't have enough control over your menu during Passover to keep up with your fiber, adding a bit of magnesium before bed each night for the week may be helpful. Magnesium is an essential nutrient for heart, muscle and bone health -- and in doses of 350 mg or higher, it has a laxative effect. For many run-of-the-mill cases of constipation, a bedtime dose of 400 to 500 mg is the extra little boost required to get things moving the next morning.
While Passover only comes once each year, these lessons in laxation have year-round applicability. Less white flour and fewer starchy grains -- and more fruits, veggies, seeds and nuts -- is a great way to help keep things moving through your digestive tract.
Tamara Duker Freuman, MS, RD, CDN, is a registered dietitian whose NYC-based clinical practice specializes in digestive disorders, celiac Disease, and food intolerances. Her personal blog, www.tamaraduker.com, focuses on healthy eating and gluten-free living.
