Eat the right foods & live an active life yet still bloated?? This is very common and very frustrating. The good news is that there are foods and habits that will help.
What is bloating?
Bloating is a build of gas in the abdomen – awesome! This is usually caused by digestion or swallowed air. A build-up of bad bacteria in the small intestine can also be a result – hello probiotics !
The foods that can cause bloating are:
- Excessive fructose: Fruit, dried fruit, juices, honey.
- Lactose: Not everyone has an intolerance to lactose, however if you are consuming a lot of dairy and feeling bloated then it may be worthwhile reducing/eliminating for a period of time.
- Garlic and Onion: Due to the fructans.
- Artificial sweeteners: These can be difficult to absorb due to the chemical compounds (sucralose, aspartame, cyclamate).
- Fast eating: We are all busy and eating can seem like a time consuming task. However, if you are stuffing your face at a fast pace then the food has time to break down and absorb, reducing the risk of bloating.
Recommended habits to manage bloating.
- Probiotic: This Holy Grail contains good bacteria which help the gut to restore balance, absorb nutrients and reduce overall inflammation just to name a few benefits.
- Sip lemon water. Excellent source of Vitamin C, encourages the liver to produce more bile for easier digestion. Warm lemon water in the morning promotes digestion and helps maintain the pH balance in the body.
- Diuretic foods: Celery, fennel, asparagus. These wonderful foods assist flushing excess water from the body. Asparagus also acts like a probiotic by providing good bacteria.
- Ginger: Contains anti-inflammatory and anti-spasmodic qualities. Try adding fresh ginger to your tea or cooking.
- Papaya: Contains an enzyme called papain, which assists digestion and the breakdown of protein.
- Pineapple: Contains bromelain, which is a digestion-promoting enzyme. Try pineapple 20-30min before a meal, or embrace your inner Hawaiian!
- Peppermint tea. Peppermint is a carminative and therefore relaxes/calms the digestive tract. Try peppermint tea after meals or at night time.
- Drinking enough water. Ensure you are drinking a minimum of 2L of water. The body struggles to digest food without sufficient water.
- Apple cider vinegar: Last but not least! ACV may not be for everyone and studies have shown that the benefits for bloating/gas are dependent on the individuals stomach acid levels. If you have low stomach acid and a build-up of bacteria in your stomach then ACV will help increase stomach acid and theoretically help. When buying ACV ensure that it contains ‘the mother’, which is a layer composed of yeast and acetic acid bacteria. ‘The mother’ contains prebiotics and beneficial bacteria. Try adding 1Tbs to water in morning, 20-30 min before eating.
The most important focus is the way we feel. If you are uncomfortable and consistently bloated there may be an underlying cause that stems from your diet.
Try the following de-bloating day-on-a-plate
| MORNING | ACV with water 20-30min before breakfast Warm water with lemon Breakfast: 2 eggs scrambled with baby spinach, tomato, avocado and asparagus spears and peppermint tea |
| SNACK | Celery stalks with natural peanut butter |
| LUNCH | Garden salad with protein (chicken, tuna, tofu…) ACV dressing (ACV, lemon, mustard, rice malt syrup, salt and pepper) |
| DINNER | Ginger Stir fry Protein (chicken, fish, beef, lamb, tofu…) Mixed vegetables (zucchini, carrot, capsicum, asparagus, kale, boc choy) Marinade: Ginger, olive oil, rice malt syrup, salt reduced soy sauce, water. |
| DESSERT | Peppermint tea with 2 piece dark chocolate |
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