A bloated stomach is no joke and it can mess with your whole day. If you’re constantly dealing with this uncomfortable, swollen feeling, then it’s time to take a closer look at what you’re eating. Believe it or not, the foods you eat might be the biggest culprits. Here are the 12 worst offenders that trigger the bloat.
12. Processed Foods
Time to think twice whenever you feel like reaching for packaged snacks, frozen meals, or canned soups. Many processed foods contain high levels of sodium, which lead to water retention in the body, causing a swollen or puffy feeling in your stomach. Additionally, the unhealthy fats in processed foods are much harder to digest and can cause a bloated sensation.
11. Lentils
Yes, lentils are packed with protein and fiber, but they also contain complex sugars called oligosaccharides and raffinose, and they’re difficult for some people to digest. The small intestine can’t handle these sugars and so they move onto the large intestine where they become a feast for the gut bacteria. This leads to increased gas production and the sensation of bloating.
10. Fatty Foods
As mentioned, foods high in fat take longer for our bodies to digest, and yes, these include the greasy, fried foods. Because of slower digestion, they sit in your stomach and intestines for a longer period, while the gut bacteria also take time fermenting them. This increases gas and that sensation of bloating.
9. Salty Foods
The next time you munch on chips or add an extra dash of soy sauce to your dish, remember the connection between salt and water retention. That extra water weight in your body can definitely contribute to bloating. This puffy feeling doesn’t just happen in your stomach, but also in other body parts like hands and feet.
8. Artificial Sweeteners
Those sugar-free gums and diet sodas sound healthy, but they also have the potential to trigger bloating. Why? Because they contain artificial sweeteners like sorbitol, xylitol, and mannitol that our small intestine don’t fully absorb. And so they travel down the large intestine, and you know what happens next: more gas and bloating.
7. Apples and Pears
So if artificial sweeteners are not ideal, natural sugars would be better, right? Well, not exactly. Let’s take apples and pears for example. Both fruits are high in fructose, which is a type of natural sugar that some people find difficult to digest. Once again, fructose moves into the large intestine, causing that familiar puffy feeling in your stomach.
6. Onions and Garlic
This one’s surprising. The kitchen staples you know and love, onions and garlic, can also be sneaky culprits behind your bloated stomach. These pungent veggies contain fructans, which can’t be fully absorbed by the small intestine. Even small amount of onions and garlic can trigger bloating in sensitive individuals.
5. Wheat and Gluten-Containing Foods
Wheat is a common ingredient found in pasta, bread, and many baked goods, and they can be a source of bloating, particularly in people with celiac disease or gluten sensitivity. Gluten, by the way, is a protein found in wheat and it’s difficult for some people to digest. The incomplete process of digestion can lead to inflammation in the gut, increased gas, and bloated feeling.
4. Cruciferous Vegetables
We’re talking about vegetables like cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage, and Brussels sprouts. They can be quite a pain when it comes to bloating because, similar to lentils, they contain raffinose. This is the complex sugar that our bodies struggle to digest. These cruciferous veggies are also high in fiber, and if you’re not used to processing large amounts, they can contribute to bloating.
3. Dairy Products
That’s right, your favorite ice cream or cheesy pizza can be a major source of bloating. These dairy products contain a type of sugar called lactose (also found in milk). To digest this sugar, our bodies need an enzyme called lactase, but unfortunately, many people (especially older ones) don’t produce enough lactase. When lactose isn’t properly digested, it also travels to the large intestine.
2. Beans
Beans are generally great for you but they also have a bit of reputation for causing gas. Similar to lentils, they contain oligosaccharides and raffinose. When undigested, they kickstart the fermentation process in the large intestine, leading to that puffy feeling and well, you know the rest.
1. Carbonated Drinks
Your favorite soda or sparkling water is a major villain when it comes to bloating. Carbonated drinks are packed with carbon dioxide or bubbles of gas that end up in your stomach. See that tiny bubbles when opening a can of soda? That’s what happens inside you when you drink it. The gas expands and put more pressure in your stomach. You feel full, tight, and ready to let out those loud burps!