5 Foods to Avoid that Cause Belly Bloating

Many foods we eat every day, even the healthy ones, can cause belly bloating, digestion issues and abdominal pain. This happens not only from the occasional over eating but because of certain enzymes and sugars in certain foods making them hard to digest. Keeping track of how often and how much you eat of these five foods could help trim down that belly bloating and discomfort.

Pizza and other fatty foods: Foods such as pizza and greasy burgers are high in fat and salt which is hard for the body to digest.  Fat is the last thing for your body to digest, so a bloated belly after a pizza and beer night should not come as a surprise. In addition to the fatty foods, processed and frozen foods have similar risks, for similar reasons – too much salt and fat for the body to digest comfortably and normally.

Beans and Lentils: While we all know that beans can cause bloating and gas, even the soy beans and nuts found in protein bars have been known to cause belly bloating and trouble with digestion. If a protein bar is something you eat on the regular, try eating half at a time for less digestion problems.

Dairy: While dairy doesn’t cause bloating and discomfort in everyone, it can be a side effect for those who have a lactose intolerance.  Cutting back on dairy or switching your normal dairy items out for dairy-free items such as lactose-free milk and dairy-free sorbet instead of ice cream can help with the digestive issues caused by dairy. However, for some people, cutting dairy out completely is the only way to make their stomach happy.

Cruciferous Veggies: While vegetables are needed for a healthy, well-rounded diet, it is best to be sure to not over-eat your veggies despite how tasty they might be. Yummy greens such as kale, broccoli and cabbage have an enzyme called raffinose that humans are not equipped to break down and digest easily.  This might cause discomfort, bloating and gas as the body works harder to digest the food. Eating foods such as asparagus in moderation should help avoid belly bloat from veggies.

Carbonated Drinks: Do you like to drink soda, sparkling water or other carbonated drinks on a regular basis? If so, it could be the reason for a bit of your belly bloat as the carbonation adds bubbles to your drinks. This puts air bubbles to your GI tract causing it to expand and bloat. Limiting or eliminating carbonated drinks and replacing them with water can help trim down that extra belly fat and bloating.

Another tip to avoid belly bloating: Eating plenty of fruit, drinking more water and eating slower are all things you can do to help reduce digestive pains and bloating.