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Unfortunately for many of us, bloating is a common and quite a pesky issue that many of us experience. These can be caused by a multitude of factors; overeating, food intolerance, digestive disorders, or our bodies simply reject whatever specific thing we consume. Here’s the good news: you can play a significant role in drastically lowering your feelings of bloat by integrating the following foods in your diets, according to experts who have been researching the issue.
In this article, we will examine the top 15 foods that will help with bloating according to health experts. Not only are these foods great for bloat, but many also contain other essential nutrients and vitamins that further fortify our bodies. Read on to discover how the following foods are great for bloat, and how you can seamlessly incorporate them into your own diet!
Ginger
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Ginger is a fantastic way to cut down on bloating. Why? It’s packed to the brim with properties that are all proven to reduce bloat such as gingerol and shogoal (good for anti-inflammation). It even contains an enzyme that can help with digestion, making it a great choice for those who are feeling bloat. There are many ways to incorporate ginger into dishes and drinks, with a favorite definitely being ginger tea.
Peppermint
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Speaking of great teas, peppermint tea is a great drink to help reduce bloat after a meal. One can also add peppermint oil to many drinks, or simply just a glass of water. Peppermint itself contains menthol. Menthol relaxes our muscles and can often help with inflammation. Due to this, the gastrointestinal region also contracts, allowing us to pass gas more easily and therefore reduce bloat.
Bananas
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Feeling bloated? Bananas are a fantastic way to help reduce that feeling. It is a valuable source of nutrients — and is delicious too! They go great in a wide variety of foods, such as on toast, in a smoothie, bread, or pudding. Their incredibly high content of potassium makes water retention easier for the body by counteracting the effects of sodium. Not to mention its high content of fiber to support your digestive system.
Avocado
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Speaking of potassium, another fruit that is loaded with potassium is avocados. All those millennials who love eating avocado toast will finally feel vindicated here. Avocados contain more than just potassium, it’s also packed with nutrients including fiber and healthy fats, which contain anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.
Turmeric
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This Indian spice (later used heavily in China) has become more widespread over time. For good reason, too, as turmeric contains lots of nutrients found to be beneficial. The key, however, lies in curcumin. This compound in turmeric is what studies say helps massively with irritatable bowel syndrome (IBS), and allows easing of discomfort in the digestive system — ultimately helping reduce feelings of bloat.
Asparagus
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Outside of making your urine a little smelly, asparagus serves another huge role: reducing feelings of bloat. It contains inulin, which is a prebiotic fiber that helps balance your digestive system and promotes a healthier gut. It even comes with fantastic hydration properties — half a cup of asparagus contains approximately 63 grams of water. It goes great with many variety of dishes, but our favorite is as a side with meat, such as chicken or steak. Get your protein, hydration, and healthier gut all in one meal.
Tomato
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People with diets with high consumption of tomatoes and tomato-based dishes will be happy to hear that this fruit is full of lycopene. Lycopene will reduce inflammation in your body, and provide your gut with a healthy bacteria that helps strengthen your intestinal barrier. It’s high water content (95%!) will also go a long way to help reduce bloat and hydrate our bodies. What makes tomatoes stand out from the rest is their versatility: they can be used in a wide variety of dishes and are nutritious to boot!
Celery
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Celery contains a LOT of water. So much so in fact, it’s said to include up to 95%. Due to this high content, this green helps the body naturally maintain fluid balance — something said to be critical for reducing bloat. Not receiving proper hydration is known to be a common cause of bloating. In addition to hydration, celery is a fantastic source of dietary fiber which can further help regulate our digestive system, making bloat a thing of the past!
Fennel
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According to experts, fennel has high contents of carminative properties. In short, this helps us reduce gas formations within our digestive tracts. These (and many other) compounds found within fennel seeds a great for helping muscles relax and therefore helping trapped gas pass easily. While it also contains a good amount of fiber, it also has antispasmodic effects. These can help reduce spasms in the gut which are major contributors to bloat and IBS.
Kefir
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This fermented dairy product is a fantastic choice to help reduce feelings of bloat for many reasons. Firstly, kefir is very rich in probiotic properties, which are healthy bacteria that promote a cleaner gut. As a result, this can help reduce bloat. It also contains digestive enzymes that assist in the breakdown of food, helping your body digest troublesome meals that don’t sit well in your stomach, especially those with lactose intolerance. The benefits don’t stop there; it is nutrient-rich and will allow you to have your fill of calcium, magnesium, vitamins B12 and K2 which are all important for digestive health. Throw some of this in your smoothies, salad dressings, soups, or cereals!
Kombucha
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Kombucha is a fermented tea drink that has exploded in popularity in recent years, especially among Millennials. Perhaps this is for good reason because Kombucha is packed to the brim with beneficial nutrients. It is extremely rich in probiotics (thanks to fermentation) which help our gut microbiome and reduce bloat by eliminating harmful bacteria that cause gas. It is also known for its detoxification properties since it contains glucuronic acid, which helps our bodies improve our digestive health. Many enjoy kombucha straight from a bottle as a refreshing, hydrating probiotic drink. It can also be used in salad dressings, marinades, or smoothies to help you get your nutrients in for the day.
Papaya
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Papayas are a delicious tropical fruit that gives our bodies many health benefits. Since it contains a powerful enzyme called papain, it assists us in the digestion of proteins and helps us break them down into amino acids which makes it much easier for our bodies to digest food. This prevents the accumulation of troublesome foods that our bodies have trouble digesting, thereby reducing bloat. It is a fantastic hydrating property as well, being composed of near 88% of water. Papayas can be eaten as a snack, dessert, or even as a juice. If one has trouble with bloat, then introducing papayas into your diet is a smart choice.
Quinoa
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Quinoa has become more popular in recent times, with many people electing to substitute it with their rice instead. The reason for this popularity stems from its healthy contents, such as high fiber and having a low glycemic index — meaning it releases sugar more slowly into the bloodstream. Therefore it allows your body to stabilize its sugar content more easily and prevents blood sugar spikes which can contribute to bloating. Not only that, it’s also gluten-free, making it a fantastic choice for those with gluten intolerance or celiac disease.
Rhubarb
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Rhubarb is not a fruit and is often used in sweets and desserts. Don’t let that turn you off the fact it has practical uses for those who feel bloat, though. Rhubarbs are a nutritious vegetable and are often incorporated by dietitians for reducing bloat in addition to its other health benefits. Rhubarbs are rich in dietary fiber, which can reduce constipation as a common cause of bloating. It also contains natural laxative properties to help your body flush out toxins.
Yogurt
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There are also some fantastic health properties to yogurt, a worldwide favorite. Since it’s rich in probiotics, consuming yogurt can help massively with balancing the gut flora and improve digestion, thereby reducing bloat. The fermentation process also breaks down much of the lactose, making yogurt easier to digest for those who typically struggle with dairy products or who are lactose intolerant. Its digestive enzymes also go a long way to helping bloat, as it breaks down foods and makes digestion more efficient.
