Some gas and bloating is just a normal part of the digestion process. The good news is that you can influence how much gas and bloating your experience. For example, if you eat too much fiber and consume too little water, your tummy may feel full and tight. Gas can also be caused by swallowing too much air, which can happen if you chew gum, eat too quickly, or drink through a straw. It may also help to eat smaller meals and chew more because you will break down the foods more in your mouth before they pass into the rest of your digestive tract. And of course avoiding known allergens, unhealthy foods, and carbonated beverages will help as well. To give you more ideas about how to avoid belly bloat, here are some foods that can increase and decrease gas in your digestive system.
Ginger, Peppermint, and Fennel Seeds
Ginger, peppermint, and fennel seeds have been used medicinally for thousands of years for all sorts of digestive issues. They can ease belly bloat, settle an upset stomach, and speed up the emptying of the stomach. Ginger contains compounds such as gingerols and shogaols that act to reduce flatulence along with supporting overall wellness and reducing inflammation.
Peppermint has a whole host of health benefits as well. It can help with digestion, alleviate gas and bloating, help with bad breath, work as a decongestant, and counteract tension. That’s all largely because of peppermint’s muscle-relaxant properties. Peppermint actually relaxes the smooth muscles in your body to help allow air, liquids, or food that’s stuck to move through.
Fennel seeds also have many benefits including improving digestive function and supporting overall good health. Eating these potent little medicinal seeds regularly can be especially beneficial for treating gastrointestinal problems like abdominal bloating, intestinal cramps, and excessive flatulence. They may provide also provide antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antibacterial effects.
Legumes, Garlic and Onions
Legumes, like beans and lentils, are notorious for causing gas and belly bloat. They are high in FODMAPs (fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols) which are short-chain carbohydrates that are difficult to digest. Garlic and onions are also high in FODMAPs. Because they are extremely hard for your body to break down, they get fermented by your gut bacteria and produce a significant amount of gas. If you have any digestive health issues, you might want to consider eliminating legumes and other FODMAP foods from your diet until you are healed.
Lemon Water and Apple Cider Vinegar
It’s important to drink plenty of fluids to help move food through your digestive tract when you have belly bloat. Lemons are a natural diuretic and have a gentle laxative when added to warm water. So consuming lemon water can help reduce the amount of salt retained in the body and help with bloating. Make sure that you drink from a glass or mug and not through a straw, so you don’t take in any extra air.
Although not scientifically demonstrated to reduce gas, bloating and heartburn, you may want to try apple cider vinegar and water for digestive distress. For gas and bloating, drink a glass of vinegar in water before each meal. The vinegar helps bloating because it kick starts digestion so your stomach can better manage your meal. If heartburn, due to low stomach acid is your issue, try it as soon as you feel symptoms.
Apples
Apples are among the most popular fruits in the world. They are high in fiber, vitamin C and antioxidants, and have been linked with a range of health benefits – “an apple a day keeps the doctor away”. However, apples have also been known to cause bloating and other digestive issues for some people. The reason is again, because they contain fructose and sorbitol which are FODMAPs. Because they contain fiber and fructose which can both be fermented in the large intestine, they may cause gas and bloating. Cooked apples may be easier to digest than fresh ones.
Celery and Cucumber
Celery is considered a low calorie anti-inflammatory food that can also help reduce inflammation in the digestive system. Decreasing water retention, belly bloat and reducing gas are it’s other claims to fame. Celery is considered a healthy choice as a digestive aid because it contains a healthy dose of dietary fiber and is also considered digestive tract friendly by helping to improve the condition of the stomach lining.
Cucumbers don’t work for everyone. They are a healthy food because they contain a flavonoid called quercetin. Quercetin fights inflammatory free radicals, reduces allergic reactions, and supports a healthy immune response. In addition, quercetin can relieve belly bloat by reducing gastrointestinal swelling. Plus, cucumbers have one of the highest water contents of all vegetables at around 96%. And as we noted earlier, having more fluid in your system will keep you hydrated and help move foods out. Eating cucumbers or drinking cucumber-infused water can help balance your sodium levels, flush excess water from your system, and release trapped gas.
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