Bloated? Watch Out for these Foods

Bloated belly

Have you looked around yourself recently? More importantly, have you taken an objective glimpse into your diet? In this busy modern world, few have the privilege to take good care of what they eat, let alone dedicate themselves to a quality dietary plan. However, even if your week is as swamped as your junk food tray, there are more than a couple of foods that you should try to avoid. If you are the kind of person who simply lacks enough time or patience to dedicate yourself to coming up with a quality dietary plan, this list will at least help you become aware of what you should definitely try and avoid, if you’re trying to prevent feeling bloated.

If you are feeling bloated, watch out for the following list of food categories

  • Fiber – While foods rich in fiber provide you with a perfect solution for the bikini season, and are rich in anti-oxidants, they are a known cause of many digestive disorders, especially if you’re used to a low-fiber diet. This comes down to low amounts of bacteria necessary for processing fiber-rich foods. When the undigested food reaches your colon, bacteria feed on it and produce gas – low amounts of the bacteria in question result in slower food processing, thus causing you to feel bloated. The key here is building up your body’s fiber tolerance by approaching this issue gradually, by adding five grams of fruits and vegetables each week, until you’ve reached the recommended 30 grams.
  • Artificial vitamins – Sure, ever since you were still unable to reach your dining room table, your parents have been telling you vitamins are good, but where is the line to be drawn? Well, you’ve guessed it – popping vitamins can make your tummy feel puffed. This is due to all the additives and fillers that these contain – while they offer a sugar-free alternative to fruits (just in case you’re trying to shed a pound or two), these additives can make you feel bloated at the very least. They contain alcohols like xylitol, which are slower to digest than your usual carbs, owing to the fact that they give plenty of time to your bacteria to feast, thus producing gas. If you are trying to avoid ingesting too much sugar, try to be moderate. A perfect solution would be perhaps opting for a multi-vitamin solution. In addition, avoid concentrated vitamins that contain sugar alcohols, notorious gluten, lactose, wheat germ, food starch and hydrolyzed vegetable protein.
  • Protein bars – These are also the potential culprits to you feeling bloated, seeing as they contain whey, or milk-protein concentrate – a known cause of bloating among those who are lactose-intolerant. Additionally, many protein bars are made with soy-protein concentrate, which tends to be gas inducing, seeing as it’s a bean product, which contains fermentable carbs, which are indigestible. The solution here lies in being on the lookout for bars with proteins that are easier to tolerate, such as rice or nut proteins. The purer the protein, the less bloating it will cause.
  • Consult a professionalEven though this doesn’t fall under the category of food types, asking a professional will go a long way in helping you reduce the nasty occurrence of bloating. You can always direct questions to a trainer, or a life coach. Additionally, you can even become one and help other by providing answers to a plethora of coaching questions out there.
  • A ton of water – Yet another thing that may help you, even though it doesn’t fall under the category of types of food to eat, drinking water will not only fill your stomach, but also rid you of that bloated feeling, as soon as you leave your home. Furthermore, drinking a lot of water speeds up your metabolism, works wonder for your hair and skin, and keeps your kidneys healthy and sweating all that unnecessary salt. 16 to 24 ounces of water a couple of hours before an activity (whether it’s exercise, or simply engaging in your daily activities) can do wonders for you.

There are many sources out there that can provide you with just the right answers to your problem of feeling bloated – just dedicate some time towards searching and try and spot the imposters.

By Mathews McGarry

Mathews McGarry is passionate about many forms of strength training, and spent years lifting, dragging and flipping all manner of heavy objects. After graduating from the Faculty of Health Sciences, he started writing about his experiences, and sharing tips for better life. Follow him on Twitter.

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