Milk And Milk Products
If you’re one of the many adults who are lactose intolerant, dairy products can cause a significant amount of gas and bloating. People who are lactose intolerant lack the enzyme lactase, which is necessary to break down lactose . This results in gas and bloating, among other symptoms.
Besides milk itself, dairy products such as ice cream, cheese, and yogurt contain lactose. There may be dairy ingredients in other products.
If you avoid dairy completely, you will want to find other food sources for your daily calcium intake.
Note that lactose intolerance is different than a true milk allergy. People with a milk allergy should avoid milk in any form, at all times.
Foods That Cause Bloating According To Nutritionists
Your salad is not as innocent as it looks.
Sometimes stomach bloat can be easily traced back to that huge-ass brunch you had with your BFFs. But other times, its a complete mystery.
One person’s poison is another person’s medicine. What one person’s gut tolerates can vary to the next, says Kelly Schmidt, RD.
In fact, bloating can happen even if you’re all about the salads and healthy snacks. So it’s important to know that you shouldn’t avoid super-healthy foods just because they make you bloated.
The key is to eat these foods strategically, says Cynthia Sass, RD, and author of Slim Down Now: Shed Pounds and Inches with Real Food, Real Fast. As in, you may want to avoid potential bloaters if you know you’re going to give a presentation at work, but definitely don’t nix nutrient-rich foods from your diet altogether.
Curious what your culprits may be? These are some of the most common foods that cause bloating.
Sorry, La Croix addicts: your fav bevvy might be giving you major bloat.
“I think most people are aware that sugary sodas trigger bloating,” says Sass. But the bubbles that give any sparkling drink its fizz are also a factor. Even without any sweetener, that carbonated gas can inflate your belly like a balloon.
To see if this is the culprit, Sass suggests you try eating the same meal or snack with flat water, then with sparkling, and compare how you feel.
Key word: temporarily. If youve got nowhere to be tonight, pop away.
Fruit And Fruit Juice
Apples, apricots, cherries, peaches, pears, plums, and prunes are especially well-known for causing excess gas. Apple juice, pear juice, and fruit drinks are also culprits. The reason is that fruit contains fructose.
If you ingest more than your body can digest, the remaining fructose is broken down by fermentation. A byproduct of fermentation in the large intestine is gas.
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Does Sugar Make You Bloated
Feeling bloated never is a comfortable feeling, especially if other gastrointestinal problems accompany it, such as pain, flatulence or changes in bowel movements. If you have noticed that certain foods seem to make you bloated, start keeping a food journal and write down what you eat at each meal, as well as when you are bloated and other related symptoms. You might notice that sugar or some types of sugar seem to be associated with your bloating.
Foods That Cause Bloating And Gut Discomfort
Your diet is often to blame for belly bloat. That goes for both foods that cause bloating as well as dietary habits and underlying medical conditions.
When your belly is bloated, you haven’t gained weight. Instead, you’ve likely gained water weight or are suffering through digestive issues that cause a distended belly. Unlike fat gain, bloated stomachs are oftentimes temporary.
There are many different reasons why you’re experiencing bloating:
- your diet is high in sodium, which can cause water retention
- you have a sensitivity to certain foods that cause bloating
- you might be experiencing a food intolerance
- you’ve increased the fiber in your diet
We explain more about the dietary causes of bloat below, but let’s start with the 19 most common foods that cause bloating.
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What Else You Can Do About Bloating
If eliminating or reducing consumption of hard-to-digest foods doesnât solve your frequent bloating problem, there are over-the-counter medications that might help. Look for a pill or liquid containing alpha-D-galactosidase, an enzyme that breaks down indigestible sugars in beans and vegetables. Tablets or capsules containing simethicone can also help alleviate symptoms of excess gas.
If youâre a smoker, intestinal distress may be one more reason to quit. Smoking has been linked to bloating, heartburn, and other digestive problems.
Fortunately, bloating is rarely a symptom of serious trouble. For most people, the most effective prescription for bloating is simple: control portion sizes, go easy on fats, and eat slowly enough to give your body time to signal when youâve had enough. These sensible remedies should keep you from feeling overstuffed and bloated.
Grabitske, H. Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition,âGastrointestinal Effects of Low-Digestible Carbohydrates,â 2009 vol 49: pp327-360.
Joanne L. Slavin, PhD, RD, professor of food science and nutrition,University of Minnesota.
American College of Gastroenterology:Belching, Bloating and Flatulence.
MedicineNet.com: Intestinal Gas .
Side Effects Of Polyols
When you eat a food with sugar alcohols they pass through your small intestine only partial absorbed. This is because the human digestive system has trouble break down their structure.
As they reach your large intestine, the molecules of most sugar alcohols tend to pull water into the gut by osmosis. This often leads to watery stools and, in large amounts, full blown diarrhea.
Even in smaller doses, polyols like mannitol, sorbitol, lactitol and maltitol need to be broken down by bacterial fermentation in your colon.
This process creates a lot of flatus gas and, as these gases get trapped within your intestines, they can result in belly bloating, painful cramps, abdominal discomfort, and finally lots of flatulence on the way out.
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Healthy Replacements For Dairy
Whether you’re looking for alternatives for milk or cheeses, there is a wide variety of dairy-free or lactose-free products.
- Oat milk
- Soy milk
- Lactose-free dairy milk
- Hard cheese such as parmesan, cheddar, or swiss, because they are lower in lactose compared to other soft cheeses. These cheeses may be tolerable for some people who are sensitive to lactose, but not all.
Symptoms Of Food Allergies
An allergy can be confused with intolerance, but there are some distinct signs and symptoms.
Symptoms of a food allergy vary from person to person and can even change depending on the type of food consumed.
People who are allergic to certain components within food tend to experience symptoms after consuming them.
Symptoms include:
- rashes or hives
- nausea or vomiting
Severe allergies can cause a serious reaction known as anaphylaxis. These reactions can come on quickly and may be fatal if left untreated. Symptoms of a severe anaphylactic response to an allergen can include:
- swelling of the lips, mouth, tongue, or throat
- shortness of breath or being unable to breathe properly
- a wheezing cough
- a sudden drop in blood pressure
- a racing heart
- dizziness or loss of consciousness
People with severe allergies should carry antihistamine medications or epinephrine pens on them at all times.
Anyone who experiences new signs of an allergic reaction should contact their doctor or allergist. Symptoms of anaphylaxis require medical attention immediately, even if the person has already taken antihistamine medication or used epinephrine.
People who experience signs of an allergy or intolerance for the first time should also visit a doctor to discuss their options.
A true allergy to sugar in itself is for the most part non-existent, whereas some sugar intolerances are quite common. The two are similar but have some key differences.
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Broccoli Cauli And Cabbage
Cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, sprouts, kale and other green leafy veg are super-high in fibre and this can all be a bit too much for your body to digest. But the bacteria in your gut loves to utilise it for energy, and this results in gas. Many of these cruciferous veg also contain sulphur, and you know all about the smell that can lead to.
Broccoli And Other Cruciferous Vegetables
The cruciferous vegetable family includes broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, brussels sprouts and several others.
These are very healthy, containing many essential nutrients like fiber, vitamin C, vitamin K, iron and potassium.
However, they also contain FODMAPs, so they may cause bloating in some people .
Cooking cruciferous vegetables may make them easier to digest.
What to eat instead: There are many possible alternatives, including spinach, cucumbers, lettuce, sweet potatoes and zucchini.
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What Causes Gas And Bloating
Gas and bloating are perhaps the most uncomfortable symptoms related to Sucrose Intolerance caused by Congenital Sucrase-Isomaltase Deficiency . But before we talk about what causes bloating and gas in people born with CSID, we have to first talk about the two different types of gas that occur in the gastrointestinal tract.
The first type is gas in the upper GI tract, mostly in the esophagus and, to a much lesser degree, in the stomach. Gas in the upper GI tract is caused by swallowing air. You might not realize it, but you swallow air every day. For instance, if you chew gum, smoke cigarettes, gulp down a drink or a meal, talk while you eat, or drink through a straw, you are swallowing air. Another cause of gas in the upper GI tract is carbonated drinks, such as sodas or beer. Gas in the upper GI tract is usually relieved by belching.
The type of gas that people with CSID are concerned about is gas in the lower GI tract, which is primarily in the large intestine. As embarrassing as it may be, everybody gets intestinal gas, also called flatulence. In fact, it is normal to pass gas a dozen or so times every day.
It is normal to have bacteria in the GI tract, mostly in the large intestine, the last part of the GI tract. The large intestine is where stools are formed, and water and minerals called electrolytes move out of the GI tract into the bloodstream.
Fructose And Lactose Intolerance
Fructose intolerance and lactose intolerance are two different conditions, but they share similar characteristics. If you’re intolerant to a certain type of sugar, or carbohydrate, it means that you can’t digest it properly. When this happens, instead of getting broken down during the earlier stages of digestion, these sugars travel almost fully intact to the bacteria in the large intestine and become, basically, a huge Thanksgiving meal.
While the bacteria normally get what’s left over from digestion, in this case they get the whole sugar. As they eat or ferment it, they produce higher volumes of gas than normal. As this gas builds up in your digestive tract, it can result in uncomfortable bloating.
As the names imply, fructose intolerance means you can’t digest fructose and lactose intolerance describes an inability to digest lactose .
According to a January 2014 report in Current Gastroenterology Reports, intolerances to these types of carbohydrates are becoming increasingly common, yet they’re often not recognized and poorly managed when they are. The report also notes that the prevalence of fructose intolerance has risen exponentially with the increase in processed fructose consumption .
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Other Ways To Reduce Bloating
Bloating is a very common problem, but can often be resolved with relatively simple changes.
There are several strategies that can help reduce bloating, outlined in this article.
If you have persistent digestive problems, then you may want to consider a low-FODMAP diet. It can be incredibly effective, not just for bloating but for other digestive issues as well.
However, make sure to also see a doctor to rule out a potentially serious medical condition.
Wheat And Other Whole Grains
Wheat and other whole grains, excepting rice, all contain raffinose along with large amounts of fiber. Both of these can lead to increased gas and bloating.
Some whole grains, such as wheat, barley, and rye, also contain a protein called gluten. Some individuals are sensitive to gluten and may experience gas and bloating after eating it.
Gluten sensitivities range from gluten intolerance to celiac disease, which is a serious autoimmune disorder.
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Gassiest Vegetables And Legumes
The following vegetables are those most likely to give you gas due to the fact that they contain the sugars raffinose and/or fructose. Remember these vegetables are actually very good for you, so just avoid them on those occasions when you absolutely need to be gas-free:
- Artichokes
Among the legumes, these are the gassiest:
- Baked beans
Weight Gain And Obesity
Sugar can affect the hormones in the body that control a persons weight. The hormone leptin tells the brain a person has had enough to eat. However, according to a 2008 animal study , a diet high in sugar may cause leptin resistance.
This may mean, that over time, a high sugar diet prevents the brain from knowing when a person has eaten enough. However, researchers have yet to test this in humans.
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Fatty Foods Including Pork And Beef
Fatty foods slow down digestion, which can leave them festering in your gut, fermenting and getting pongy. Fatty meats are doubly tricky because they are rich in the amino acid methionine, which contains sulphur. Sulphur is broken down by your gut bacteria into hydrogen sulphide that lovely rotten egg smell and enhances the odour of gas produced by other foods you eat as well as the meat.
Foods That Cause Bloating
Bloating is when your belly feels swollen or enlarged after eating.
It is usually caused by gas or other digestive issues (
3 ).
Although bloating may be a symptom of a serious medical condition, it is usually caused by something in the diet .
Here are 13 foods that can cause bloating, along with suggestions on what to eat instead.
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You Should Ease Up On The Fake Sugar
Sure, you save on calories, but if youre like some people, your system simply cant tolerate certain sweetenerssuch as sorbitol, mannitol and xylitol. These are sugar alcohols, which can have a laxative effect, causing gas, bloating, and diarrhea. Try these daily habits that can reduce belly bloat.
I Had No Idea This Food Caused Bloating And I Was Eating It Every Day
When I tried cutting sugar out of my diet and all I could think about non-stop was getting my hands on some lusciously sweet, sugar-coated sugar, I realized it wasn’t just what I lovingly referred to as a “sugar tooth.” It felt more like a gripping addiction, which made it that much more important to get control of. It took me about three weeks to ditch sugar, and afterward, I honestly didn’t crave it as much.
Once I felt like I had a handle on my sugar obsession, I began re-introducing a little back into my diet. Nothing crazy like soda or frosted doughnuts. Vanilla soy milk in my overnight oats, a little piece of dark chocolate after lunch, and a slice of home-baked chocolate chip banana bread after dinner didn’t seem like much, but then I started having terrible, labor-like gas pains and bloating like I’d never experienced.
I went to the doctor, convinced I had some rare form of food poisoning or a 12-foot-long worm living inside my intestines. I went through a slew of blood tests, stool tests, and other tests I’d rather not talk about. They couldn’t figure out what was wrong. I thought it was weird that they never once asked me about my diet, so I took matters into my own hands. Since I was vegan and eating pretty healthy, I thought about possible culprits. “Maybe it’s gluten? Or maybe it’s soy?” So I eliminated those, but that didn’t do a thing. I even tried taking probiotics , but after two months, nothing changed.
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How Sugar Can Make You Feel Bloated
Bloating primarily develops in your large intestine or colon which is home to a large number of harmless bacteria.
These good bacteria support the breakdown of the food you eat, thereby keeping your entire body healthy.
When you eat or drink, what happens is that certain foods mainly sugar, starches, and fibers cannot reach full digestion.
Food particles of this type that have not been completely digested can sit in your large intestine.
These undigested food particles are then consumed by the bacteria in your large intestine. This process is often called fermenting.
The process of fermenting in your large intestine can create a gas mainly in the form of hydrogen, methane, and carbon dioxide.
This is one thing to be aware of when eating fermented foods. Bloating can be a common issue if you dont approach it correctly. Kylie Nation talks more about this in her video.
While having gas in your body is completely normal, excess gas that causes bloating can simply mean that your body, or more specifically, your digestive system, is not agreeing with something you eat.
A lot of bloating can be an indication that something in your diet needs to change.
Among the different types of food that cause bloating sugar is a key source.
The complexity in identifying whether sugar makes you bloated is that there are many different types of sugars, this is aside from the regular table sugar that we all often consume.
More Advice To Beat The Bloat:
1. Eat fermented food once a day: Foods like kimchi, sauerkraut, pickles, kefir and kombucha are naturally high in probiotics. Like the probiotic supplement, fermented foods introduce good microorganisms that can contribute to maintaining a balanced, healthy gut.
2. Drink up: When youre dehydrated, your electrolyte levels can become unbalanced. This means you could be holding on to unwanted water weight without even realizing it. Drinking more water does not mean more water is retained. Drinking more water means your body can flush out any excess more easily.
3. Move more: You can be eating the right foods, but if youre spending all day sitting, the stagnation can cause unwanted gas buildup. Make a point to get up and move every hour.
Breakfast: 1 cup green tea with an egg scramble with leftover grilled salmon and asparagus
Snack:Gut health smoothie: 1/2 cup plain kefir, 1/3 cup papaya and 1/4 avocado
Lunch: Spinach , 2 teaspoons olive oil and top with 1 tablespoon of chopped pecans and 4-6 ounces lemon herb chicken
Dinner: Large romaine lettuce salad with carrots, tomatoes and red bell peppers top with simple lemon dressing roasted fennel, sweet potato fries and 4-6 ounces parchment baked salmon
Drink flat water with lemon throughout the day!
For more advice from Keri Glassman, follow her on .
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