Bloating is when your belly gets enlarged or swollen after eating. If gas or fluid accumulates in your gastrointestinal tract (GI tract), or if there is any issue in your digestive system, you may experience a belly bloating. This is one of the most common issues that almost 16%-30% Indian experience every day. The main reason of belly bloating is something unusual in your daily diet.
People often confuse bloating with water retention. If the fluid in the body increases, it can cause water retention. However, they are almost similar. The only difference is, water retention involves increased fluid in the body while the bloating occurs when fluid or gas accumulates in the GI tract.
Did you know that sometimes food can also be responsible for stomach bloating? Said who? Well, let’s dig deeper!
So let’s see which food items can cause bloating:
Beans:
Beans are rich in protein, fiber, healthy carbs, vitamins, and minerals that good for health. However, there are some beans that contain sugars. These types of beans are known as alpha-galactosides. Alpha-galactosides are a group of the FODMAPs (FODMAPs are the short-chain carbohydrates that are indigestible for people).
What to eat:
You should choose the beans that are easy to digest. Black beans and pinto beans can be the great option for you if you have stomach bloating problems.
Lentils:
Lentils belong to the Fabaceae family. They are extremely rich in fiber, protein, healthy carbs, iron, manganese, and copper. But, because of containing high fiber, they can cause bloating. People, who don’t eat a lot of fiber, can face a severe bloating if they eat lentils. They also belong to the FODMAPs.
What to eat?
If you are sensitive to eating a lot of fiber, you can include light-colored lentils in your daily diet. Since they are lower in fiber than the dark colored ones, they may cause less bloating.
Carbonated drinks:
One of the most common reasons for bloating is drinking carbonated drinks. Since these drinks contain a high amount of carbon dioxide, when you drink it, you can end up drinking a large amount of gas. These drinks can also be the reason for uncomfortable bloating and cramping.
What to drink:
There is no alternative to plain water. However, if you want some healthy alternatives, you can include tea, coffee, and fruit flavored water.
Apart from the above-discussed food, there are a number of food items that should be avoided if you are prone to belly bloating.
- Wheat
- Broccoli and the other cruciferous vegetables
- Barley
- Onions
- Apples
- Rye
- Beer
If you are suffering from a belly bloating, the reason may be a food from this list in your diet. So, avoid the food and get rid of belly bloating.