Foods that Cause Bloating

Rebecca Lewis May 05, 2015

Bloating – it is something we don’t want to experience especially when we are trying to fit on a dress for that dinner date, a night-out with friends, or a company event. It is that awful puffy feeling that you get when you eat too much or too fast, or when you take a lot of fibre that causes gas build-up in your stomach. Bloating is often not serious, and you should feel much better after a few hours. But it could be a sign of a serious health problem so if you experience it frequently, you may need to consult a GP.

Normally, bloating can be caused if you eat too much of the following foods:

Dried Beans and Lentils

These are very high in fibre and eating them in large amounts can result to a gas build-up in your stomach. Nonetheless, you should not avoid beans and legumes completely as they contain plenty of nutrients, including vitamins and minerals that are needed by your body. Getting smaller portions and eating slowly should prevent you from feeling bloated.

Cruciferous Vegetables

There’s a reason why you feel too full and somewhat bloated after consuming a big bowl of vegetable salad, especially if it is mainly composed of cruciferous veggies like broccoli, kale Brussels sprouts, and cabbage. Same with beans and legumes, these vegetables are high in raffinose – the fibre that causes gas build-up in the stomach. Take small portions at first, to let your digestive system adjust. Steaming cruciferous vegetables is also a way to reduce the risk of bloating.

Fizzy Drinks

These are beverages that you should avoid, not only because they cause bloating but more importantly, because they are bad for your health. Carbonated drinks, including fizzy drinks and beer could make you feel bloated because whilst drinking, you are also swallowing air.

Sugary Food

Meals that have been sweetened up by artificial sugar may cause bloating too. The reason is that they’re fermented by the bacteria in the digestive track. Foods that use artificial sugar include processed meals, and those labelled as ‘diet’, ‘zero calorie’, and the like.

Fatty Food

Meals that are high in fats can also make you feel bloated. Whilst eating some fats is fine, consuming too much can make you feel uncomfortable. That’s because fats slow down the rate at which your stomach empties into the small intestine.

Dairy Products

Milk and dairy products could cause bloating in people who have lactose intolerance. Drinking lactose-free milk and similar products can help cut out the risk of bloating.

Whole Grains

Because they are high in fibre too, eating a lot of whole grains may also lead to bloating. But like vegetables and beans, whole grains are important sources of nutrients so you should not take them out from your diet. The good news is that your digestive system has the ability to adapt to your fibre intake so by slowly increasing your intake of fibre, you won’t feel bloated each and every time.

Other than food, other factors, such as stress can also cause bloating. Stress hormones speed up everything in your body, including your digestive system. That is why you are likely to experience upset stomach and feel bloated when you are stressed. So always make sure you are keeping your stress levels in check too.