The Top 6 Foods to Relieve Bloating
Feeling bloated? It happens to the best of us.
Bloating is always a hot topic as it is a symptom even the healthiest among us experience now and then. I’m sure we can all relate. Being bloated is uncomfortable, annoying, unpredictable, and at times can even impact our happiness. Generally, you can quell the discomfort and sometimes painful stomach through hydration, breathing, or stretching exercises and supplements.
Another way to help reduce bloating, though, is through your eating habits.
These next six foods have properties that may support a healthy gut, fight inflammation, balance fluid, and sodium levels, and keep you hydrated - all factors that help manage bloat!
6 Foods That Relieve Bloating
1. Pineapple
This sweet and juicy fruit packs a serious punch in nutrition, with plenty of antioxidants, vitamin C, and B vitamins in every serving.
Pineapple also contains bromelain, an enzyme that has long been used in traditional medicine to treat digestive issues and help break down protein. Turbo-charge your anti-bloating approach by eating fresh, cut pineapple after your meals.
2. Berries
Berries like blueberries, strawberries, and raspberries are loaded with antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. They’re also water-rich, which can help decrease bloating, but that’s not all.
Berries contain a decent amount of fiber which enhances gut health and softens your stool to prevent bloating. You can add berries to salads, smoothies, parfaits, or just eat right out of the container.
Another hydrating, easy fruit to beat the bloat!
3. Ginger
Ginger has a very long history of use in various forms of traditional and alternative medicine. It is a herb that is well known for its ability to soothe digestive distress.
While in processed form (in pop, candies, and the like), ginger loses most for its health-promoting qualities, the spicy root grated, minced, or brewed in tea from its raw form can actually deliver on that promise. Certain compounds in ginger, like gingerol, help the stomach release gas, which cuts down on bloating.
It can also soothe an upset stomach, which can help relieve the discomfort of bloating.
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4. Peppermint
Peppermint has long been used to improve digestion and help with bloating related to gas and constipation.
The natural oil found in peppermint relaxes the gut, removes gas from the digestive tract, relieves intestinal spasms, and hence, reduces bloating. Drinking one to two cups of peppermint tea next time you feel bloated might be the winning ticket to relief.
5. Fennel Seeds
Many health claims have been made for fennel through the ages, and drinking fennel tea is an established practice in traditional medicine throughout the world. In fact, many people chew on fennel seeds after a rich meal to aid digestion in India.
Chewing on fennel seeds is a great way to fight gas and bloating. Its anti-inflammatory properties will help calm your stomach and digestive tract. You can chew on fennel seeds or drink a cup of fennel tea to relax your intestinal muscles.
6. Bone Broth
An ageless and classic dish, bone broth is soothing to the digestive system and easy to absorb since it’s already in liquid form. It is rich in protein called collagen.
The amino acids in collagen build the tissue that lines the colon and the entire GI tract, helping to reduce digestive symptoms that can be sparked by inflammation. Symptoms that can be improved with regular bone broth consumption include irregular bowel movements, diarrhea, bloating, and gas.
Every Body is Different When it Comes to Bloating
Keep in mind every body is different; therefore, not everyone reacts to foods the same way.
Food, lifestyle, and environmental factors can all affect a person’s digestive tract differently, and what’s good for one person is not necessarily good for another. Pay attention to your body. If you are constantly bloated, uncomfortable, and experiencing digestive discomfort, odds are there is something you are eating that is upsetting your digestion.
If you suspect something in your eating habits is causing bloating, begin by keeping a food diary and journaling your meals and your days. Try removing the suspected offending food and monitor any changes or improvements. Keep in mind that lifestyle plays a major role in bloating too.
Chew your food thoroughly, take deep breaths in between bites, eat your meals sitting down with no distractions, and most importantly, enjoy the delicious, nourishing food in front of you!
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