10 Best Foods That Reduce Bloating – What To Eat For Bloating Relief
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Feeling full even though you just had one teeny-weeny bite of a sandwich? Do you now feel the need to unbutton your jeans just to sit comfortably, while it fitted perfectly in the morning? Don’t worry, you are not going crazy and no, you haven’t put on weight overnight. You are just bloated. It’s bloating that is responsible for giving you that food baby.
Bloating can be of two types; one which is due to the presence of excess gas in the stomach, which happens because of eating certain cruciferous vegetables like broccoli or Brussels sprouts (1). The other type is water retention, which makes you puffy all over and that is caused by factors such as hormonal changes accompanying the menstrual cycle. Consuming a lot of salt or foods rich in sodium also leads to water retention (2).
Before you rush to book a doctor’s appointment or try to find a cure by looking it up on Dr. Google, relax! We are here at your service. Let us tell you about these ‘magic’ food items that you will find in your very own fridge to help yourself get rid of bloating.
1. Ginger
Remember when you would complain of stomach cramps and your mother would suggest you have ginger tea? Well, that is because ginger is a known to be a magical ingredient that is the answer to all your stomach problems. Researchers have found that ginger contains certain chemicals that help with nausea, and inflammation of the intestines (3). This allows the body to process food more easily and reduce gas, thus helping with bloating.
2. Yogurt
Another ingredient which can be easily found in most Indian kitchens, yogurt is also said to provide relief from bloating. Yogurt is the hometown of the gut-friendly bacteria. These bacteria are naturally present in our digestive system and they help in digestion (4). It also helps in providing relief for inflammation of the stomach.
3. Fennel
A staple in our masala box, fennel or saunf is a diuretic that can help in keeping the bloated tummy at bay (5). It is said that fennel seeds contain some chemical compounds whose anti-inflammatory properties allow the intestinal muscles to relax, making way for the trapped gas (6). So the next time you are at a restaurant and the waiter brings the saunf along with the cheque, take some, it might help you later.
4. Bananas
A common cause for bloating is too much sodium. If you have too much sodium in your body then it tends to retain water, which leads to bloating. To counter this, you can include bananas in your diet. Bananas are a natural source of potassium. Consuming potassium-rich foods can help in flushing excess water and sodium out of the body (7). It is not that your bloating would go away magically on eating bananas, but it will provide you relief.
5. Lemons
Lemon juice has the same acidic level as the digestive juices present inside our stomach. Apart from replenishing the electrolytes in the body, it can also help provide relief with bloating and indigestion. Also, it functions as a diuretic by inducing frequent urination thus helping with water retention (8). Plus, lemon water is an excellent source of hydration.
6. Avocado
This Mexican native is the superstar of the produce section. A wonderful source of nutrients, it contains almost 20 vitamins and minerals including the likes of potassium (9). Low in sugar and high in fiber, avocado is an excellent antidote to the problem of bloating as it contains potassium which helps in getting rid of excess sodium and water.
7. Kiwi
Apart from being a delicious source of fiber, this tiny fruit is also a natural source of actinidin, which is an enzyme that helps in digestion (10). Not just that kiwis also contain potassium, your bloat-beating buddy, so there you go, a healthy and delicious way to keep that bloated tummy in check.
8. Cucumber
Cucumber is a regular feature of salads in the Indian cuisine, it is also a bloat-fighting food. As an excellent source of hydration, it can remove excess gas from the Gastrointestinal tract and provide relief from bloating (11).
9. Cantaloupe
Cantaloupes are natural diuretic; therefore, they help in removing excess water and salt from our body (12). Also due to their high water content, they are an excellent source of hydration.
10. Papaya
Our humble papaya can also put an end to all your bloating woes. Papaya is the source of papain, an enzyme that aids in digestion by breaking down the food and fighting inflammation, making digestion an easier process (13). Besides that, papaya is also said to provide a lot of benefit to the skin, so you have all the more reason to include it in your diet.
Apart from eating these foods, you can avoid bloating by having a fiber-rich diet and drinking a lot of water. Regular exercise, eating frequent and smaller meals, chewing food properly, avoiding carbonated beverages are some of the other changes that you can introduce in your life in order to have a healthy stomach (14). If you have any other tips to fight bloating, share them in the comments.
