Beat the Bloat

I’m generally not a huge fan of telling people what NOT to eat, but when it comes to bloating & discomfort it has to be done! There are some foods known to contribute to bloating and discomfort in the majority of people and we need to remove these from the diet if we want to BEAT THE BLOAT! 

Will you need to exclude these foods forever? For some of you, it’s likely. For others, you can experiment with bringing a few back after first eliminating them for 14 days at least.

The following foods are famous for causing tummy troubles and most people notice an improvement when they remove them.

• • Artificial sweeteners: Sucarolose, Splenda, Acesulfame Potassium, Sweet’n Low
  • Sugar alcohols: anything that ends in “-itol” like sorbitol, erythritol, xylitol etc.
  • Processed protein powders
  • High fructose corn syrup 
  • Gluten-containing grains
  • Cow’s milk dairy

While I am a HUGE promoter of eating more veggies & all their health benefits; there can be some veggies & fruits that can be quite tough on digestion

• Cruciferous veggies: like kale, brussels sprouts, cauliflower, broccoli, and cabbage. Limit these veggies to 1-2 servings a day, choose cooked over raw when you have the option, and chew chew, chew – this decreases the workload of your stomach!
• FODMAPS: -this stands for “fermentable oligo-, di-, monosaccharides and polyols”- these are types of fermentable fibers that can cause digestive & bloating issues in some people. Check out the list below for foods high in FODMAPs.

• Beans & Legumes: (ok, these are not exactly veggies but listed here regardless). These can cause bloating  due to compounds called oxalates & phytates. Soaking beans & legumes in water for at least 2 hours (preferably overnight), helps to reduce these compounds and makes them easier on digestion. Try that out!

Eliminate these foods for 14 days and see how you feel!

I know it’s TOUGH to eliminate foods from your diet, especially Gluten & Dairy, but trust me, when you feel so good & relieved from your digestive issues, you’ll see it is totally worth it!