24 Foods That Counteract Feeling Bloated
If you’re trying to have a flat belly but feel you are too bloated to zip up your pants, you may be suffering from abdominal bloating. Abdominal bloating is uncomfortable and makes you look bad in your clothes. Common causes are filling bags of chips and gas-containing soda pops. Fortunately, this is a problem you can easily avoid.
Bloating does not come from having too much fat around your belly. Instead, most people have bloating as a temporary distention of the abdomen from excess stomach gas. It is a myth that the cause of bloating is from excess water weight.
Water weight shows up in the ankles or the feet, especially when you are standing upright. Certain foods can increase the chance that you have stomach bloating and other foods can counteract the problem.
Here are some foods that can counteract that bloated feeling:
1. Bananas. Bananas are heavy to lift but don’t cause weight gain. Instead, they are filled with potassium and fiber, which help relieve gas and water retention.
2. Cantaloupe. This is an orange type of melon that has lots of potassium to fight bloating and is low in calories. It has a high water content which helps flush gas out of your system.
3. Leafy green vegetables. Avoid Brussels sprouts but instead eat spinach, kale, and lettuce. These are all very low in calories and are high in fiber so your bowels will move more easily.
4. Olive oil. There is some scientific evidence to suggest that a small amount of olive oil can break down fat in the belly though containing a chemical known as oleic acid, a modifier of fat.
5. Whole grain bread. This is very high in fiber so you feel full without feeling bloated. It also stabilizes your blood sugar levels.
6. Artichokes. Eating a medium artichoke will provide you with seven grams of fiber, which is about 30 percent of the recommended daily allowances of fiber. It fights bloat by allowing the stool to move along in your bowels.
7. Avocados. These are high in monounsaturated fat, which is good for you and is very filling. You can fight bloat by putting it in a salad or eating it on whole wheat toast.
8. Brown rice. This is high in complex carbs and takes a long time to digest. You feel full and the gas in your abdomen is less.
9. Lentils. Lentils are high in fiber, protein and complex carbohydrates so you feel full but can actually slim down.
10. Kimchi. This is a staple of the Korean diet and is fermented like sauerkraut, tempeh, and pickles. All of these are high in probiotics which help your digestive system move along nicely.
11. Oatmeal. Oatmeal is high in fiber and will help you feel full without puffing out your abdomen. Eat it plain or with cinnamon sprinkled on top.
12. Live yogurt cultures. This food is high in healthy bacteria that help the GI tract run better so you won’t have as much bloating and gas.
13. Fatty fish. This includes tuna, salmon, and mackerel. They are high in omega 3 fatty acids which provide cells with structure but are not likely to be stored in your belly as fat.
14. Apples. If you eat an apple just prior to having a meal, the fiber in the apple will keep you from eating as much at the meal so you will be less bloated.
15. Cucumbers. These have very few calories in them and act as natural diuretics to flush away excess water in your system.
16. Tomatoes. These are low in calories and high in potassium so you get rid of sodium, which can contribute to bloating. They help diminish resistance to leptin so your appetite is less.
17. Berries. Berries are also low in calories and are high in both antioxidants and fiber. They help the digestive system to move better, eliminating excess gas.
18. Celery. This vegetable is high in water so your body will flush out excess fluids so your stomach looks flatter.
19. Asparagus. These are high in potassium which removes excess liquids from your body. They can be eaten raw or grilled in olive oil.
20. Eggplant. Eggplant fights bloating by being high in water and low in sodium.
21. Watermelon. This is a fruit that is high in water content so you can eat a lot of it without feeling bloated.
22. Almonds. Eat natural, unsalted almonds for good protein and less bloating. Stick to a one ounce serving of these nuts.
23. Eggs. If you eat two eggs for breakfast, you are less likely to eat other foods throughout the day so your belly stays flat.
24. Shrimp. Shrimp is high in protein like eggs. They are low in calorie so you can eat a lot of them without feeling bloated.
These are just some of the healthful foods you can eat to get rid of excess water and allow your GI tract to move along faster so you don’t feel bloated with excess trapped gas.