Bloating is a majorly gross feeling and can feel like an inescapable part of life sometimes. These tips to de-bloat are going to make you feel SO much better.
While we may not be able to take away your bloating forever, I’ve discovered some ways you can adjust your diet in order to minimize bloating as much as possible, so that you feel as good as possible.
1. Avoid Raw Veggies
This feels counter-intuitive because obviously eating a raw, plant-based diet can be a great thing for you. But through a lot of trial and error, I’ve discovered that the fibers in certain vegetables are more difficult for our body to break down when ingested raw, therefore leaving you bloated.
A lot of veggies have cellulose, which can be difficult for our bodies to break down. So, when you cook them down – steaming, sautéing, or baking them with some olive oil in the oven, they are much easier for our bodies to digest and use. And you still get all of the positive nutrients your body needs without feeling bloated!
Vegetables I avoid eating raw especially are cruciferous veggies, think – cabbage, kale, cauliflower, or broccoli. Cruciferous veggies in particular need and should be cooked down before consuming to ensure your body can better digest them.
2. Be Wary Of Smoothies and Juices
Again, this one might seem crazy. But juices and smoothies, while appearing healthy, can sometimes be packed with too much sugar. When your body has a surplus of sugar, it converts it to fat.
Smoothies and juices can also carry some of those tough-on-digestion fibers that we just talked about as well. So while smoothies and juices are a great way to pack in vitamins on-the-go, you just have to be really careful about knowing what’s in them.
Don’t get my wrong, I looove juices and smoothies for breakfast or a snack but to avoid bloating, I stick to a particular rule. Build your own. Whether you are at a local smoothie/juice bar or at home, making your own is the best way to ensure the right ingredients are added. I promise if you practice this rule to you will notice decrease in bloating post smoothie snack!
3. Cut Down On Processed Foods and Gluten
This shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise, but processed foods can be really difficult on your body and can end up sneaking a lot of unnecessary junk into your diet. While processed foods are more convenient because they have an unnaturally long shelf life and are (sometimes) more flavorful, it’s exactly those characteristics that can be so detrimental for your body and belly bloat.
Easy snacks and treats often contain bad fats, synthetic ingredients, and have a higher caloric value. And while switching to gluten-free can be a good decision because of gluten’s tendency to leave some people’s intestinal tract inflamed, it does not mean that all gluten-free foods are healthy. I’m just going to say that one more time: “gluten-free” does not equal “healthy”.
A couple of good rules of thumb are to look for packaged foods that have five or less ingredients, and who have ingredients whose names you can pronounce. And of course, if your tummy has a tough time with gluten, stick to GF. If you’re super hardcore, just stay away from boxed and packaged food altogether. If you are interested in learning how to read labels to protect your belly from bloat, here are my go-to tips.
4. Swap Out Regular Dairy For Grass-Fed
Swapping out regular dairy for grass-fed or raw dairy is a small change that can have a huge impact on how you feel. Grass-fed dairy has way more benefits and is healthier for you than the regular stuff you typically find in the refrigerated aisle at the grocery store.
Research shows that grass-fed dairy products have more benefits due to the fact that the animals are eating what they’re meant to eat (aka grass instead of cow feed), therefore your body can process it naturally, the way it’s meant to. Grass-fed and raw dairy also has higher levels of Vitamin E, antioxidants, minerals, and other good stuff. While there are plenty of arguments for cutting out dairy altogether, make sure that if you are a dairy consumer, you make the right choices about what kind of dairy you’re buying.
5. Stay Away From Artificial Sweeteners
There’s really no room for flexibility on this one. Artificial sweeteners, across the board, are soooo bad for you. They absolutely destroy your stomach and have harmful ingredients in them that can have serious effects down the road… sooo not worth the sweeter cup of coffee! And the problem with artificial sweeteners is that they create the same response in your brain as actual sugar does. It makes you crave more, meaning that it’s not helping you get rid of your sugar cravings, it’s actually increasing them.
If you’re craving a sweet treat, opt for some berries with a little bit of honey drizzled over the top, or a floral tea. Nature gives you all the options you need for every craving you have, so there’s no need to turn to the harmful fake stuff.
This article was originally published by Love Sweat Fitness.