Do you feel bloated weekly or even daily? I used to, too. I didn't understand why I felt so uncomfortable until I began to actually read what the nutrition label and ingredients stated. Though, my stomach is more sensitive than the average Joe's, here are a few foods, nutrients, and ingredients to look out for that may be affecting your tum!
DAIRY
Dairy is not something our digestive system naturally breaks down easily. If you find you have a stomach ache or bloat after consuming, try to seek alternatives, such as almond milk, coconut milk, or lactose free milk, to see how your stomach reacts.
SUGAR ALCOHOL
One thing to be careful of in junk-food-gone-healthy is sugar alcohol, for it can make you feel bloated and uncomfortable. Sugar alcohol allows for food to have a lower calorie count and sugar content but with similar flavor, which is why you can frequently find it in protein bars or "healthier" ice creams. It can also be listed on nutrition labels as sorbitol, erythritol, mannitol, xylitol, maltitol, lactitol, or isomalt.
CHEWING GUM
Not only does gum contain sugar alcohol, but it also makes you inhale more air from chomping. Who would have thought that such a natural habit like breathing would affect bloating!
LOW-FAT/FAT-FREE FOODS
More often than not, low-fat and fat-free foods add sodium to make up for their lost taste. Choosing one over the other or finding a happy medium can be difficult. Sometimes it is all up to personal preference, but it can't hurt to check the amount of added sodium before you purchase food that only has a couple grams less of fat!
SALTY FOODS
Chips, pretzels, sauces, deli meat... Ya know, all the good stuff. These foods are high in sodium, so they may leave you feeling bloated and uncomfortable even after eating only a little bit.
PROCESSED FOODS
Frozen meals and other processed foods have added preservatives to assist in a longer shelf life. Your best bet is to stick to eating whole or natural foods to avoid an upset stomach.
At the bare minimum, I challenge you to start reading nutrition labels and the ingredients in your foods. If you begin to bloat after eating a certain food or meal, look at the nutrition label! Your answer may be there.
XOXO
- Katharine