Foods that produce gas and bloating – you will be surprised

If we stop seriously to analyze it, a large part of the population suffers from problems of abdominal swelling. Many times, it is due to lack of exercise, but the main problem lies in food. However, as we have told you many times in a, to lead a healthy life you need to diet and exercise. And by diet we do not mean to get on a regime, but to eat in a healthy and balanced way.

When one or two of these requirements do not occur, they give way to what we call bloating and abdominal gas. However, these are not all reasons why this problem may occur. That is why in we want to talk to you, among others, about foods that produce gas and bloating.

Why there are foods that inflame the gut

It is true that there are foods that, due to their components, when they disintegrate in our stomach and intestines, usually have a chemical reaction that creates abdominal pain and gas. However, it may also be the case that certain foods, which should not in themselves be a problem, are for someone for a particular reason, such as intolerances, celiac disease and other serious problems.

There are also times when it's not about what we eat, but how we eat. Many times, we tend, without realizing it, to chew with our mouths open, to drink when we have not yet finished swallowing, or to talk while we are eating. All this means that, inevitably, we fill our stomach with air. However, since at the same time we are ingesting food, what happens, on the one hand, is that in the stomach a plug is formed between food and air, so the abdomen swells; and, on the other hand, it is more than understandable that later we have gases. How could we not have them if, in a way, “we have swallowed them”?

The same thing happens when we eat too fast. In doing so, our stomach and gut bacteria are forced to work fast and badly, often creating inflammation and gastrointestinal gas.

Bloating and gas, is it the same?

Abdominal bloating and gas should not necessarily go hand in hand. It is true that most cases of abdominal bloating are due, in some way, to gas, but it does not have to be so.

Causes of abdominal swelling

• Food intolerances: not being able to digest well, intestinal bacteria usually give off gases that are very annoying and even painful.
• Irritable bowel syndrome and Crohn's disease: both diseases damage the intestine and, as a consequence, these produce gas due to malfunction.
• Insufficiency or excess of fiber: if our diet is not balanced, gas can occur at the abdominal level.
• Food: not only what we eat can create bloating and gas problems, but also certain foods and how we eat them.
• Rupture of the abdominal muscles: there is a possibility, especially after pregnancy or a sudden change in weight, that our abdominal tissues rupture, thus not being able to control the muscles of that area and it seems that we have abdominal swelling. In these cases, exercise is the only solution.

Foods that produce inflammation and gas

We all know that there are foods that inflame the stomach in itself. In fact, surely when reading the title of this section some classics have come to mind. However, there are others that may surprise you. Discover them below.

• Flatulent vegetables: such as local, cauliflower broccoli, Brussels sprouts, artichokes or peppers. These symptoms are aggravated in people with irritable bowel or fructose intolerance, for example.
• Sparkling drinks: such as soft drinks, sparkling water or beers. Gas is still air, so if we consume drinks with gases, we will inevitably have gases.
• Artificial sweeteners or not: sweeteners not only do not provide any nutrient to the body, but can even damage it, producing, among others, poor digestion and, therefore, abdominal inflammation and gas. They are sweeteners such as mannitol, sorbitol, xylitol, aspartame, saccharin, sucralose, stevia, acesulfame potassium or cyclamate.
• Legumes and undercooked pasta: when these foods are al dente, they can produce many gases in those who consume them, although in themselves they are usually hard to digest.
• Alcohol: Alcohol, when consumed in quantity, usually inflames the body in general. This is because the liver cannot process all the alcohol it receives. In this way, its functioning stagnates and it cannot produce insulin normally. If this occurs, glucose cannot work and burn to produce energy, so it gets stuck all over the body, producing bloating and gas.
• Greasy foods: being more difficult to digest, such as fried or breaded, they make digestion slower and, consequently, inflame the belly.
• Sauces: sauces such as ketchup or mayonnaise usually carry many chemical compounds and additives that make, on the one hand, that you want to eat more than you need and, on the other hand, your digestions are heavier and more difficult, so you will probably have abdominal bloating and gas.
• Salt: Excess salt can also be one of your worst enemies, since when this is the case, fluid retention occurs, so you would not only notice inflammation in your abdomen, but probably also in other parts of your body.

Foods that reduce intestinal inflammation

If you have problems with gas and / or abdominal bloating, we recommend that you take a look at this list of foods that eliminate gas so that your problem is solved once and for all:

• Oily fish: sometimes, as we mentioned above, intestinal bloating occurs due to poor diet. When we do not have a balanced diet, we tend to suffer from a deficiency of omega-3 fatty acids, which can be fixed if we begin to incorporate into our diet various blue fish, especially the salon, trout or sardines.
• Green tea: green tea has great antioxidant properties that fight intestinal inflammation, especially if taken on an empty stomach.
• Garlic and onions: Both foods contain great anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, so they will greatly help reduce intestinal bloating.
• Blueberries: this wonderful fruit contains various phytochemicals that are responsible for reducing inflammation in the body.

Have you been surprised by these foods that deflate the gut? Do you know any more? Let us know in the comments.

Foods that do not produce gases

On the other hand, there are always foods that do not produce gas and that you can eat without any problem, as long as your state of health is optimal.

• Grilled chicken: it is easy to digest and does not contain much fiber, so it will pass lightly and discreetly through our digestive system. Of course, if you want your diet to be complete, accompany the chicken with something other than sauces or fried.
• Eggs: Eggs usually do not cause digestion or bloating problems, as long as the egg has been cooked with little oil or boiled water.
• Baked potatoes: in this case, cooked in this way the potatoes are the healthiest, since they do not contain hardly any fat. So, eating baked potatoes ensures you a light, cheap meal with which you will not go hungry, since potatoes are highly satiable.
• Crackers: this type of cookies contain hardly any spices or salt, so their ingredients are the most basic. Which means you could eat these cookies without fear of swelling or gas.

If despite all your gas persists, go to your doctor or specialist to prepare a diet for intestinal inflammation and gas. Now that you know these foods that produce gas and bloating, you may also be interested in this other article on The Best Anti-Inflammatory Foods.