Let’s start by understanding where your bloating may be coming from:
- From mixing too many vegetables in the same meal
- From experiencing some sort of inflammation related to stress, a change in the routine, poor sleep, overexercising, some hormonal imbalances, etc.
- From eating lots of fiber, especially from cabbage, broccoli, mushrooms, eggplant, peppers, onion, and legumes
- From the consumption of highly fermentable foods, such as beer, bread, pizza, and yeasts.
- From eating foods that require long cooking methods (boiling, soups, stew, etc.)
- From the consumption of refined carbohydrates (00 flour, pasta, white bread, white rice, etc.)
- From a slow digestion
Oh and by the way, It is usually not because of gluten (except for gluten intolerance or sensitivity)
Let’s decrease that bloating!
- Consume a maximum of two types of vegetables per meal. Mixing too many types of veggies can lead to bloating and water retention.
- Try to stimulate the liver in every meal to improve digestion, speed up intestinal motility, and decrease food fermentation (and thus gastrointestinal gas formation). You should opt for quick-cooking methods in olive oil only, such as pan-searing or stir-frying. Avoid boiling.
- Use these anti-bloating spices:
- Fennel seeds
- Cumin seeds
- Sage (stay within 3-4 times per week as sage is rich in phytoestrogens and may negatively affect hormonal health if overconsumed)
- Consume anti-bloating foods:
- Ginger
- Chili
- Lemon
- Bitter vegetables (radicchio, chicory, endives, arugula)
- Boil grains and legumes with 3-4 bay leaves to help reduce bloating.
- Chew well and eat slow because digestion starts from the mouth. Saliva contains enzymes (substances that break down the chemical structures of food) for carbohydrate and fat digestion. Chewing thoroughly and slowly is recommended so that food can enter the stomach already partially broken down. Once in the stomach, protein digestion begins while carbohydrate and fat digestion continues. Nevertheless, the stomach will have less work resulting in less water retention (because we need water for all the metabolic processes) and less bloating.
- Don’t forget to get enough sleep and have 1 or 2 rest days a week. Giving the body an adequate rest is also essential to keep bloating away.
