What makes us bloat?
Abdominal bloating is a common complaint said to affect one in 10 people. Bloating can be caused by a number of things. Some of the leading causes include:
- Overeating
- Eating too fast
- Gasses in your intestinal tract that come from swallowing air
- Stomach acid mixing with bicarbonate in bile
- Pancreatic juices and bacterial fermentation of dietary fibre and some carbohydrates
- Rich, fatty meals which delay the stomach emptying
- Irritable bowel syndrome, which can be made worse by stress or anxiety.
Which foods should we avoid?
Fibre can have a big impact on abdominal bloating, explains registered dietitian Abigail Courtenay. "A high-fibre diet produces more wind than a low fibre/low carbohydrate diet, however, the benefits of fibre are many," she says. A high-fibre diet produces a healthy stool, protects against colon cancer, may protect against stroke and heart disease, can help people to lose weight and improves symptoms in irritable bowel syndrome, but the downside is that a high fibre diet produces a lot of flatus (stomach gas). "To reduce flatus production, even on a high-fibre diet, avoid the big gas producers," recommends Courtenay. These include:
- Beans are notorious gas producers as they contain certain carbohydrates called oligosaccharides, which cannot be digested in the small intestine but are like food to bacteria in the colon.
- Fruits and vegetables such as cabbage, brussels sprouts, cauliflower, turnips, onions, garlic, leeks, lentils, pulses and some seeds such as fennel, sunflower and poppy, which all produce a lot of gas in the colon. Reducing the amount of these foods in the diet will reduce flatus.
Maldigestion of lactose or sorbitol might also cause excess gas (in those without sufficient enzymes to digest these sugars). Avoiding gassy drinks is also recommended.
Which foods should we be looking at to help us ease the bloat?
"Bloating is difficult to treat," cautions Courtenay. She explains that a high fibre diet can cause bloating in some people, but in others may relieve it. Fibre absorbs water in the gut and gently distends it, which can help to prevent the uncoordinated contractions that are partly responsible for bloating. Courtenay also recommends activated charcoal or peppermint oil, which are reported to help soothe the gut. While occasional bloating can be incredibly uncomfortable, it is fairly common and shouldn't be a concern. If you experience bloating on a more frequent basis, it is recommended to talk to a medical professional.
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