Foods That Are Secretly Making You Feel Bloated; Avoid These!

We humans love to eat. That's what we live for, don't you think? No matter how strict a diet we are on, only fools can refuse a good slice of pizza or that amazingly gooey chocolate brownie.

But all good things have a negative side to them. Apart from containing loads of calories, these foods are also the number one reason why we are experiencing bloating often.

How often do you feel your abdomen swell to abnormal levels after overindulging yourself with a huge meal? Do you feel constipated and nauseous at the same time? Do you experience gas built up near your abdomen area? All these are indeed the signs of bloating.

Bloating is the abnormal swelling around your stomach, which is caused by the build-up of gas and wind, often due to overeating. Bloating also makes you retain water due to the excess sodium in your diet. The feeling of bloating is very uncomfortable. The body tries to get rid of the excess gas by either burping or farting.

Bloating is often a digestive problem which is caused due to partial digestion of sugars and proteins that need certain enzymes to digest completely.

In people with an unhealthy digestive system, these enzymes may be less in number, causing partial digestion to take place. The partially digested food then causes gas and bloating.

There are certain foods that make you retain gas and water in your abdominal region. These are usually high fat and sodium foods, which are difficult to digest. Avoiding these foods will decrease your bloating episodes and save you from all the embarrassment relating to it.

If you are experiencing bloating often, here is a list of things that are secretly making you feel bloated, which you must avoid at any cost.

1) Salt:

Excess sodium is the number one cause for retention of water. Sodium makes our cells retain water, which swells them up. Excess sodium also affects our kidney's ability to filter water from our bloodstream. This makes the excess water difficult to be removed from our body, causing bloating.

2) Alcohol:

Alcohol can lessen the stomach's ability to empty itself. It also has the opposite effect on our body. Alcohol leads to dehydration, which in turn causes the body to retain more water, making you feel bloated. Avoid alcohol if you do not want to feel all puffy afterwards.

3) Cabbage:

Some veggies like cabbage and cauliflower can cause excess gas and bloating. These veggies contain fructose and ruffinose, which cannot be completely broken down by our stomach. This causes the build-up of gas as they move to the lower intestines and release methane. Veggies are not that healthy after all!

4) Dairy Products:

Dairy products cause bloating in people with lactose intolerance, as their bodies cannot completely digest the sugars in them. This results in bloating and gas formation. Prevent dairy products if you are partially lactose intolerant as well.

5) Carbonated Drinks:

Carbonated drinks are high in carbon, which is a gas-forming substance. The carbon reacts badly with the acids in our stomach and causes severe bloating. It then gets rid of the excess gas in the form of flatulence.

6) Fried Food:

Our body takes longer to digest fried food because of its high fat content. This leads to the formation of gas. Fried food is also rich in sodium, which makes you retain water.

7) Ice Cream:

Ice cream is a milk product which may cause bloating in lactose intolerant people. It is usually made of high fat milk, which can cause flatulence in normal people as well. You can instead opt for dairy-free ice cream.

8) Popcorn:

There are many things wrong with popcorn when it comes to bloating. Popcorn contains a high amount of sodium, which will make you retain water. It is a maize product, notoriously known for its gas formation ability, as it contains certain carbohydrates which are difficult to be broken down by our body. People have complained of severe gas formation and bloating immediately after consuming popcorn.

9) Artificial Sweeteners:

Artificial sweeteners contain complex sugars that are difficult, by our body, to be broken down. This leads to gas and bloating. Certain brands of artificial sweeteners are also known to contain alcohol, which makes it more worse. It is best to use natural sugar if you experience bloating regularly.

10) Legumes:

Eating legumes causes bloating in almost majority of the people. This is because they contain high amounts of oligosaccharides, which are indigestible in our body. To negate their effect, combine them with high-fibre foods, which will be digested faster and also ensure that the indigestible material is thrown out of the body's system.