Bloated or a puffed out stomach can be really annoying. When you are bloated, it’s not just the tummy that gets affected, not sure if you have observed or not but your face too gets bloated and makes you look fat. Bloating is usually caused due to water retention and sometimes gas too can hold up in the stomach making it bulge. You may have witnessed your tummy looking flatter a day before and bulgy when you are currently trying to wear your jeans that won’t fit. This is bloating and not that you have piled up on pounds overnight.
Simple food swaps can really be helpful in reducing the bloat and also prevent it. Here are the best foods to eat when you are bloated:
BANANA
Sodium attracts and retains water in the body. Hence high sodium content in the food can make you bloated. Potassium on the other hand, can help counter sodium’s role and banana is rich in potassium. If your bloat is a result of yesterday’s salty dinner, try adding sliced banana to your morning oatmeal or just have it raw, as you like it.
YOGHURT
Non-fat or low-fat yoghurt can help you beat the bloat effectively. Yoghurt it abundant in active cultures like lactobacillus and bifidobacterium. The good bacteria facilitate efficient digestion and prevention of belly bloat. Avoid flavoured yoghurts. you like it sweet, add apple sauce to it or honey and jiggery. You can also mix up diced fruits in it.
GREEN LEAFY VEGGIES
Green leafy veggies can help you beat the bloat. Leafy greens like spinach, kale, methi, etc. causes no water retention like the sprouts do. These green veggies are low in calories, high in fibre (thus better metabolism) and help ease water retention.
CAYENNE PEPPER
Cayenne pepper contains an active ingredient called as capsaicin. This capsaicin helps reduced bloating caused due to gas and water retention both! This is because it increases the flow of digestive enzymes through your intestines. Cayenne pepper also inhibits the bad bacteria in the intestine that causes bloating.
GINGER
Ginger Isanti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory that helps you beat the bloat. Ginger helps stimulate saliva, bile, and gastric juices that aid in digestion. It also relaxes your intestines that help you pass the food easily reducing inflammation and water and gas retention. This way, you prevent and beat the bloat. Add ginger in your regular tea or have ginger water in the morning or after meals if you feel bloated.
FENNEL SEEDS
Fennel seeds have anti spasmodic and anti inflammatory properties that relaxes the intestinal muscles and relieves water retention and also allow trapped gas to dissipate. This is because the fennel seeds contain compounds like anethole, fenchone, and estragole. You can either have fennel water or chew them raw after your meals.
CUCUMBER
Cucumbers can make a great anti-bloating snack. They are rich in fibres and high in water content which you to urinate frequently. This way you get rid of the retained water in your tummy and make you feel slimmer.
ASPARAGUS
Asparagus is an anti-bloating super food. It helps you beat the bloat in 2 ways- by making you urinate frequently and by supporting the growth of good gut bacteria. It helps you flush out all the excess gas and water and hence reducing your bloat.
CHAMOMILE TEA
If you are feeling bloated, you can have a warm cup of chamomile tea. This tea will help you relax the GI muscles and dissipate the gas from your tummy. It also reduces the water retention ad help ease any other stomach discomfort as well.
WATERMELON
Watermelon is high in water content that makes you urinate. It also reduces the water retention in the belly and face making you look slimmer. Have watermelon juice or simply have it as it is. Do not add salt on it.