Top 10 Foods to STOP Bloating (and Flatten Your Tummy)

 

Being bloated is the worst, isn’t it?

What’s more unattractive feeling than feeling like you’re about to bust the button on your pants?

It’s hard enough trying to lose weight, keep a trim tummy, and avoid inflammatory foods in today’s fast food society, you don’t want to also deal with a bloated belly!

Which is why I put together this post of the 10 anti-bloat foods to not just ease your digestive system, but also flatten your tummy (by boosting your fat-burning ability.)

1. Papaya

Papaya is natural remedy for many common ailments including soothing your digestive system. Papaya also contains the flavonoids beta carotene, lutein, zeaxanthin, and cryptoxanthins.

*Flavonoids are a group of plant metabolites thought to provide health benefits through cell signaling pathways and antioxidant effects.

Papaya contains several enzymes, including papain, a proteolytic enzyme that has an anti-inflammatory effect on the stomach, which digests proteins and their amino acids.

It’s important to maintain a healthy enzyme balance in your body to digest foods, especially proteins more effectively to reduce acid reflux, IBS, gout, and other inflammatory conditions.

2. Pineapple

Pineapples are one of the most popular tropical fruits in the USA.

Many people don’t know this but the reason pineapples are beneficial to your digestive system is an enzyme called, bromelain.

Bromelain is a protein-digesting enzyme, only found in pineapples, which has been shown to reduce cancer AND improve your gut health.

Bromelain is commonly used as a meat tenderizer, because of its powerful protein breaking ability.

Aside from digestive enzymes, pineapples contain antioxidants, such as anthocyanins , which are linked to reducing many diseases.

Many studies indicated pineapples (specifically, bromelain) may help in treatment of IBS, leaky gut syndrome, and other inflammatory gut diseases.

Are you convinced pineapples can significantly reduce bloating and gas?

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3. Ginger

Bloating results from a buildup of gas in your gastrointestinal tract, which essentially causes inflammation and GINGER can reduce the inflammation by calming the intestinal tract.

You might think that the bold ginger flavor would irritate the stomach, but the opposite is true, it is one of the most soothing herbs you’ll find at the supermarket.

It can be used to ease indigestion, reduce gas, de-bloat, and eliminate flatulence. I’ll save your spot here so you can run to the store to load up on ginger…

Back?

What’s in ginger that makes it so awesome for reducing bloating? Zingibain, a protein digestive enzyme helps bloating related to difficulty digestive protein heavy meals.

Gingerols and shogaols are active compounds that calm intestinal activity, reducing inflammation and pain. In other words, when you are bloated, sometimes relieving pressure is the ONLY remedy, ginger does this very effectively.

Add ginger to your soups, smoothies, or teas!

4. Coconut Oil

If you suffer from poor digestion or tummy bloating try adding coconut oil to your diet.

Coconut oil has been found to benefit digestive disorders including irritable bowel syndrome and microbial related tummy bugs. Fatty acids (MCTs and lauric acid) in coconut oil contain anti-microbial properties, which have a soothing affect on bacteria, candida, or parasites that cause poor digestion.

The easiest way to eat coconut oil is by switching your cooking oils to coconut oil, which will generally get you about 1-3 Tbsp. a day, the perfect amount for digestive health.

5. Grass-fed Yogurt

Most store-bought yogurt is not really yogurt at all.

Brands like Dannon and Yo-plait are more like sugary, milky compounds masquerading as healthy yogurt. Avoid this yogurt, as it will probably contribute to your bloating.

Instead look for an organic, grass-fed yogurt full of beneficial probiotics.

The healthy or “good” bacteria found in yogurt can promote gut bacteria balance and reduce excess gas that may build up in your digestive system.

Yogurt increases lactobacillus and bifidobacterium – the “good” bacteria – in the digestive tract, which facilitate efficient digestion and prevention of belly bloat.

Plain yogurt is ideal or simple yogurts with honey or blueberries.

6. Lemons

Bloating can be the result of fluid buildup due to an inefficient digestive system, so many women believe they should avoid drinking liquids.

This is a poor strategy that could have been a cause of an unhealthy digestive system to begin with, dehydration!

You see, retaining water is the body’s way of holding on to fluid so that you do not become dehydrated.

So it’s especially important when you are bloated to push fluids through your body, not eliminate them.

That way your body is no longer is in fear of dehydration and will let go of the excess water it’s storing.

And lemons, being a natural diuretic and a gentle laxative, can reduce the amount of salt retained in your body.

Add lemon juice to warm water, with a pinch of sea salt for best results.

Many people have digestive problems because their body is not producing enough hydrochloric acid to fully digest foods, especially animal proteins, dairy, gluten, and complex carbohydrates, so adding an acidic lemon to your diet can do wonders for your gut pH!

Learn what 7 Foods Juanita Avoided To Lose Over 31 Pounds and Get a Flat Belly

7. Cucumber

People use cucumbers to reduce puffiness under their eyes—and you can eat them to do the same thing for your belly. The vegetable contains quercetin, a flavonoid antioxidant that helps reduce swelling Sass.

Cucumbers have been shown to inhibit the activity of pro-inflammatory enzymes.

So slice it up and eat it as is, or swap sugary drinks with a glass of cucumber water.

8. Bone Broth

Probably one you might not expect to be on a “top 10 food list,” but bone broth is one of the most healing foods on the planet.

And if digestive health is important to you (it should be), then add a weekly bone broth serving to your diet.

To make bone broth you simmer the bones, which causes the bones and ligaments to release healing compounds like collagen, proline, glycine, and glutamine that have the power to transform your health.

Collagen is the source of stock’s immune-boosting properties.  You’ve probably seen this jiggling layer atop the broth in your cooling roasting pan and discarded it but think again next time–this is where the anti-bloat compounds are.

Collagen is the protein found in connective tissue of vertebrate animals.  It’s abundant in bone, marrow, cartilage, tendons, and ligaments.  The breakdown of collagen in bone broths is what produces gelatin.

Broth or “stock” plays an important role as it’s easily digestible, helps heal the lining of your gut, and contains valuable nutrients.

Broth helps heal and seal your gut, and promotes healthy digestion: The gelatin found in bone broth is a hydrophilic colloid. It attracts and holds liquids, including digestive juices, thereby supporting proper digestion.

Cool huh?

9. Raw Honey

Like I’ve said before, there could be 100s of causes of your bloating, but one thing is for certain, IF you are bloated you are surely in a state of inflammation.

Your digestive system is your first line of health. If you digestive system is inhibited, your entire body will suffer.

Enter RAW honey for optimal health.

Honey is loaded with anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, and anti-inflammatory properties. While it doesn’t boast a powerful calming effect like Ginger (see above) honey in and of itself, lowers inflammation and boosts immunity.

In fact, add honey to your warm lemon water for an extra anti-inflammatory punch!

10. Apple Cider Vinegar

The Holy Grail of healthy, anti-bloating liquids.

Read any “natural healing blog” and you’ll find yourself reading about how AVC can cure just about anything. While I wouldn’t throw on ACV if I was run over by a car, I always have a bottle handy for indigestion, acid reflux, or digestive discomfort.

Apple cider vinegar is the ultimate pH balancer and if you’re bloating is due to a HCL deficiency, ACV will be an instant remedy.

Contrary to popular belief, acid reflux and GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease) are actually caused by low stomach acid.

So, don’t afraid to throw down an ounce or two of ACV before bed to calm your stomach and nerves to give you a restful sleep.

What foods do you LOVE to fight your belly bloat?

The Flat Belly System helps you avoid foods that cause bloating and gas AND reverse the metabolic damage inflammatory foods cause. Learn more by clicking here…

I’d love to hear from you about either my list of de-bloating foods or if you have a question about something related to your digestive system, let me know in the comments!