Apple and pears are both popular fruits that contain plenty of fiber, vitamins, and antioxidants. They are also known for causing bloating and digestive problems. This is because they contain fructose, which is a fruit sugar that a lot of people find difficult to digest.
Best: Bananas
Foods rich in potassium—like bananas, plus avocados, kiwis, oranges, and pistachios—prevent water retention by regulating sodium levels in your body and can thus reduce salt-induced bloating. Bananas also have soluble fiber, which can relieve or prevent constipation.
Apples: Apples contain high levels of potassium, which can help your body maintain a healthy fluid balance, as well as fiber, which can reduce constipation. Apples also have pectin, a type of fiber that helps food move through the digestive tract and prevent bloating.
Yogurt's probiotics (good bacteria) help your gut digest and absorb food, so there's less gas and bloating. Go for plain yogurt with active cultures, and sweeten it with a little fruit.
To keep belly bloat at bay, reach for peppermint, ginger, or fennel tea, Doyle says. “These teas have different properties, which may relax the digestive tract and relieve bloating and gas,” Fullenweider says.
The most common reason for bloating is having a lot of gas in your gut. This can be caused by some food and drinks, such as some vegetables and fizzy drinks, or by swallowing air when you eat. It can also be caused by a problem with your digestion, such as: constipation.
It might be as simple as eating too much too fast, or you could have a food intolerance or other condition that causes gas and digestive contents to build up. Your menstrual cycle is another common cause of temporary bloating. Sometimes a bloated stomach can indicate a more serious medical condition.
Lemon water can help with digestion
To relieve bloating, gas, and constipation, drink a cup of lemon water first thing in the morning on an empty stomach. Lemon contains minerals that promote healthy digestion, alleviate heartburn, and stimulate healthy bowel function by reducing bloat and stimulating bowel movements.
Those with an intolerance can eat eggs in moderation, but should know that they will be more prone to gas, digestive discomfort, and a weakened ability to break down egg components. “With an egg intolerance, the undigested components of the egg enter your colon, and bacteria form around them, which can lead to gas.
Bloating after eating bread is common. It may mean that you have a sensitivity to gluten or one of several substances in wheat. It could also mean that your digestion isn't working properly. First, try to optimise your digestion, and then experiment with eating different types of bread to see if it makes a difference.
Bananas may cause gas and bloating in some people due to their sorbitol and soluble fiber contents. This seems to be more likely among people with digestive issues or who aren't used to eating a fiber-rich diet.
Ongoing bloating is not normal and may have many causes, so you should call your doctor if you feel bloating every day. Bloating is a chronic and bothersome condition for a large minority of the population. Anywhere from an estimated 16% to 31% of us have bloating and distension.
In some people, stress slows down digestion, causing bloating, pain and constipation, while in others it speeds it up, causing diarrhoea and frequent trips to the loo. Some people lose their appetite completely. Stress can also worsen digestive conditions like stomach ulcers and irritable bowel syndrome.
"Bloating that literally never goes away can be a point of concern and merit a trip to your doctor to rule out more serious causes, such as certain cancers (ovarian, colon) or celiac disease," she says.
Coffee does cause bloating. It's temporary and doesn't happen to everyone, but for some, that belly bloat results from coffee, and more specifically, caffeine. When you consume caffeine, it may stimulate your gut and lead to spasms that cause bloating.
Research shows that green tea contains catechins that help to soothe muscles in the gastrointestinal tract. The tea can also help to relieve bloating by eliminating the build-up of gas in the intestines (6). The tea has also been shown to improve digestive system processes to more effectively break down food (7).