Bloating and Carbs – What Can You Do?

Nothing is worse than eating an incredible meal of all your favorite foods (Christmas, for example), and then feeling terribly bloated and uncomfortable afterward. You may think you’re eating fairly well, but it’s more about eating habits than it is about the foods we eat. Carbs that bloat paired with bad eating habits is not a fun combination.

Here are a few bad eating habits you may not even realize you have:

1. Overeating: Eating small, frequent meals will keep you from feeling the need to overeat in order to satisfy your hunger. Overeating causes bloating due to the immense amount of food that needs to be digested at one time. (Foods to stay away from: wraps, popcorn, legumes, bagel sandwich, cheese snacks)
2. Eating Quickly: Eating food quickly brings in access air that contributes to bloating. It also causes you to overeat because you don’t realize you’re full until about 20 minutes after you eat. (Foods to stay away from: white bread, fruity yogurt, frozen dinners, muffins and cupcakes)
3. Consuming Too Much Air: Strangely enough, consuming air makes you bloated. Drinking through a straw will help counter this. (Foods to stay away from: beer, diet soda, dessert coffee drinks)
4. Eating Too Many Greasy Foods: Foods that are high in sodium cause bloating more than almost anything else, and foods high in fat from frying take longer to digest. Those McDonalds french fries are delicious, but next time you’re about to order them, think about how uncomfortable you’re likely to feel afterward.
5. Overloading on Fiber: Fiber isn’t bad for your health, but eating too much too soon can cause bloating because your body isn’t used to it. Try incorporating it slowly into your diets (Foods to consider: broccoli, beans)
6. Eating Sugar-Free Foods: Sugar substitutes are not digested by the body and therefore cause bloating.

Bloating is never a fun way to spend that post-meal slumber, so try these tips and stay away from it next time! If you need help getting on track with healthy eating, call The Woman’s Clinic today and make an appointment with our dietician, Brittany Logue. You can also check out the Healthy Me page of our website. Start the new year off with great eating habits!