Chinese food: the meal that I always say is worth it, but end up regretting the next day. Bloating is one of the worst feelings in the world. Our bellies feel swollen, enlarged, and often we’re quite gassy as a result.
Bloating is very common. About 16–30% of people say they experience it regularly, according to the National Library of Medicine.
One way to avoid bloating:
Is keeping our minerals in check. This means ensuring your sodium, magnesium, and potassium levels are balanced. If they aren’t, you may not only be bloated in the mid-section but your face as well.
Besides that, there are several foods you’ll want to avoid.
1. Unopposed Sodium
High-sodium foods cause water retention.
The CDC reports that about 90% of Americans consume more sodium than is recommended for a healthy diet. 2,300 mg per day is recommended for most people, and 1,500 mg for adults over 50 or who experience dietary-related health issues.
Salt is not the enemy, however, unopposed sodium is. Unopposed sodium is common table salt that is very refined and contains anticaking agents which some health professionals say can be harmful.
In fact, if you’re fasting you want to incorporate more of this mineral in your body as it can help boost your fast. Conversely, we need to make sure we’re incorporating the right kinds of sodium.
The salt in Chinese food or processed foods is not the same quality as pink Himalayan salt and truffle salt.
What makes pink Himalayan salt special is that it contains more minerals including calcium, potassium, magnesium, and iron. It also tastes better in my opinion.
Sea salt also has higher traces of minerals and is less refined than common table salt.
2. Beans and Legumes
Beans are a one-way trip to Fart City; a place only your dad should be after enchilada night.
While beans are high in protein and fiber, they contain sugars called alpha-galactosides. These carbohydrates escape digestion in our large intestines and often result in gas.
The best strategy to avoid the terrible bloating effect with beans is to combine them with easily digestible whole grains, like rice or quinoa. Or switch to pinto beans and black beans, which some health experts agree is more digestible.
3. Sugar Alcohols
Just like beans and legumes, our bodies cannot digest most sugar alcohols. This means when sugar alcohols reach our small intestine, they are metabolized by our gut bacteria because we lack the enzyme to properly process them.
If you consume a lot of sugar alcohol on a regular basis it can lead to that terrible bloated feeling.
According to Healthline, sorbitol and maltitol appear to be the worst offenders, while erythritol and xylitol cause the fewest symptoms.
4. Wheat
There’s a reason so many have made the switch to low-carb or keto diets in recent years. Yes, wheat can be a good source of nutrients. It’s high in fiber and essential vitamins and minerals. However, many of us consume way too much of it.
Too much wheat can cause the intestines to work harder resulting in sluggish digestion. This then leads to bloating. Furthermore, our wheat sources often come from terrible processed carbohydrates like low-quality bread, cookies, and other snack foods.
One recent study even showed that people who consume more whole grains actually died at a younger age than people who didn’t eat as much.
Thankfully higher quality sources of wheat are more available today such as ‘Dave’s Killer Bread,’ cracked wheat, and quinoa.
5. Broccoli, Cabbage, Kale
Shocker right? This doesn’t mean these cruciferous vegetables aren’t very nutritious, but eating them in excess can lead to terrible bloating.These veggies contain the sugar raffinose, which remains undigested in your stomach until gut-bacteria ferment it. It’s important to not eat too many of these vegetables raw, as this is what upsets our stomach.
Don’t let this be an excuse to cut out your greens entirely, but you can look to other sources so that you don’t consume too many cruciferous veggies.
Spinach, sweet potatoes, cucumbers and lettuce are great alternatives to add to your meals.
That’s All Folks
A few other foods to watch out for before I go:Dairy: Especially if you’re lactose intolerant
Carbonated Drinks: Too much carbon dioxide will bloat you
Apples: Believe it or not, many people cannot tolerate the sugar in an apple called sorbitol. Just be careful not to consume too much
I hope this helps, and next time, just skip out on the Chinese food.
Thank you for reading.