Tired of Feeling Bloated? Here Are the Foods That Are Helping and Hurting You

Canva

This One Is Personal for Me

One thing I have struggled with my entire life is stomach issues. I will spare you the details, but when you are 4'11 like me, if your stomach is not feeling well it drags your entire body down with it. It has gotten to the point where my social media feed is basically nothing but gut health tips and foods to avoid, and honestly I am not even mad about it because I need all the help I can get.

And here is the thing, I am not alone in this. Nearly 1 in 5 people worldwide experience bloating every single week. That might not sound like a huge deal until you are a few days deep into feeling like there is a boulder sitting in your belly, especially in this summer heat. Because bloating in the heat hits different. It can leave you feeling dehydrated, heavy, and out of breath way faster than usual, and that is no way to spend your summer.

So if you are tired of feeling puffy, uncomfortable, or sluggish after eating, first of all, same. Here is a breakdown of what might be making it worse and what can actually help.

Canva

Foods That Are Commonly Making You Bloat

Now some of these are going to surprise you because they are foods we think of as healthy, and they are in a lot of ways. But if your stomach is already not feeling great, these are worth avoiding or at least cutting back on.

• Beans and lentils
• Broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, and cabbage
• Dairy products, especially if you are lactose intolerant
• Bread, pasta, and other refined carbs
• Apples, pears, and watermelon
• Onions and garlic
• Soda and carbonated drinks
• Salty and processed foods
• Alcohol, especially beer

Canva

Foods That Can Actually Help

Okay now for the good news. Here is what can help support digestion and reduce bloating naturally, no detox tea required.

• Bananas
• Cucumbers
• Ginger
• Peppermint tea
• Yogurt with probiotics
• Pineapple
• Plenty of water

Personally, I keep medicine on me, drink black coffee regularly, and make sure I am drinking enough water throughout the day. I also started drinking a greens supplement every morning that has genuinely made me feel lighter and sharper, and I recently got my whole family on a bitters drink you take about thirty minutes after every meal that is supposed to help with digestion. Fair warning though, it tastes absolutely terrible. Like, really bad. But it works so I keep taking it.

One More Thing Nobody Talks About

Here is a quick tip that honestly blew my mind when I first learned it. Bloating is not always just about what you eat. It is also about how you eat. Eating too fast, drinking through a straw, or chewing gum can all cause you to swallow extra air, which leaves you feeling bloated even if you ate all the right things. I genuinely never would have connected a straw to a bloated stomach but here we are.

Small changes really do add up, and your gut will thank you for paying attention to it.

Have You Found Something That Helps With Bloating?

Drop it in the comments because I am always looking for new things to try, and I know I am not the only one who could use the help. Let's figure this out together. 👇

Get our free mobile app