We’ve all had it, and some of us even suffer from bloating on a daily basis. My friend, I am here to tell you that a perpetually swelling abdomen is not something you have to live with. Yes, with a few natural food swaps, you can ease the gas, discomfort, and slim your waist. This article contains a selection of 40 natural foods known for their digestive-soothing properties. From fruits and vegetables packed with enzymes to whole grains rich in fiber, these options can alleviate discomfort and promote gut health. Incorporating these choices into your diet may help reduce water retention, ease gas, and improve overall digestive function.
Fruits
1. Pineapple
Pineapple is a zingy tropical fruit that is great for a bloating problem. The enzymes in pineapple juice help break down protein in your gut, which can help reduce constipation, gas, and bloating.
2. Papaya
Another tropical delight, papaya is another bloating-busting fruit. Papaya contains papain, a natural digestive enzyme that can help you better digest food and absorb the nutrients from that food. Specifically, papain helps break down proteins in the food you eat.
3. Cucumber
A refreshing summer fruit, cucumber trims the waist while refreshing your palate. Cucumber is high in potassium, which helps negate bloating-inducing sodium. Cucumbers are also rich in the antioxidant quercetin, caffeic acid (the skin), vitamin C and silica. These vitamins that are known to reduce swelling.
4. Watermelon
Another great source of potassium, Watermelon is one of the best fruits for beating the bloat. It has a natural diuretic property which relieves the body of excess water.
5. Bananas
Also a good source of potassium, bananas can help regulate sodium levels and prevent water retention. A small study conducted in 2011 found that females who ate a banana twice a day had less bloating than those who did not.
6. Lemon
Since lemons are a natural diuretic (aka they help your body expel salt and water) and a gentle laxative when added to warm water, consuming lemon water can help reduce the amount of salt retained in the body and help with bloating.
7. Avocado
These pear-shaped fruits are packed with potassium. Your body needs potassium to manage its sodium levels, which in turn controls the amount of water you hang onto. The better that system works, the less bloat you’ll have.
Vegetables
8. Celery
Studies show that celery is high in apigenin, a flavonoid found in plants. Apigenin helps to increase the growth of the “good” bacteria in our gut, which can also aid in digestion and help to reduce bloating.
9. Asparagus
Asparagus is an anti-bloating superfood. Sure, it makes your urine smell, but it also makes you pee, helping you flush all that excess water, thus relieving any discomfort and bloat. It also contains prebiotics, which help support the growth of “good” bacteria.
10. Spinach
Easy to grow and easy to eat, spinach is one of the most commonly consumed green vegetables. It’s a great source of several vitamins and minerals, especially magnesium and potassium, which can help prevent gas and bloating.
11. Kale
Similar to spinach, Kale is a dark leafy green vegetable that is an excellent source of insoluble fiber. Helping your colon produce stool, kale thereby reduces gas and bloating over time.
12. Broccoli
Broccoli, which is also high in fiber, may also reduce bloating by improving gut health. A 2017 study on mice showed that mice on a broccoli-augmented diet tolerated digestive issues better than mice who did not eat broccoli
13. Carrots
The potassium in carrots helps ward off bloating. It produces a slight diuretic effect, allowing your body to flush itself out. That means your body will be looking (and feeling), its best for your next important occasion! For the best results, be sure to cook the carrots first, making them easier to digest.
14. Sweet potatoes
High in fiber and potassium, sweet potatoes will help you to stay satisfied without causing too much volume in your stomach. Plus, “the potassium will flush out excess water in the body.”
15. Beets
Beets are another potassium-rich food, which can help counteract sodium in your body, and therefore bloat. In fact, one cup of beets has more potassium, fiber, and protein than a medium banana.
16. Radishes
A natural cleansing agent, radishes help break down and eliminate stagnant food, toxins and cancer-causing free radicals that build up over time. A traditional gall bladder cleansing folk remedy is to eat 2 radishes a day between meals for a month! Due to their calming effect on the digestive system, radishes can help relieve bloating and indigestion. Daikon radishes specifically aid in the digestion of fats.
17. Artichokes
When foods linger in your gut, they ferment, resulting in gas. Adding fibrous foods, like artichokes, to your diet prevents this by pushing foods along. Studies also find that artichoke promotes the good bacteria in your gut, which can keep you regular and relieve bloating caused by indigestion.
18. Bell peppers
Peppers are high in fibre and water content, which help flush waste from the colon and prevent bloating, gas, and cramping. Peppers are also high in potassium, which helps to reduce bloating and puffiness caused by sodium.
Grains
19. Oats
Enjoying a bowl of oatmeal in the morning can be an easy and effective way to battle bloating. That’s because oats are loaded with fiber. Plus, they contain a specific type of fiber called beta glucan, which has powerful anti-inflammatory properties.
20. Quinoa
The potassium in quinoa has been shown to beat bloat—plus, this South American grain is a great source of the minerals magnesium, phosphorous and especially manganese. It packs both fiber (2.6 grams per 1/2 cup) and protein, a stellar nutrient combo that can keep you satisfied for hours.
21. Chia seeds
Chia seeds are a good source of fiber and omega-3 fatty acids, which can reduce inflammation and support healthy digestion. The omega-3 fatty acids and caffeic acid in chia seeds may reduce inflammation in the gut. This can alleviate symptoms of IBS, such as abdominal pain, bloating, and diarrhea.
22. Flaxseeds
Flaxseed can help act as a natural laxative to help you GI system work like it should. The tiny seeds are particularly good because they’re rich in insoluble fiber. Research indicates they may be even better than psyllium husks (typically the go-to fiber supplement) for reducing bloating and pain.
Dairy and Fermented Foods
23. Kefir
Kefir is a tangy, slightly fizzy, smoothie-like drink similar to yogurt. It is made when milk is fermented with Kefir grains. Fermentation aids the growth of bacteria, digestive enzymes (e.g. lactases), and nutrients in a Kefir beverage. The extra amount of live bacteria gives the fermented drink its high probiotic quality, while the lactase provides the capability to reduce bloating caused by lactose consumption.
24. Kimchi
This fermented cabbage can help to flatten your uncomfortable tummy. Through fermentation, kimchi is loaded with probiotics, friendly bacteria that aid in digestion, rid your belly of gas, and fix the bloated feeling you’re walking around with. It’s as simple as adding it to your grocery list, keeping it on hand and placing on your next homemade salad or lunch bowl (a few bites are all you need).
25. Sauerkraut
Sauerkraut, with its distinctive sour, briny taste, is basically shredded cabbage left to ferment in its own juice. Besides its high belly-slimming properties, sauerkraut also contains a good amount of cancer-fighting compounds and gut-friendly probiotic bacteria. Check out a homemade Sauerkraut recipe, right on this blog!
26. Yogurt
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.
Proteins
27. Salmon
Protein-rich salmon is super satisfying and packed with omega 3’s, which have been linked to weight loss. On top of that, unlike many starches or gas-producing veggies, salmon doesn’t bloat you or make you gassy. Just be sure to skip salty or sugary marinades.
28. Turkey
Another lean protein, Turkey is another safe meat to turn to when trying to combat the bloat. Just be sure to go for the fresh, unprocessed meat, rather than processed, pre-packed turkey (which will have higher levels of bloat-inducing sodium).
29. Eggs
Because of the lean protein in hardboiled or poached eggs, they are the perfect snack or meal to ease a gassy stomach. Be light handed with the dressings and salt, opting for low sodium and low-fat options.
30. Chicken
Grilled, baked or steamed lean chicken is a perfect bloat-fighting weapon. Fried or roasted chicken can be loaded with salt and fat, which are two large triggers for gas and indigestion.
31. Almonds
A handful of almonds is a rich fibre source important for aiding digestion. Dietary fibre is the indigestible part of a plant-based food that helps to move food through the intestines quickly, preventing constipation and bloating.
Herbs and Spices:
32. Turmeric
Turmeric is one of nature’s most powerful anti-inflammatories. Curcumin, the potent substance within turmeric, helps stimulate the gallbladder to produce bile. Turmeric is known to combat indigestion, bloating and gas.
33. Fennel Seeds
The Fennel is a bulbous fall vegetable that contains antioxidants and antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and anti-fungal compounds. However, it’s the fennel seeds that support gut health and improve bloating. Fennel seeds contain antispasmodic and anethole agents, supporting healthy intestinal muscle contractions.
34. Green tea
If you’re a fan of green tea, you may be pleased to know that it can help with bloating. Research suggests green tea may have a slight diuretic effect in the body, thanks to the combination of antioxidants and polyphenols that help flush out excess water and sodium.
35. Ginger
Whether from overheating or from food intolerance, bloating could be alleviated by drinking ginger tea or eating dried ginger. Indigestion is one of the top reasons for bloating, and ginger has the ability to reduce indigestion. This, in turn can stop bloat from happening in the first place. People who are prone to bloating may want to add ground ginger to their morning cup of tea or water to prevent this problem from happening during the day.
36. Cinnamon
When it comes to gas and bloating, cinnamon is a powerhouse. It helps to relieve nausea, reduce flatulence, and settle an upset stomach. Cinnamon can also be an effective treatment for diarrhoea, which is one of its uses in Traditional Chinese Medicine. Not only can it help to ease the symptoms, but its antimicrobial properties also help us fight off the pathogens causing the issue in the first place.
37. Chamomile
A 2022 review showed chamomile to be therapeutic in gastrointestinal disorders as a potent anti-inflammatory agent. It was incredibly effective in treating tummy complaints like bloating.
38. Peppermint
Peppermint has muscle relaxant properties which helps release muscle spasms. So if you’re cramping or having trouble passing gas, it actually relaxes the smooth muscles in your body to help allow air, liquids, or food that’s stuck to move through.
39. Dandelion greens
Dandelion tea increases urination, which can help reduce water weight. Because diuretics help remove excess liquid from your body, dandelion tea may relieve bloating.
40. Parsley
Parsley is the most commonly used herb in cooking. It is also a diuretic (helps to increase the loss of water and salt from the body) and excellent for helping to prevent and overcome gas and bloating. Steeping parsley with your tea is the best way to eliminate bloating and reduce excess water weight.
Conclusion
Incorporating these natural foods into your daily meals can be a simple yet effective way to support digestive health and beat the bloat. By opting for nutrient-dense fruits, vegetables, grains, and proteins, you can alleviate discomfort and promote a healthier gut environment. Remember to stay hydrated, listen to your body’s signals, and enjoy the diverse range of flavors and benefits these foods offer. With mindful choices, you can maintain a slender waist and beat the bloat forever!
