Contributed by – Healthians Team
Feeling bloated? It is surely an uncomfortable feeling, that makes your belly look like a balloon adding discomfort and pain.
Nobody likes this feeling and wants a quick and natural remedy to get rid of it. The good news is that bloating is usually knotted to what and how we eat. This means that a few simple lifestyle changes and eating the right food can ease the discomfort. Brings a smile on your face? Following foods can help in taming the stomach. Add them to your diet and enjoy bloat less days.
Be banana-friendly
Banana tops the list of foods that helps to fight bloating and the gassy feeling.
How it works: Banana is a very good source or prebiotic fibre, which helps to nourish the good gut bacteria and improves the digestion. Excess Sodium from in the diet can cause water retention that gives you a bloated feeling. Banana also has plenty of potassium which balances the effects of sodium in the diet.
Love thy melon
Melon provides relief from bloating by flushing out excess of water from the system, so if you are holding on water, then snacking on melon will help you.
How it works: Melon has a compound called Cucumis melo which help in boasting the diuretic properties and can be used to treat edema (medical term for swelling) and it also acts as a natural replacement for electrolyte due to its high potassium levels.
Snack on papaya
Papaya helps in easing digestion and also makes a person less susceptible to being gassy or bloated.
How it works: Papaya contains an enzyme papain, which helps in breaking down proteins in GI. It also has anti-inflammatory properties as well as high fibre content which is great for washing bloat causing waste out of your system.
Stay hydrated with cucumber
Cucumber is mostly made of water. It gives the urinary system a boost and can be used to help with diabetes, weight loss, and even cancer.
How it works: Cucumber being rich in its water content is very help in body detoxification process. It also contains antioxidants and minerals which the body needs daily to keep functioning at its best.
Say yes to tomatoes
Tomatoes are one of the healthiest foods which we eat. Mostly all Indian recipes contain tomatoes in them.
How it works: It contains large amounts of the antioxidant lycopene, which help in reducing the bloating effect. It is best to eat tomato in raw form as in salads or sandwiches or even blending them with carrots or watermelon to make a fresh tomato juice!
Try cabbage soup
Cabbage has many amazing health benefits and fighting with bloating symptoms is just one of them.
How it works: Cabbage is loaded with vitamin C and is also a very good diuretic. It is best to have it in the form of soup, with little salt in it.
Grab your daily carrot stick
Good eyesight and less bloating comes together as a package in this little orange-red stick.
How it works: Carrots are a natural diuretic. You will be surprised to know that a single carrot stick contains 195 milligrams of potassium to fight off the belly bloat.
Go garlic
Garlic is a common ingredient in most of the Indian cuisines. Health benefits of garlic have been known from the ancient time.
How it works: Garlic works as a diuretic when used in the powdered or pill form. But you don’t have to take extra garlic in these 2 forms. The regular amount that we Indians use in our daily cooking is enough to have an effect on the bloated belly.
Chew fennel seeds (Sauf)
Fennel is a popular digestive tract saviour. You can also chew some fenenel seeds directly or enjoy a cup of fennel tea at the end of a meal.
How it works: The seeds have a compound that relaxes GI spasms, which allows gas to pass and relieve bloating. Now you know why all restaurants and eateries serve Sauf at the end of meals.
Good news for rice eaters
Rice and rice starch are a good substitute for starch. They are really helpful in providing relief from bloating symptoms.
How it works: The fact that rice gets digested in the small intestine, is it has less potential to form unsightly and uncomfortable gases in the gut.
It’s time to add few of these foods to your diet and feel free from the discomfort of bloating!
But, if bloating symptoms continue for long, inspite of all precautions and dietary changes, getting expert medical advise is recommended. A test to know your digestive health is advisable. We can also help you in getting a personalised diet chart made from our expert dietician to ease your symptoms.
