Your diet is often to blame for belly bloat.
That goes for both foods that cause bloating as well as dietary habits and underlying medical conditions.
When your belly is bloated, you (luckily) haven’t gained weight.
Shutterstock
Instead, you’ve likely gainedwater weightor are suffering through digestive issues that cause a distended belly.
Unlike fat gain, bloated stomachs are oftentimes temporary.
(That is, of course, as long as you stop eating the foods that cause bloating.)
Shutterstock
19 foods that cause bloating
Beware: These nibbles and sips can cause your stomach to swell!
How’s all of that lead to a giant gut?
Consuming too much salt can lead to water retention and temporary weight gain.
Shutterstock
Plus, fatty foods can delay stomach emptying, making you feel uncomfortably full and bloated.
There’s more: The cheese can worsen the issue for those sensitive to dairy.
There’s no denying that this trifecta is a recipe forflat bellydisaster.
Shutterstock
Canned Soup
Think your favorite soups are healthy picks?
Take a closer look at the nutrition labels.
Even if they’re low in calories and fat, many cans are overflowing with sodium.
Shutterstock
The downside: Because they’re so fibrous, they can wreak havoc on sensitive bellies.
Slowly add more to your plate until you’re able to tolerating a full serving.
“Alcohol also can cause you to retain water, so you’ll feel more puffy and bloated.
Dragne Marius/Unsplash
“Not all types of carbs are easy to digest,” registered dietician Lisa Moskovitz tells us.
“And corn contains a bang out of carbohydrate that is difficult for the body to break down.
This can lead to GI bacteria fermentation and trapped air and gas, which causes bloating.”
Shutterstock
Those on alow-FODMAP dietshould avoid these as they will have trouble digesting them completely.
Stay away if from the stuff if you want to maintain your slender figure around the clock.
And this is only made worse by the leafy green’s naturally occurring oligosaccharides.
Shutterstock
Alternatively, you’re free to eat it sauteed in some olive oil.
“Cooking spinach can help break down some of the rough or indigestible parts,” Moskovitz tells us.
“For this reason, fructans can contribute to bloating, gas, and pain.”
Shutterstock
Like other beans, soy contains oligosaccharides, sugar molecules that the body can’t fully break down.
Looking for aprotein-filled snack barthat won’t balloon your belly.
Mushrooms contain polyols, sugar alcohols that are too large and difficult for the small intestine to digest.
Shutterstock
Limit your intake of these foods that cause bloating to keep your tummy trim and bloat-free.
Want to eat ‘em anyway?
Those with lactose sensitivities will often see their waistline expand if they consume milk, cheese orGreek yogurt.
Shutterstock
The result is often gas and bloating,” explains Rumsey.
Derived from seaweed, carrageenan has been linked to ulcers, inflammation, and other gastrointestinal problems.
What bad diet habits cause bloating?
Shutterstock
Get this: Bloating is about more than the foods you eat.
Some of your not-so-stellar eating habits may also be to blame for your bloated belly.
Not drinking enough water.
Shutterstock
But ironically, downing a glass or two of H2O is exactly what you should do.
“Staying hydrated also speeds up digestion and can counteract the effects of salt and carb-induced bloating.”
Aim for 6 to 8 glasses of water throughout the day.
Shutterstock
“Eating too quickly can cause you to swallow more air, causing or worsening bloat, warns Rumsey.
“To ward off bloat, meals should last at least 30 minutes.
That’s just one of our smartweight loss tricks you haven’t tried.
Shutterstock
Drinking through a straw.
Sip straight from the lid to ward off tummy discomfort.
Sucking on candy or chewing gum.
Shutterstock
To refresh your breath after meals and ward off bloating, make yourself a cup of peppermint tea.
Increasing your fiber intake too quickly.
A midsection that’s suddenly as round as a basketball.
Shutterstock
Another trick: Down a large glass of water with every high-fiber meal.
Fluids help to move fiber through the digestive tract, preventing bloat.
However, sometimes feeling puffy is the result of a seriousor not so serioushealth condition.
Shutterstock
Diabetes
Diabetes causes bloat!?
This is a side effect of diabetes that no one seems to discuss!
But it’s not the condition that brings on a bigger bellyit’s the medication to manage the symptoms.
Some oral antidiabetic drugs are coated with synthetic sugars that may cause bloating and digestive distress.
But don’t just ditch your drugs.
If you find you have an adverse reaction, talk to your doc about alternative courses of treatment.
Check in with your M.D.
for an official diagnosis and beat the bloat with the help of theseIBS remedies that will change your life.
can give you a simple blood test to confirm your suspicions.
