We all have experienced bloating before. Most people experience this as a feeling of fullness, tightness and an extended belly. For some, the belly is only extended slightly and they have a little stomach ache. But when it is really bad, the belly can swell up like a basketball and you are in a lot of pain.
What Causes Bloating?
Bloating is the collection of gas in the small and large intestine and is one of the most common digestive issues people experience. This happens when undigested carbohydrates, fibers, or amino acids reach the large intestine, where they are fermented by gut bacteria. That fermentation process naturally produces gas, which can build up and lead to the uncomfortable bloated feeling many people know all too well..
According to the Mayo Clinic, most people pass gas up to 20 times a day. If the gas is scentless and made up of carbon dioxide or hydrogen, it’s not much of a concern. In this case, it’s usually gas from your gut bacteria digesting fibers or air, if you’ve eaten too fast.
If the gas has a bad or even rotten smell, then it’s a sign that something is off in your digestive system. It can be a sign that your bacterial balance in the gut is off or that fecal matter is essentially rotting in your intestines because they aren’t moved out quickly enough.
So, how can you prevent gases from forming in your digestive tract and keep your digestion working well? Key influencing factors include your diet and the composition of your gut flora.
How Your Diet Can Influence Bloating
A simple reason for bloating may be that you ate a very large meal, ate too fast or had a carbonated drink like a soda.
Certain eating habits, such as eating too quickly, drinking through a straw, chewing gum, sucking on candies or talking while chewing results in swallowing more air. This excess air will eventually reach your intestine, resulting in bloating and stomach aches.
There are specific foods and drinks with certain ingredients that cause more bloating than others. Here are the most important ones to note:
Legumes (beans, peas, lentils)
Some vegetables, especially cabbage, kale, celery, onions
Some fruits, like plums and pears
Whole grains
Soda and all carbonated drinks
Sugar and sugar additives
In addition, excess salt or too much fat can sometimes lead to bloating. If you are eating foods that are high in sodium, your body holds on to fluids that can make you feel bloated.
According to Anna Taylor, a Dietitian at Cleveland Clinic, the most sodium, by far, in the typical American Standard Diet comes from processed foods, restaurant foods and convenience foods. She also says that foods high in fat can sometimes cause bloating, because they’re slow to leave your stomach and enhance the possibility of gas forming.
Food intolerances can cause bloating as well. For example, if someone who is lactose intolerant eats a big serving of dairy-rich ice cream, the lactose cannot get properly broken down in the digestive process. Instead, lactose sits in the gut and becomes food for your gut bacteria. This is a feast for them, and they begin to digest the lactose very quickly, which leads to gas production.
