When you’re bloated, it’s important to focus on foods that are easy to digest as well as hydrating. And foods that aren’t too heavy. Because I’m going to guess you probably don’t feel like eating much.
Try these foods, spices, and teas to help slim down a bloated belly:
Collagen
Celery
Cucumber
Asparagus
Fermented Foods
Pineapple
Avocado
Lemon
Cayenne Pepper
Green Tea
Ginger
Smooth Move by Traditional Medicinals
Dandelion root tea
Peppermint tea
Photo by Miguel u00c1. Padriu00f1u00e1n on
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✔️Collagen
For many these days, bloating is a symptom of a condition known as a “leaky gut.”
Essentially, the tight junctions between your small intestinal cells loosen. This affects your ability to successfully digest your food and absorb critical nutrients. It also allows partially digested nutrients and pathogens to “leak” into your bloodstream.
Therefore, when you’re bloated, it’s important to consume foods that will soothe and help heal the lining of your digestive tract. And I can’t think of anything better than collagen.
My favorite sources of collagen are bone broth and hydrolyzed collagen powder supplements.
✔️Celery
Celery contains a good dose of potassium–a mineral electrolyte required to maintain optimal fluid levels throughout your body. Which is essential for all of your organ systems to function properly.
Thus, potassium helps your body flush excess water. In addition, a potassium deficiency can also cause you to retain water.
However, don’t start munching on celery sticks just yet. It’s best to cook your celery when you’re bloated. The cooking process breaks down the fiber, which makes it easier to digest.
You can simmer celery in your broth. Or you can juice it, which also removes the fiber.
✔️Cucumber
In the beauty world, cucumbers are often used to help reduce puffiness around your eyes. And they do the same thing for your belly when consumed.
Thanks to a synergistic combination of nutrients in cucumbers, including caffeic acid (an antioxidant), vitamin C, silica, and water.
Some nutrients are found in the skin while others are in the flesh. Thus, to get the full benefits, it’s important to consume both parts.
Consider slowly snacking on fresh cucumber slices. Cucumbers can also be juiced or added to smoothies.
✔️Asparagus
Like celery, asparagus is a great source of potassium. Thus, it’s considered a natural diuretic. A food that helps you release retained water.
Asparagus is also a great source of food (prebiotics) for the good bacteria (probiotics) in your gut. Therefore, when you consume prebiotics, your gut flora flourishes. And this is important because these tiny microbes play a significant role in your digestive process. It is delicious when roasted or grilled. You can eat it alone. Or chop it up and add it to your salad. Asparagus is also tasty in soups (made with bone broth, of course!).
✔️Fermented Foods
Fermented foods, such as raw sauerkraut and kimchi, are excellent sources of probiotics.
As previously mentioned, these friendly bacteria help your body digest and absorb food. Especially lactobacillus, a species of bacteria predominantly found in fermented foods.
Lactobacillus specifically helps your body break down hard to digest carbohydrates. The byproduct of this process is lactic acid. And lactic acid further supports digestion by stimulating the release of digestive juices and enzymes.
But the benefits don’t stop there! Good gut bacteria also generate certain substances (butyrate, acetic, and lactic acids) that help keep your colon slightly acidic. This is necessary to prevent undesirable, gas-producing bacteria from colonizing. Because they only thrive in an alkaline environment.
If you’re new to fermented foods, start slow. Too much at once can backfire and cause bloating. A tablespoon is usually all you need to benefit.
✔️Pineapple
When it comes to bloating, pineapples shine. They’re a rich source of bromelain, an enzyme that helps support protein digestion as well as soothes the digestive tract.
The core of the pineapple has the highest concentration of bromelain. So be sure your pineapple is ripe, which will soften the core. Or, use chunks of the core to make a smoothie or fresh juice.
✔️Avocado
Similar to celery, avocados are high in potassium, which helps ease water retention.
They’re also a great source of healthy fat and fiber. Fiber helps with constipation, which can contribute to bloating.
In addition to eating them plain, avocados make a great addition to salads as well as smoothies.
✔️Lemon
Lemon juice is a great digestive aid. It stimulates the release of bile from your liver, which helps keep food moving seamlessly through your digestive tract.
Lemon juice also improves nutrient absorption. And may even help flush excess water.
I recommend squeezing some fresh lemon in warm water. But, you can also add it to tea.
✔️Slimming Herbs & Teas
✔️Cayenne Pepper
A substance known as capsaicin found in cayenne peppers can be magical when it comes to bloating. It works by increasing the flow of digestive juices to help break down food. And it also help release gas.
Further, capsaicin has antioxidant powers and may even help keep unfriendly bacteria away.
I recommend adding a teaspoon of dried cayenne powder to warm water. Maybe even with a squeeze of lemon juice. And if you need to sweeten it up a bit, try a pinch of stevia or monk fruit.
✔️Green Tea
Green tea is one of the best anti-bloating teas. It promotes digestion. It helps release gas. And it is a natural diuretic.
Green tea is also packed with antioxidants, which can help repair the lining of your gut and reduce inflammation.
For best results, consume 2-3 cups per day. However, green tea does contain caffeine. So if you’re sensitive, try ginger tea instead.
✔️Ginger
Ginger has a long history of being used as a digestive aid.
The phenolic compounds (i.e., gingerol) in ginger stimulate the production of digestive enzymes.
Ginger also reduces inflammation and muscular tension within the gastrointestinal tract. This helps to release trapped gas as well as relieve constipation.
Ginger tea is a great way to harness the power of ginger. The stronger the better. You can also add a knob of fresh ginger to your smoothie.
And if ginger or green tea don’t do the trick or you want to mix things up, give these other teas a try:
✔️Smooth Move by Traditional Medicinals contains senna. An herb with laxative effects. Thus, it’s a great option if you suffer from occasional constipation.
✔️Dandelion root tea is soothing and works as a natural diuretic to shed excess water. It also has a mild laxative effect.
✔️Peppermint tea relaxes the muscles along your digestive tract to reduce cramping and help release gas.
While bloating might make you want to crawl in bed, you’ll be better off moving instead. You don’t need to run a marathon. But moving your body will help release trapped gas much faster than sitting (or lying) still.
Keep it moving…take a walk, go for a jog, or strike some yoga poses.
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References:
28 Day Healthier Lifestyle Challenge
Leaky Gut – Dr. Axe
Bloated
Foods that Fight Bloating
HealthLine
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