If you need to trim belly bloat in just a few days, here is your healthy plan to making it happen, fast.
Skip high-carb foods such as baguettes, bagels, pasta, pretzels, and cereals to prevent belly bloat. Image: shutterstock.com
Feel better and lighter by having less of foods that are prone to cause water retention. Here, Fitness blog FitSugar and Prevention magazine shared quick tips on the foods to avoid:
1. Carbohydrates
Avoid: High-carb foods such as bagels, pasta, pretzels, and cereals
The rationale: “Your muscles store a type of carbohydrate called glycogen,” writes Prevention. “Every gram of glycogen is stored with about three grams of water.” Unless you’re running a marathon or triathlon soon, you won’t likely need to be stockpiling carbs. Cut your carbs, and you’ll temporarily train your body to access this stored fuel and burn it off, while also draining off excess stored fluids, according to Prevention.
Swap it out: Use one slice of whole grain bread for your sandwich at lunch and add extra protein, such as turkey slices. Swap your afternoon pretzels for nuts or seeds. At dinner, stick to brown rice if you need a starch.
2. Salt and highly processed foods
Avoid: Salt, salt-based seasonings, and highly processed foods
The rationale: When you consume a lot of salt, you’ll temporarily retain more fluid, contributing to a sluggish feeling, a puffy appearance, and extra water weight.
Swap it with: Salt-free seasoning blends or fresh or dry herbs.
3. Alcohol, coffee and other acidic drinks
Avoid: Alcohol, coffee, tea, hot cocoa, and acidic fruit juices
The rationale: Coffee and acidic drinks can irritate your gastrointestinal tract, causing swelling.
Swap it with: Plain tap water
4. Spicy foods
To avoid: Black pepper, nutmeg, cloves, chili powder, hot sauces, onions, garlic, mustard, barbecue sauce, horseradish, ketchup, tomato sauce, and vinegar
The rationale: Spicy foods can stimulate the release of stomach acid, which can cause irritation.
Swap it with: In place of these spices, give dishes a flavor boost with fresh or dried herbs like dill, basil, mint, sage, tarragon, and rosemary instead.
5.Chewing gum
The rationale: By chewing gum, you are also swallowing air, which gets trapped in your gastrointestinal tract and causes pressure and bloating.
Swap it out: If you want something crunchy, reach for some nuts, like roasted or raw unsalted sunflower seeds. If you want a minty taste, brush your teeth instead.
6. Vegetables, fruits that cause bloating
Avoid: Legumes, cauliflower, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, onions, peppers, and citrus fruits
The rationale: It boils down to the fact that certain foods simply create more gas in your gastrointestinal tract.
Swap it out: Cook up green beans, mushrooms, and squash.
For more tips on belly bloat, visit WebMD.
