Banish Bloat for Good by Avoiding These 10 Inflammatory Food Culprits
For far too many, the gut waging war is an all too familiar predicament. Seemingly harmless dietary choices like a frothy cappuccino, sliced whole grain bread or factory farmed burger secretly spark stubborn bloat, embarrassing gas and general abdominal anguish. Yet the true instigators often evade detection for months or years, written off as normal discomforts while digestive health crumbles. However, identifying and eliminating inflammatory food imposters provides the ultimate relief so many desperately seek, the sweet taste of tummy tranquility! In this article, we will uncover the top 10 covert culinary offenders frequently flying under the radar so you too can liberate delicate digestive tracts.
The 10 Worst Foods Sabotaging Healthy Digestion
When it comes to optimal gut function, we ultimately want to feed our body’s good little microbes as much as possible through a diverse, fiber and phytonutrient rich diet. But modern processed foods make that challenging! Take a look below and discover some pro-inflammatory options that should be limited as we navigate digestive health:
Fried Foods
Piping hot oil + delicate gut lining equals major inflammation. French fries, chicken nuggets and other deep-fried items top the worst foods list.
Sugar Alcohol Sweeteners
Xylitol, sorbitol, maltitol – these sneaky sweeteners notoriously provoke major gas and diarrhea disasters.
Milk & Ice Cream
Lactose intolerance impacts a staggering 68% of us humans. For the milk sensitive, dairy wreck guts fast with painful bloating and gas.
Excess Alcohol
Boozy beverages severely irritate intestinal lining and destroy good gut flora. Inflammation and permeability go way up!
Citrus Fruits
While vitamin C rich, compounds like limonene in oranges, lemons and the like increase stomach acid production that inflames sensitive digestive tracts. It is best to create some healthy balance when it comes to citrus.
Refined Cooking Oils
Vegetable, canola and soybean oils promote inflammation as the fragile fats oxidize easily causing free radical damage during cooking.
Refined Grains
White rice, bagels, and pizza dough are examples of refined carbs that act like sugar in the body. This unfortunately creates a space that is ripe for feeding bad gut bugs and creating an inflammatory environment.
Factory Farm Meat & Eggs
Pumped with hormones and antibiotics, conventionally produced animal products wreck microbiome diversity and health over time.
Artificial Ingredients
Sweeteners, colors, flavors and preservatives have been shown to decrease populations of beneficial Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium bacteria.
Excess Caffeine & Carbonation
Coffee, soda and energy drinks can overstimulate digestive tracts. Caffeine also depletes good microflora populations.
Steer clear of those disastrous picks for improved tummy outcomes! And don’t forget to simultaneously flood diets with plenty gut-friendly fruits, vegetables, anti-inflammatory herbs/spices, fermented foods and high fiber fare as healing compliments. The dietary double whammy sets your microbiome and insides up for success and helps you to remain on track on your wellness journey.
Tips for Avoiding Key Gut Saboteurs
I totally understand just how challenging it can feel limiting exposures to foods that don’t always love you back digestion-wise! But trust the process because after just a few weeks of abstaining from at least your top 2-3 worst offenders, you’ll feel an insane difference and far less inclined to indulge again. Begin identifying likely suspects triggering tummy imbalances through an elimination diet if connections aren’t obvious. Keep a detailed food and symptom journal for at least 7-14 days nixing potentially problematic items while carefully noting outcomes. Slowly reintroduce foods one at a time while watching closely for relapse reactions.
Once ultimate instigators are revealed, here are some pivot pointers:
Swap cow dairy for unsweetened coconut, almond or oat milk.
Trade refined grains for sprouted or sourdough bread options.
Choose organic, grass-fed meats over factory farmed sources.
Replace ice cream with dairy free coconut milk or banana-based cream.
Cut out soda and swap in herbal tea, kombucha or water with fruit essence.
There you have it, guys! you don’t have to completely deprive yourself of your favorite flavors in order to calm stomach issues. Try being strategic with substitutions that nourish your body and tastebuds simultaneously. With a little thoughtful tweaking, you can savor all the scrumptious things in life with a pep in your digestive step!
