These 6 foods make you bloated and have indigestion

Surely you have often felt bloated or even felt discomfort or nagging pain in your stomach, after the meal.

So know that you didn't imagine this feeling, because there are foods that definitely make your stomach bloated and uncomfortable.

Foods low in dietary fiber, loaded with sugar and high in milk, definitely interfere with your digestive system's natural work.

Sometimes the feeling is so weak that you can't put your finger on the cause of this unpleasant feeling.

Many of the low-fiber foods also contain very small amounts of vitamins, minerals, and essential nutrients and are loaded with empty calories, which just adds to the list of reasons you should stay away from them as much as possible.

So if you really want to prevent stomach and digestion problems, start taking into account that you should reduce as much as possible of these not-so-great foods in your diet.

A happy and healthy digestive system will make you more energetic, less bloated and even allow you to drop the stubborn pounds more easily.

And according to research, your skin will also be in wonderful condition.

1. Milk and its products

Milk and its products definitely make the stomach upset, especially for people with lactose intolerance.

"Lactose can be a serious problem for many older people because we naturally produce less and less of the lactose-digesting enzymes as we age", says Smith.

If you consume milk and dairy products on a regular basis, do an experiment of 5 days without milk and dairy products and see how your body reacts to it.

If you feel better after this break, then it is your time to start a lactose-free diet.

"For many people with lactose intolerance, products that have lactose added to them such as lactase, or aged or fermented products such as hard cheeses or yogurt, can be a little less difficult to digest", says Smith.

2. Soft and carbonated drinks

Soft drinks and sodas are not praised for their health benefits, because they have none.

If you drink these drinks often, diet or regular, without a doubt, they are the ones that make you bloated and are also the reason why you don't go to the bathroom as often as you should.

"Liquids, especially water, are definitely the key to perfect digestion", says Isabel Smith MS (Master), RD, CDN, registered dietitian and founder of Isabel Smith Nutrition.

"Consuming drinks high in sugar or caffeine not only dehydrates you, but in most cases they also adds excess calories to your daily intake", explains Smith.

In order to maintain the health of your intestines and proper digestion, replace the carbonated and light sweetened drinks with soda with a piece of lemon or lime juice.

3. Artificial sweeteners

It's always a good idea to choose foods that are low in sugar, but be aware of why these foods are considered low in sugar.

Healthy foods such as vegetables and fruits that are naturally low in sugar help digestion.

This is thanks to the fact that they have a high content of dietary fiber, minerals and essential vitamins.

But in contrast, foods that are enriched with artificial sweeteners, are in total artificial solutions.

"Processed foods that have sugar added to them and especially the foods with artificial sweeteners, cause disturbances to your digestive system and usually they also cause gas and bloating, for many people", says Smith.

Even more, studies have shown that fake (artificial) sweeteners cause weight gain, which is the exact opposite of the reason they were created.

Start consuming foods that contain real sugar and limit yourself to 20 grams for women, or 36 grams for men, of sugar per day.

Also avoid any food product that contains:

• Acesulfame-K
• Aspartame
• Mannitol
• Saccharin
• Sucralose
• Corn syrup
• High glucose corn syrup
• and so on...

4. White flour foods

Every woman should consume an average of 25 grams of dietary fiber per day and men should consume an average of 38 grams of dietary fiber per day.

But most people in the world consume about half of this amount or even less.

Foods made from white flour, such as white bread, pasta, cakes and cookies, and white rice, contain a very low amount of dietary fiber, so they cause you to be deficient.

"A higher intake of dietary fiber will help your body to have regular bowel movements and regular, healthy bowel movements", says Smith.

"Choosing whole grains and fruits and vegetables will help you with this", says Smith.

A simple switch from white bread to bread made from whole sprouted wheat or spelled, for example, and switching to consuming whole or purple rice instead of white, will help your bowels move easily.

5. Fast food (junk food)

Of course, this means hamburgers, chips, pizzas and the like.

"Foods that are high in (unnatural) fat or foods that are really fatty, like fast food, usually cause upset stomach and intestines", says Smith.

While there are natural fats that are very healthy for your intestines, such as omega-3 found mainly in:

• Nuts
• Flaxseed
• Chia seeds
• Walnuts
• kelp
• Avocado
• and oats

The aforementioned unnatural fats do not react in your body in the same way.

Fast food contains high levels of unhealthy fats such as trans fats and saturated fatty acids, which cause an inflammatory response in your body, meaning your body fights to get them out.

So when you plan to go out to eat, you will find several restaurants and cafes that serve natural, healthy and well seasoned foods.

6. Alcohol

This does not mean that you should stop drinking alcohol, the secret is in the quantities you drink and how often.

Alcohol can directly damage your digestive system and a study conducted on alcohol revealed that alcohol messes with the good bacteria of the intestines.

"There are people whose stomachs get hard with the alcohol, especially the next day", says Smith.

"Always combine one glass or serving of alcohol with a glass of water", adds Smith.