Foods to Eat to Avoid Belching and Flatulence

Foods to Eat to Avoid Belching and Flatulence

Swallowing large amounts of air, eating or drinking too quickly, experiencing anxiety or consuming carbonated beverages and certain foods can all lead to belching and flatulence. Flatulence can also result from gas formed during the digestion of foods that produce intestinal bacteria. You can make dietary changes to avoid gas buildup. However, you should consult a doctor about gas pains that disrupt normal life, as they may be a sign of an underlying illness.

Lactose-Free Foods

Lactose, a milk sugar, can be hard to digest. Some people cannot consume lactose at all because their bodies do not have enough of the enzyme lactase, which is needed to break down lactose, according to the American College of Gastroenterology. Incompletely digested lactose passes to the colon, where bacteria break it down and produce gas. Each person's sensitivity to lactose is different, and you may need a period of trial and error to see how much you can ingest without experiencing gas. Many dairy products have lactose-free substitutions.

Low-Fat Foods

Many whole foods, such as fruits and vegetables, can cause gas, but they are an important part of a healthy diet and should not be eliminated. You may need to eat these foods in smaller amounts to help control symptoms.

However, generally sticking to a low-fat diet can help alleviate belching and flatulence. According to the National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse, low-fat foods do not stay in the stomach for long, which stops gas from building up in the intestines. High-fat foods spend more time in the stomach and can lead to gas buildup.

Non-Carbonated Drinks

Eating and drinking more slowly along with not drinking through a straw can help to reduce intestinal gas symptoms. In addition, the Mayo Clinic recommends drinking non-carbonated beverages, because carbonated drinks release carbon dioxide gas that can increase symptoms.

Yogurt

Gas caused by bacteria may be relieved by eating foods high in probiotics -- the good kind of bacteria that normally exists in the body to fight off disease. The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine says that foods with probiotics help control gas, bloating and intestinal discomfort by killing off the bacteria that cause symptoms. Yogurt contains probiotics, as do fermented and unfermented milk, miso, tempeh and some juices and soy beverages. However, much more research is needed to determine the benefits of consuming probiotics, and each person responds to them differently.

source : livestronge.com