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There are a number of reasons why you might be feeling bloated...the most common reasons follow:
1) Eat slowly - your gut may need a little extra help digesting your food. By chewing more carefully, you allow your body the chance to release necessary enzymes (in your saliva, stomach, and intestinal juices) to properly break down the food you eat. This may prevent large, undigested particles from reaching the gas-producing bacteria in your colon.
2) You may have a food intolerance. For example, people who have lactose intolerance cannot properly digest lactose due to a lack of lactase enzyme. When the whole lactose molecule reaches your colon you experience gas and bloating as the bacteria ferment these molecules and produce methyl-gas (Lactose intolerance is very common, read more here: http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/lactoseintolerance/#risk).
3) Do you eat a lot of beans, brassica veggies (cauliflower, broccoli, kale, collards), dried fruit, or other high-fiber foods? They are naturally gas-producing, so they could be the culprit. If you can't live without them (as I can't), cook them well, drink enough water (at least 8 cups daily), and try a supplement like Beano (Note: Beano is not gluten-free for all you Celiacs out there).
Foods (or supplements) containing probiotics, like yogurt, kombucha, and miso, may support healthy digestion, so you could give that a try.
Let me know if you need some more direction...that's a loaded question! -
I want to say "no" since so many people don't eat enough! Whole fruit (and not it's juiced version) is full of vitamins and fiber that are linked to reduced risk for chronic diseases and maintaining healthy weight (Body Mass Index, BMI approximately 19-25).
If you're of healthy weight (use this BMI calculator, http://www.nhlbisupport.com/bmi/), you're eating at least 3-4 cups of vegetables a day, you're not replacing protein and whole grains with fruit alone, and you don't have elevated blood sugar (a sign of pre-diabetes), then you're probably eating a healthy amount of fruit.
Keep in mind that a serving of fruit is often smaller than you might think - a half banana or large apple, 1/2 cup berries or cut fruit - and aim for 2-3 cups a day. Happy munching!
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Tasha Gerken, MS, RD
New York, NY
Tasha Gerken, MS, RD’s Bio
I'm a Registered Dietitian with a Masters in Clinical Nutrition from New York University. I play volleyball, support local agriculture and the arts, and love to experiment with food in my kitchen.
