There are many reasons behind you feeling bloated after having a meal. Either your food is high-fibre, high-fat or it has too much salt. Sometimes, we also tend to chew fast and end up swallowing a lot of air which could cause bloating. Having intolerance to dairy, gluten or fructose could also trigger the bloat. If you are frequently facing this issue, then you must talk to your doctor about it. Additionally, you can also try some home remedies that can actually be effective to soothe gut issues. From soothing teas to herbal water, there are some drinks that could help prevent or ease bloating post meals. (Also read: Facing festive bloating? Here are simple eating habits to reduce it)
“The most common issue which we hear from people post eating a meal is feeling of bloating or fullness. The major causes of bloating are eating foods which are rich in fibre, fat and salt. Too much of sodium-rich foods, eating too fast, skipping meals, food sensitivity, decreased water intake, eating while talking can be the other reasons as well,” says Greata Sherene Robinson, Executive Nutritionist, Cloudnine Group of Hospitals, Chennai (T NAGAR).
DRINKS TO COMBAT BLOATING
Here are 5 homemade drinks to combat bloating.
• Herbal water: Take 2 teaspoons of coriander, cumin seeds, and fennel seeds and boil them with water. Add in some lemon and ginger and your herbal water is ready and will help you in digestion. Consume 2-3 glasses of it every day and you can have it after a meal.
• The melon squash: Take some pieces of watermelon, pineapple, cucumber and small slice of ginger and add them to a mixer grinder with some lemon juice. Grind them and the squash would be ready to help aid in digestion and prevent bloating.
• Cucumber drink: Take some yoghurt, cucumber pieces, mint, ginger and fenugreek seeds. Add some water and grind them into a shake. This can be taken as a post meal drink to aid in digestion and absorption.
• Herbal tea: Good old ginger tea will work wonders for stomach ailments and digestion. Add some fennel seeds, cumin seeds, a pinch of turmeric and a slice of cinnamon and boil all these along with the ginger and serve hot. Sip slowly.
• The CC drink: Put some soaked chia seeds along with tender coconut water. The coconut water being rich in electrolytes and potassium will help to flush out the excess sodium from the gut, thereby helping in reducing bloating.
“Bloating can be made better by chewing the meal slowly, eating on time, consuming small frequent meals, sitting straight after eating and even a light slow walk after a meal will do. During pregnancy, maintaining proper meal timings and lighter meals will help in easing digestion. Avoiding spicy, high fibre and sodium-based foods will also work better. And do not overdo caffeine as this can in some cases compound bloating. Speak to your doctor and nutritionist to find out the root cause and sort it the right way to keep the bloating away,” concludes the nutritionist.