Bloating, or that awful feeling when your stomach swells up, is caused by retention of fluid or gas. This happens for a number of reasons, from eating too much to inhaling large amounts of air while chewing. Many people achieve that fulfilled, satiated and bloat-free feeling after a meal with the help of supplements.
We spoke with health experts— registered nutritionist and creator of The Candida Diet, Lisa Richards, and Isaac Robertson, nutritionist, personal fitness trainer, and co-founder of Total Shape—to learn more about a beloved natural supplement option that can prevent (as well as lessen) bloating in-between meals.
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How Ginger Supplements Can Aid Bloating
First off, you might be wondering how bloating happens and what is going on internally when it does. Poor gut health, Richards explains, is a contributor to gas and bloating for two reasons.
"One, bad gut bacteria can produce excessive gas due to the formation of hydrogen sulphide," she says. "Secondly, she adds, "when the gut is overrun with bad bacteria, known as gut dysbiosis, the good bacteria isn't able to digest food as efficiently and gas is a byproduct."
To combat this, experts note that many people turn to ginger supplements, or consume the flowering plant or root within foods and beverages like tea.
"Ginger has proved to be an all-rounder in the game of ailments," Robertson says, noting that the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of ginger are beneficial in curing stomach and bloating problems.
"Ginger has magnificent properties that help in thinning of body blood," he continues. "It further results in reduced bloating." Gingerols, he notes, is a unique compound in ginger that "keeps us away from abdominal pain and bloating" caused because of it. Many people who suffer from chronic bloating, experts say, deem drinking ginger water as a great aid since it improves in soothing upset stomach and digestion.
Overall, whether you choose to add ginger to your diet in the form of tea, by adding it to your meals or in a supplement, you just might find it to be the one of the most reliable anti-bloating aids out there.
