This post has been updated since it was originally published on October 3, 2021.
Feeling bloated is an incredibly frustrating symptom of digestive discomfort. Even when you’re following what you consider to be a healthy diet and exercising, you can still feel bloated. When it seems as though there’s no underlying cause or reason, it can feel incredibly hopeless. However, even things that are “healthy” may be making your bloating worse. Oftentimes, we think it’s just the food we eat that will make us bloated. In actuality, certain beverages can be just as much of a contributor to your discomfort.
Soda
Obviously, drinks with lots of added sweeteners, especially sugar alcohols, are the worst offenders of causing bloating. Because they pull excess water into the gut, they can give you a gassy, bloated, or “stuffed” feeling. Sweeteners like these often creep into popular foods and beverages in disguise, so knowing what ingredients to look for is the best way to avoid them. If you see saccharin, aspartame, sucralose, neotame, or acesulfame anywhere on a product you’re buying, it’s best to put it back on the shelf. Also, as a good rule of thumb, avoid processed sugary drinks like soda.
If you like soda and want a healthier alternative, you may think that drinking club soda or some unflavored carbonated water would be a good substitute. But this “healthy swap” could actually be contributing to your bloating just as much. "It doesn't matter if it's sparkling water or soda, the carbonation will cause you to feel bloated. The bubbles can cause the stomach to temporarily inflate, causing bloat,” Samantha Franceschini, MSCN told The/Thirty. Although they are free of artificial sweeteners and dyes that wreak havoc on the body, they could still be a source of your discomfort. While it’s only temporary, experiencing bloating at any time of day is frustrating, especially when it’s caused by a seemingly “healthy” beverage.
There are lots of ways you can tweak your lifestyle to reduce bloating. The first one, which may be easier said than done, is slowing down while you eat. Eating too fast, especially before your body is able to recognize it’s full, can cause a bloated, stuffed feeling. Additionally, eating too fast allows your body to ingest excess air, which is another common source of bloating. It’s hard when you’re on the go, especially during the work week, and don’t have much time to eat. But taking the time to slow down and allow your body to recognize when it’s reached satiety is well worth it.
However, if you do experience chronic bloating regularly, be sure to reach out to your doctor and see if something deeper could be at play. “Distended bellies can also indicate a potential lymphatic problem or enzyme deficiency." Franceschini says. While there could be some quick fixes that reduce your symptoms without medical intervention, speak with your doctor before making any major dietary changes.
The editors at SheFinds wrote this post on behalf of A Nutritionist Tells Us The Worst Processed Beverage For Gut Health, They Cause Painful Bloating! and received compensation as part of our agreement.
