Every person has problem areas on their body. The main problem which every one likes to harp are about their stomachs. We dietitians do not have a magic wand to give you wash board abs, but we can definitely help you reach there. A few tips to reduce the belly bloat and to look great are here for you.

These foods can trigger a belly bloat. So lets have a look at each one.

Salt- Avoid too much of salt in the diet. Salt lies hidden in canned foods, baked foods, cured meats and how can we forget, potato wafers. Salt can draw water from the body and thereby give you the sluggish, flabby look.  Now you know why you get a jelly belly by eating too much of salty junk foods. If you have a wedding or function coming up where you would like to show off your midriff. Go off salt the day before the function and see the difference. But do not do this often as it can be dangerous.

Cut carbs if you are eating more of it- Peek into your diet and see whether you are eating carbs more than what your body needs. If you eat more carbs, the extra glucose is converted into glycogen, a storage form of extra energy and glycogen can attract water. So cross check with a dietitian as to how much you need to eat and yes, I am not asking you to go Atkins aka very low carb diet.

Do not eat excess of salads- I advise most of my clients to eat salads as many of them hardly eat any veggies. But if you overdo it, then you can end up feeling bloated. This is because our stomach expands, as salads take more room in the stomach. So eat smaller portions of salads and chew well.

Gassy foods- A few of the food can create gas in your GI tract such as legumes such as green gram etc, cauliflower, bell peppers, broccoli, cabbage, citrus fruits, onions etc. But this does not mean you are never going to eat them. You should eat them by adding a variety in your diet.

Chewing Gum- Do you know you swallow air when you chew gum? All this air gets trapped inside and can cause bloating. So keep it to a minimum.

Sugar Substitutes- A few of the sugar substitutes such as xylitol, maltitol are found in low sugar or sugar free products. These do not add to the calories but if taken in excess can cause gas, abdominal distention, diarrhoea(yikes) etc.

Fried food- They are not only bad for your heart but also for your tummy, as it takes longer time to digest and makes you feel bloated. But this does not mean, you should not eat fats at all. Include olives, nuts and seeds, avocado, dark chocolate(Yummm!!!), oils such as olive oil, rice bran, nut oils which can actually help you to whittle down your tummy.

Spicy food- Go easy on the seasonings in your food as these can cause gastric irritation and cause bloating.
Carbonated drinks- All those bubbles stay in the tummy and cause bloating. This includes frothy beer too. We have heard of beer belly, but now coke bellies are on the rise too.

Acidic drinks- Why do you take antacids? To reduce the bloaty, hurting feeling in the tummy. Excess intake of alcohol, beverages such as tea, coffee, acidic fruit juices can irritate the tummy lining and cause bloating. Drink these in moderation.

So now you know where you are going wrong. Tackle these foods and see the difference.


BDST: 1339 HRS, Dec-15, 2013
Edited by: Sharmina islam, Lifestyle Editor