Want a flat stomach? Here are five foods to beat the bloat

We all know the struggle of trying to do up our jeans after a day of overeating or comfort eating. As the day goes on you become increasingly bloated and you don’t know which foods have caused it, well, we’re here to help.

Here are a few common foods that cause bloating which you may want to cut down on in future if you’re looking to beat the bloat and show off your new pair of high waisted skinnies.

1. Fried foods
The stomach takes longer to break down and digest foods which are high in fat. This results in bloating due to a build-up of gas.

2. Artificial sweeteners
Similarly to fried foods, artificial sweeteners cause a build-up of gas which leads to bloating. This is due to the fact that the stomach cannot digest the artificial sweeteners. These can be found in foods such as sweets and energy bars.

3. Dairy products
You may be lactose-intolerant if you often feel bloated after eating dairy products. Lactose-intolerant means that your body is unable to digest lactose. When it is not digested it is passed to the colon where gas will be produced while trying to finish breaking it down. This causes the dreaded bloat.

4. Salty foods
High sodium foods can result in water retention in the body which causes bloating. The salt is hidden in many of the foods that we eat on a daily basis e.g. processed food, so always read the label. Just because you are not pouring salt on your food, doesn’t mean that you are avoiding it.

5. Some vegetables
It sounds crazy, but some vegetables can actually cause bloating because of the gases that they produce. These include broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage and onions so look for other vegetables which do not produce as much gas.