Dietary Factors
1. High FODMAP Foods:
Fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols (FODMAPs) are short-chain carbohydrates that can be poorly absorbed in the small intestine, leading to fermentation by gut bacteria and subsequent gas production. Common culprits include onions, garlic, wheat, dairy, beans, and certain fruits.
2. Fried and Fatty Foods
These foods slow down digestion, leading to prolonged food retention in the stomach and intestines, resulting in discomfort and bloating.
3. Carbonated Drinks:
Soda, sparkling water, and beer introduce carbon dioxide gas directly into the digestive system.
4. Artifical Sweeteners:
Sugar alcohols like sorbitol and xylitol, commonly found in sugar-free products, can ferment in the gut, leading to bloating.
5. High-fiber Foods:
While fiber is essential for gut health, excessive consumption of high-fiber foods like beans, lentils, broccoli, cabbage, and whole grains can cause gas and bloating.
Food Intolerance and Sensitivities
Food intolerance occurs when the digestive system struggles to process specific foods. It should not be confused with food allergy. While allergies provoke sudden, systemic symptoms (e.g., hives, breathing difficulties), intolerances cause gradual, localized issues such as bloating, headaches, or diarrhea, often linked to the quantity consumed. There is evidence that food intolerance is on the rise driven by our environment as well as modern agricultural practices, such as pesticide use and nitrogen-rich fertilizers that alter crop proteins, increasing intolerance triggers.
1. Lactose Intolerance:
People who are lactose intolerant (stemming from a deficiency in the lactase enzyme needed to digest lactose) may experience bloating after consuming milk, cheese, or yoghurt.
2. Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity:
Food containing gluten may trigger mild immune system reactions such as headache and fatigue combined with bloating.
3. Histamine Sensitivity:
Impaired breakdown of histamine in fermented/preserved foods.
4. Sulfite Intolerance:
Reaction to additives in processed foods or wine.
Digestive Issues
1. Constipation:
Slowed movement of stool through the digestive tract can lead to gas buildup and bloating.
2. Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS):
This chronic gut disorder is characterized by abdominal pain, bloating, and altered bowel habits (diarrhea or constipation).
3. Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO):
An overpopulation of bacteria in the small intestine can lead to excessive gas production and bloating.
