Bloated all the time? It may be time to lay off these foods 

Do you feel bloated, gassy or just not quite right in the tummy more often than you’d like? You’re certainly not alone. Bloating effects around 1/3 of us on a pretty regular basis!

Most likely, that bloating is the result of something you’re eating, that your body is finding tough to digest. Here are some of the most common bloating foods. Have a go at cutting them out for a few days and seeing if it makes a difference. 

Beans 

While beans and legumes are a great non-animal source protein, most of them are also pretty high in sugars called alpha-galactosides, which belong to a group of carbs called FODMAPs.

For the unfamiliar, FODMAPs are a group of short-chain carbohydrates found in all sorts of foods that some people find hard to digest. They can lead some to experience to all sorts of unpleasant digestive symptoms, including bloating, gas, diarrhea and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). 

If beans really are a musical fruit for you, it could be that your sensitive to this particular FODMAP.

Cauliflower 

Cauliflower is part of the cruciferous vegetable gang, which also features members like broccoli, Brussels sprouts and cabbage. 

Cruciferous veggies also contain a type of FODMAP, which may contribute to excessive gas production and, you guessed it, a bloated tum.

Wheat 

Controversial! You’ve probably heard by now that wheat contains gluten, a protein which some folks find hard to digest. You’ll also probably be aware that wheat is in basically everything delicious – we’re talking anything bread, baked good or pasta related.

It’s particularly dangerous for people with coeliac disease or gluten sensitivity and can cause all sorts of gastrointestinal and other medical complications. 

Oh, and wheat is also pretty high in FODMAPs. 

Cow’s Milk

Cow’s milk and other dairy products (cheese, yoghurt, butter and the like) contain lactose, a sugar which a surprisingly large number of us can’t break down. You’ve probably heard the term bandied around: it’s called lactose intolerant.

If you’re lactose intolerant, dairy can cause major digestive issues and symptoms like bloating, gas, cramping and diarrhea.

Sugar Alcohols

Sugar alcohols are natural sweeteners used more and more to replace sugar in common foods. Their structure allows them to stimulate the taste receptors for sweetness on your tongue, so they look and taste like sugar, but have fewer calories. They’re also partially resistant to digestion, so they sort of act more like dietary fibre.

But sugar alcohols are also (you guessed it) FODMAPs, with some tending to cause digestive problems like bloating.

Erythritol (which you’ll find in Lakanto products) is a sugar alcohol too, but it acts slightly differently as it doesn't reach your large intestine in significant amounts. Instead, most of it gets absorbed into your bloodstream and flushed out by the kidneys.

From Monash Uni: 

Are there any sugar polyols that do not have gut side effects? 

Yes! In fact the smallest of the sugar polyols, glycerol (E422/422), is easily absorbed in the small intestine (upper gut), so does not have the same effects in the body as other larger sugar polyols. Erythritol (E968/968) may be the other exception, as it also appears to be well absorbed in the small intestine. (1, 2) One study showed that Erythritol is more difficult for bacteria in the large intestine to break down, so might be less likely to cause gas or bloating symptoms than other sugar polyols (even when it is malabsorbed), but more research is needed to clarify this.