Foods that cause stomach fat or bloatness
One of the factors which cause stomach body fat to accumulate is bloating. As defined, bloating is a sense of abdominal fullness which can later on lead to abdominal discomfort, pain and diarrhea or constipation. Bloatness can also result to flatulence, which is an embarrassing and uncomfortable situation.
What causes bloatness? Bloatness may result from the intake of simple carbohydrates, such as refined sugars, fructose and sucrose, which is found in white bread and other white-flour foods. These foods taste good but they cause gas formation in the stomach, leading to bloating and flatulence.
Milk is also another culprit. Some people lack lactase in their intestines, thus they cannot digest milk, a condition known as lactose intolerance. If you have lactose intolerance and you experience bloatness, you can try some over-the-counter products to help digest milk, such as Lactaid and those containing lactase enzymes.
Foods which are proven to cause bloatness are beans, beer, bran, broccoli, brussel sprouts, cabbage, soft drinks, milk, cauliflower and onions. If you are a beans lover, you can help reduce the gas-forming effect of the beans you plan to cook and eat by soaking the beans overnight, pouring the water out afterwards and cooking them for about half an hour. Then, after cooking, discard the water used in boiling them and pour in new water to cook for another 30 minutes.
Foods which can slightly cause bloatness are raw apples, apricots, bananas, wheat bread, carrots, celery, citrus fruits, coffee, cucumbers, eggplants, potatoes, lettuce, pretzels, soybeans and raisins. These foods can cause bloatness in some people who are extra sensitive to them while they do not in some people.
Emotional stress has also been proven to worsen bloatness, since the stomach is sensitive to emotional outbursts such as anger, stress and anxiety. The stomach also has nerves which connect to the brain and receive signals, triggering abdominal tightening and cramping.
Exercise can also help eliminate stomach bloatness. Exercise helps regulate the movement of the intestines and thus makes us have regular bowel movements. It speeds our metabolism, making us digest food well and use it as a source of energy fast. Sit-ups and crunches are abdominal exercises which are effective in eliminating stomach bloating.
To avoid abdominal bloatness, we must avoid flatulence, which is a result of excessive belching. Belching may have many causes, such as excessive smoking, swallowing of gas during eating, eating hurriedly, anxiety, postnasal drips, colds and drinking carbonated beverages
There are some studies which say that abdominal bloatness are a result of chemicals and preservatives found in processed food. Bloatness results as a form of food hypersensitivity reaction. Thus, for us to avoid the development of stomach bloatness, we must avoid processed food and snack on healthier food options such as fruits and vegetables.
If abdominal bloatness persists despite avoidance of foods mentioned and applying the remedies mentioned, you have to consult your doctor in order to rule out other problems such as intestinal obstruction, malabsorption syndromes and other serious gastrointestinal diseases.