Bloated belly: what to eat during the holidays

By Cristiano Antonino On Dec 22, 2022

Abdominal bloating (popularly known as a bloated belly) is a very common disorder, caused by a variety of factors, such as an unbalanced diet, poor hydration and alcohol abuse

A bloated belly often accompanies the holiday season, when get-togethers with family and friends and business dinners lead to a change in eating habits.

Although it is a limited period, the discomfort caused by improper nutrition can create discomfort and physical discomfort: implementing a few easy tricks can help you live the festive season better.

Bloated belly: the causes

Abdominal bloating, or meteorism, is due to excessive gas production in the stomach or colon, the last part of the intestine.

It is a rather common symptom in our society that is often associated with altered bowel movements – constipation or diarrhoea – belching, flatulence, abdominal cramps.

It can occur due to various causes, frequently transient, such as a meal that is too large or rich in fat, the habit of eating too fast, excessive consumption of simple sugars or particularly fermentable foods.

Physiologically, it happens if one gains weight or, in women suffering from premenstrual syndrome or due to menopausal changes.

In some cases, however, meteorism can be a sign of a disease.

The most common are IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) or irritable bowel syndrome, lactose intolerance or gluten intolerance (coeliac disease), and the abuse of drugs, especially anti-inflammatory drugs, antibiotics or gastroprotectants.

Abdominal bloating and the corollary of associated symptoms may also be due to a dysbiosis or, rather, an excessive or altered type of beneficial bacteria in the small intestine, also known as SIBO (Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth), i.e. an alteration of the microbiota.

Psychophysical stress, alcohol abuse and smoking can all add to the disorder.

Which foods bloat the belly

A diet too rich in foods high in starches, sugars, especially fructose, and fibre can promote meteorism.

Dietary approaches to reduce this disorder vary depending on personal problems. In recent years, the low FodMap (Fermentable Oligo-saccharides, Disaccharides, Monosaccharides and Polyols) diet has been proposed for a variety of gastro-intestinal problems.

These are compounds formed from small chains of carbohydrates in certain foods which, not being fully absorbed, cause fermentation and digestive or intestinal problems.

This type of diet limits the intake of cereals, certain types of vegetables and fruit that are very agreeable to the bacteria.

The acronym FodMap in fact stands for: Fermentable Oligosaccharides = formed from more than 2 simple sugars, found in wheat, rye, pulses, various fruits and vegetables, garlic and onions. Disaccharides = formed from 2 simple sugars such as lactose found in milk, yoghurt and in lower percentages in soft cheeses. Monosaccharides = formed from 1 simple sugar, mainly fructose found in fruit especially figs, mangoes, blackberries, lychees but also honey and agave juice. Polyols = low-calorie sweeteners such as those found in sugar-free gum, xylitol, mannitol, sorbitol.

Substances that irritate the intestinal mucosa can also alter its integrity, so beware of overindulging in caffeine, theobromine, theophylline and alcohol.

During the festive season, there are many occasions to overindulge.

Depending on the region, the tradition is to cook the many typical dishes of this period, from hors d’oeuvres to desserts, all tasty, rich in fat and carbohydrates and often accompanied by several glasses of wine.

Nothing could be easier than to end up with a bloated belly.

How to get rid of a bloated belly

Excluding a pathological cause, including lactose and gluten intolerances, the first step is simple but often underestimated: eat slowly by chewing for a long time.

Everyone knows this but few put it into practice with the excuse of lack of time, so it becomes automatic to eat too fast.

Another important tip is to avoid skipping meals, because in such cases, one inevitably tends to make up for it by overdoing it at the next meal, often the evening meal, when energy needs are lower and digestion is slower.

It is also useless to fast in view of a big party: the digestive system, in fact, has to do more work than normal anyway, which overloads and fatigues it.

A bloated belly is also favoured by air ingested from fizzy drinks or foods that incorporate air, such as milkshakes and whipped cream.

Many patients experience meteorism if they consume fruit at the end of a meal, which is often recommended as a snack precisely to reduce sugar fermentation.

It may also be advisable to avoid packaged foods with artificial sweeteners, which reduce calories but increase bloating.

Finally, it is very useful to avoid sedentariness: a simple walk helps the peristalsis of the digestive system and reduces meteorism.

Abdominal bloating and alcohol

A bloated belly and excessive alcohol consumption are often related.

Alcohol contains almost as many calories as fat.

A glass of wine provides about 100 kcal of a substance that is defined as a ‘non-nutrient’ because it is not used by the body for its functions but is immediately converted into fat that accumulates mainly in the abdomen and liver.

The higher the alcohol content, the higher the calories and, if consumption is habitual, the greater the likelihood of an increased belly.

The habit of consuming alcohol facilitates weight gain, the consequence of which can be overweight, obesity and the onset of metabolic diseases.

Alcohol consumption should therefore be kept under control not only during the holidays but throughout the year.

Stomach, intestines and a bloated belly: the importance of hydration

Water is essential for all our functions including digestion which, to be optimal, needs it to produce saliva, gastric, bile and pancreatic juices.

The less water there is available, the more the body is obliged to take from the various districts.

A dry meal requires more water than a meal with brothy or watery foods, such as vegetables.

Generally, one or two glasses sipped during a meal are sufficient to help the stomach perform its function.

The daily water requirement is around 1500-2000 ml, an amount that can increase in the case of profuse sweating.

Good hydration is also very helpful in maintaining a healthy intestine and regularity of bowel movements.

Good hydration and adequate intake of dietary fibre, especially soluble non-fermentable fibre, ensure peristaltic contraction of stool segmentation and advancement, reducing putrefaction and constipation.

A more efficient and less irritated bowel allows a significant reduction in symptoms related to meteorism.

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