Bloating After Eating
Feeling bloated can, at best, be a mild annoyance and, at worst, be a painful and extremely uncomfortable experience. Although it’s an all-too-familiar complaint for many people, it can sometimes be challenging to decipher what exactly is causing bloating. So, if you’re suffering from bloating and want to learn more, join us as we break down the varying aspects of this condition.
Why Do I Get Bloated After Eating?
Bloating is often caused by an excessive build-up of intestinal gas, which can be uncomfortable and potentially embarrassing. Bacteria in the digestive tract generates this gas from food that has not been properly digested or absorbed.
What Causes Bloating?
A build-up of gas in the stomach and intestines is usually the most common cause of bloating. Bloating can be accompanied by mild discomfort all the way to sharp bursts of intense pain. People who experience bloating report that they feel as though something is trapped inside their stomach. You may feel that your stomach appears puffy and stretched too.
Bloating Symptoms:
Typical bloating symptoms include:
- Stomach feeling tight, painful, or distended after eating.
- A feeling of uncomfortable ‘trapped wind’ in the stomach.
- Gurgling sounds in the stomach.
- May experience sharp abdominal pains.
How Can I Relieve Bloating Fast?
Whether you’ve been bloated daily or you find your stomach swollen before a big event or night out, there are ways to relieve the symptoms.
Here are 5 things that can affect bloating:
- Swallowing too much air – chomping your food too fast or eating on the go may cause bloating. This is due to inhaling excess air; even chewing gum gives way to taking in more air than usual.
- Drinking too much soda or fizzy drinks – It comes as no surprise that all those bubbles in carbonated drinks may expand your stomach. Soda bloating is said to be one of the most painful, albeit easily avoidable, forms of bloating. It’s advised to opt for still water instead of fizzy drinks and aim to keep hydrated with 8 glasses a day.
- Regular exercise – regularly exercising and moving around in general also helps to keep your digestive tract moving along. This may eliminate constipation and contribute to alleviating bloating.
- Improve your gut health – enhancing your gut health may also help ward off bloating. Popping a good probiotic could help keep your digestive tract moving and, in turn, alleviate constipation, abdominal pain, and the dreaded bloat.
- Rule out food intolerance – on the lines of gut health, food intolerance can lead to bloating. Food intolerances can cause inflammation in the gut and gut symptoms.
If you find yourself experiencing bloating regularly you should visit your doctor to rule out any underlying medical conditions. Thereafter, it might be worth taking a closer look at your diet if you continue to experience recurring or prolonged bloating.
Can Allergies Cause Bloating?
As previously alluded to, allergies can cause bloating. In fact, food allergy bloating is one of the most common forms of bloating and can sometimes go undetected. Food allergies – such as those that are caused by dairy, gluten (like celiac disease) nuts, and shellfish – can trigger bloating as part of the body’s response. This is due to inflammation and increased gas production in the digestive tract.
These aren’t the only considerations when it comes to food allergy bloating. For example, pollen-food allergy syndrome, or oral allergy syndrome, can cause gastrointestinal symptoms, including bloating, when certain raw fruits or vegetables are consumed by people who have seasonal allergies. Then there is also the fact that some people react to histamine sensitivities. People with histamine intolerances may experience bloating if they consume high-histamine foods, as the body is unable to break down excess histamine effectively, leading to digestive issues.
There is also food sensitivity bloating. While not a true allergy, food intolerances or food sensitivities can lead to bloating because the body struggles to properly digest certain substances, causing fermentation by gut bacteria and gas production. So, if you are aware that you have an allergy or intolerance, and you are experiencing bloating, then maybe your allergy could be the cause.
What Foods Cause Bloating?
Some foods are reported to produce more gas than others. Foods that can cause bloating are:
- Beans
- Wheat
- Onions
- Garlic
- Lentils
It is important to note that, as individuals, our reactions to the foods and drinks we consume vary a great deal. An ingredient that may cause problems for one person could be completely acceptable for another. At YorkTest, we like to refer to this as our personal ‘food fingerprint’.
Did you know that a food sensitivity test can help to eliminate the guesswork on finding what foods you are reacting to in your current diet? Our simple home test analyzes your reactions to the foods outlined above, as well as 203 other food and drink ingredients, such as cow’s milk, gluten, cauliflower, and apples.
What are FODMAPs foods?
The term FODMAP stands for “Fermentable Oligosaccharides, Disaccharides, Monosaccharides, and Polyols” Certain foods are classed as FODMAPs, meaning that they are poorly absorbed by the body, which may result in IBS-type symptoms such as abdominal pain and bloating.
High FODMAP foods, such as onion and garlic, are common foods that the gut finds difficult to digest. Discovering and, most importantly, understanding your own personal thresholds of a certain ingredient may ensure you make the best dietary choices in order to optimize your diet, and take control of your bloating and quality of life.
As we’ve mentioned, bloating can be a sign of a food intolerance, so finding out your trigger foods could be a great way to manage your bloating.
Can A Food Intolerance Test Help With Bloating?
The market for food intolerance tests is heavily saturated due to an increased demand for interest in health and well-being. That’s why it’s important for you, the reader, to make sure you make well-informed choices when it comes to purchasing a food sensitivity test.
Here at YorkTest, we’ve been going for over 35 years and are a leading provider of food sensitivity testing. We also provide post-test support in the form of guidebooks and nutritional consultations with BANT* registered nutritional therapists to ensure you’re replacing your trigger foods with healthy and nutritious alternatives.
Our YorkTest Survey and Bloating
The University of York conducted a survey** to help understand the benefits of elimination diets based on the results of a food intolerance test†.
Out of 576 people who reported bloating as a primary symptom, 92% reported an improvement after having removed their ‘trigger’ foods. We define these as foods that show a positive IgG reaction to antibodies in the blood.
Overall, in the study, 76% of people who rigorously followed the recommended diet reported a benefit, and 68% of them experienced this after 3 weeks.
Making health happen
“I can honestly say I feel pretty amazing now. I have cut out my reaction foods and limit my borderline foods as much as I can. I don’t get anywhere near as much wind and bloating. I can eat out and I feel happier in my mood”
Amy Harding
yorktest Customer
“Words cannot describe how good I feel – my life, skin and tummy are better than ever”
John Reed
yorktest Customer
“I bloat much less, and I don’t experience the same stomach cramps, provided I steer clear of my trigger foods”
Kayleigh Henning
yorktest Customer
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