Foods that Cause Gas and Bloating

You have just had your lunch and now you are headed for an important office meeting. But, you do not quite feel well. Your stomach feels all bloated up like a balloon and you have this constant urge to pass out gas, which you cannot as you will only embarrass yourself in front of your clients and other office staff. What could have possibly caused this problem of excessive gas after eating? Maybe it's something which you ate at lunch? There are several foods that cause gas and bloating, and if you have a habit of suffering from this problem, then it's best that you avoid these foods. Make sure that you do not eat these foods just before an important event.

Food Causing Gas and Bloating

There are several causes of gas formation in stomach and bloated feeling; swallowing air while eating, the by products of bacteria present in the digestive system, etc. Certain foods are also responsible for causing this feeling. There are several foods that contains a high level of carbohydrate raffinose. If this is not digested properly, then they cause gas in the stomach. Food which contains soluble fiber and starch, can also lead to formation of gas, if not digested properly.

List of Vegetables
Given below are the list of some of the vegetables that causes stomach bloating and gas. These vegetables contain a large amount of raffinose which is responsible for the formation of gas. These vegetables are

• Artichokes
• Beans
• Carrots
• Cauliflower
• Peas
• Dried beans
• Brussels sprouts
• Asparagus
• Cabbage
• Onions
• Radishes
• Cucumbers
• Lentils
• Celery
• Corn

List of Fruits
Fructose present in the fruits are the ones that is responsible for bloating and gas in stomach. There are certain fruits which contains a high level of fructose and thus, people who suffer from the problem of gas frequently, should avoid taking these fruits. They are

• Apricots
• Raisins
• Peaches
• Oranges
• Pears
• Prunes
• Apples
• Bananas

List of Dairy Products
Dairy products should also be includes in the list. Lactose which is present mainly in the dairy products are responsible for the gas formation. The dairy products that a person should either avoid or eat less are

• Ice cream
• Milk
• Cheese
• Processed foods with milk products

List of Whole Grains
There are some whole grains like wheat, oat bran etc which causes gas and bloating. Given below are some of the whole grains that are responsible for this problem.

• Oat bran
• Flax seed
• Barley
• Wheat

Besides the above list of foods that cause bloating, there are also certain drinks and other foods which are responsible for this problem; beer, aerated drinks, diet soda, sparkling water, etc. There are five food groups that one should consume as less as possible. They are:

• Vegetables and fruits that contain lots of fibers and starch
• Wheat as they cannot be digested properly thus leading to fermentation which in turn causes gas and bloating.
• Foods containing sugar alcohols. These sugar alcohols are the substitute for sugar in sugar free food products and they are responsible for causing gas and flatulence.
• Dairy products contain lactose which as I have already mentioned above, causes gas in stomach.
• Carbonated drinks or the soft drinks that we have, contains bubbles of carbon dioxide, which again is responsible for gas formation in the stomach.

These foods are healthy and just because they cause gas in the stomach, does not mean that we stop taking them. Eat it or drink, but do keep a limit. People constantly suffering from gastric problems, should in fact avoid such foods, i.e. foods that contain too much fiber or starch or that cannot be digested properly. Only then can the problem of gas and bloating be solved.