Intestinal problems cause a significant decrease in quality of life. It is necessary to give importance to a healthy diet and to avoid certain foods in order to prevent intestinal problems that cause a wide variety of problems both externally and internally. Gas, bloating, constipation, diarrhea and reflux are just a few of the symptoms a person may experience. Some of these symptoms may be related to a chronic condition in the digestive tract, while others may be caused by a sensitivity to one or more specific food items. In either scenario, what you eat can affect your gut health.
Whatever the source of your digestive problems, there are a few foods that you should avoid when experiencing digestive upset because they can make your symptoms worse.
FOODS THAT INCREASE BOOT PROBLEMS
CHIPS
Salty, crunchy and delicious chips can be a convenient snack, but they can aggravate your digestive problems. Foods that contain lots of simple carbohydrates, such as chips, white bread, and pastries, tend to move quickly through the digestive tract and often cause bloating and gas. Chips have another layer of digestive difficulties as they are fried. High-fat foods are notorious for causing heartburn, a common problem in the digestive tract. Chips aren’t the only culprits here, but processed products, fried foods, and fatty foods like fatty meat can increase the chances of heartburn.
SUGAR FREE GUM
It may surprise you that chewing gum affects your digestive system, but many types of sugar-free gum are made from sugar alcohols. This compound is used to add sweetness to foods that don’t contain as many calories as sugar. However, these sugar alcohols cannot be fully digested by the body and therefore can cause digestive upset. Bloating, gas, and diarrhea are some of the most common symptoms a person may experience. You can also find sugar alcohols in sugar-free candies, protein bars, and other products that have been modified to be sugar-free.
CANDY
While sugar substitutes such as sugar alcohols may not be safe for your gut, refined sugar can also be a problem. Added sugar, like those found in sugar, cereal, and baked goods, appears to have many negative effects on the body, including the gut. Research shows that this added sugar can increase pro-inflammatory properties in the gut, leading to a host of issues, including an imbalance of beneficial gut bacteria and metabolic dysregulation. It’s unrealistic to follow a zero-sugar diet for an extended period of time, so the best approach you can take is to cut out excess sugar as much as possible. Replace the sugary dessert with fruit, cut the sweetener in your coffee by half, and replace the sugar with cocoa nuts.
CABBAGE
This vegetable is notorious for causing digestive upset with symptoms like bloating, cramps and gas. Cabbage is part of the cruciferous category, a group that includes other common vegetables such as broccoli and brussels sprouts. This group of vegetables contains a sugar called raffinose, which is known to cause gas. For some, cooking these vegetables before eating them can reduce the chances of digestive upset, but for others it may be necessary to avoid them altogether.
BITTER SAUCE
This ingredient is known to add flavor and spice, and while it actually has some beneficial properties, it can worsen your digestive issues. Capsaicin is the compound that gives cayenne peppers heat and also has some health properties, including lowering certain markers for inflammation. Yet this same compound may be responsible for side effects such as acid reflux and stomach cramps. When experiencing intestinal issues, it may be best to skip all spicy foods, including hot sauce, salsa, and spicy seasonings.