For those of you that often have digestion issues, it can be an unpleasant experience when friends and family suggest going out to eat or offering to cook a potentially troublesome meal. Never knowing just what may set off your tummy troubles. So what foods should you avoid to decrease digestion issues?
Start with fried or greasy foods. These are some of the biggest culprits when it comes to digestion issues. Fried and greasy foods, such as French fries, can often cause an upset stomach. When you eat a lot of greasy foods, your body needs to counteract by increasing the amount of lipase and bile to be able to digest the foods. If your body becomes overwhelmed trying to produce and break down the greasy foods within the pancreas and liver, it can result in a wealth of indigestion.
An equal culprit of heartburn is consuming chili peppers. While you may love spice, it may not love your body back. Chili peppers can lead to a burning of the esophagus and, especially when eaten right before bed, can cause painful and long-term heartburn.
While you may think you’re doing your body good by substituting artificial sweeteners for sugar, these can often cause havoc on your digestive system. Many artificial sweeteners are made from sugar alcohol, which is difficult for the body to break down. Consuming large quantities of artificial sweeteners can lead to bloating, cramping, gas build up and diarrhea.
Another difficult-to-digest food item that most Americans wouldn’t assume is corn. While you can consume corn in small amounts with little to no side effects, consuming a lot of corn can cause upset in your system. Cellulose is the main factor in corn and it is impossible to break down within your stomach, therefore it passes through your body undigested leading to gas build up and bloating.
For those of you that think you have a gluten intolerance, it may just be that our bodies weren’t made to easily digest processed foods. We’re talking about white bread, sodas and other refined foods with high amounts of carbohydrates. Our bodies don’t easily break down processed foods and while a can of Pringles or Wavy Lays may just hit the spot, your body will likely be in an unpleasant state of cramping, bloating and gas buildup during the digestion of your snack.
Alcohol is also on the no-no list of things to eat when you are more prone to sensitive digestion issues. While consuming an alcoholic beverage in moderation helps you relax, it can wreck your digestion system. From causing heartburn and acid reflux to cramping, diarrhea, and dehydration, alcohol is a culprit of many digestion woes. Alcohol can even affect the way you absorb nutrients into your body.
Another non-food item, but still a must for this list is that of coffee. As we age, coffee becomes less and less digestible, often leading to a burning of the stomach lining that can increase the likelihood of acid reflux and heartburn. Drinking large amounts of coffee can also dehydrate your body as well, leading to more serious health concerns down the line.
Unfortunately, chocolate is also on the list of worst foods for digestion. For those with a sweet tooth, you’ll be first to note that chocolate may be delicious, but troubling to digest as well. Chocolate is a known diuretic that leads to loose bowel movements and diarrhea. It is also known to kickoff heartburn, so be careful the next time you nosh on this sweet treat.
Finally, we come to the tricky foods on the list. While you may be looking to revamp your diet to eat more healthy and nutritious foods, both raw vegetables and acidic fruits make the list for hard to digest foods. Eating items like grapefruit or lemons, which are high in acid can irritate the stomach lining. Try to avoid eating these on an empty stomach when our stomachs are more susceptible to acidic sensitivity.
With raw vegetables, while you may be eating healthy, your body will have a difficult time consuming large quantities of raw vegetables due to the insoluble fiber that these items contain. Think back to earlier in the list when we noted corn as being a difficult food for the stomach and intestinal track – raw vegetables are the same. Try opting for frozen vegetables instead of the raw kind instead, but do avoid canned vegetables that contain high amounts of salt.
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