Eating foods that benefit our digestion is essential. Digestive problems such as bloating, gas, constipation, and others affect millions of people across the world. Wrong dietary habits can affect one’s digestive system and lead to digestive problems.
Our digestive tract plays an important role in maintaining our health by absorbing nutrients and eliminating waste. Without good digestive health, one may experience uncomfortable symptoms such as abdominal pain, bloating, and indigestion.
Therefore, keeping our digestive system healthy is important. Here are certain foods that affect our digestive system negatively, and we must avoid them.
Foods That Affect Digestion
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Processed Foods: Processed foods can disrupt digestion and aggravate existing gastrointestinal symptoms. They also raise bad cholesterol levels and increase gut inflammation. Consuming too much processed foods can cause weight gain and increase one’s risk of type 2 diabetes and other diseases.
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High-Fiber Foods: High-fiber foods are good for our health. However, adding too much fiber too quickly can promote abdominal bloating, intestinal gas, and cramping. One must increase fiber in the diet gradually over a few weeks. This allows the natural bacteria in our digestive system to adjust to the change.
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Dairy Products: People with lactose intolerance are unable to fully digest milk. As a result, they have diarrhea, gas, and bloating after eating or drinking dairy products. The condition, called lactose malabsorption, is usually harmless, but its symptoms can be uncomfortable.
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Artificial Sweeteners: Artificial sweeteners are dangerous for our gut health. These are food additives that provide sweetness without adding sugar or calories. They disrupt the balance of healthy bacteria in the gut. Excessive consumption of artificial sweeteners can cause gastrointestinal symptoms such as gas.
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Fatty Foods: Usually, the body finds it difficult to break down the fat, which causes digestive distress. Fats take longer to digest than other foods, and the amount of time varies depending on the fat type consumed. High-fat foods can worsen irritable bowel syndrome and cause gas, bloating, and constipation.
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Spicy Foods: Overeating spicy foods can irritate the stomach and intestine lining. People with sensitive stomachs, experience diarrhea upon eating too much spicy foods. Frequent consumption of spicy foods can also trigger gastrointestinal symptoms.
Here are habits for a good digestive system
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Include both insoluble and soluble fiber, as they help our digestive system greatly by improving stool formation.
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Avoid foods that are high in fat., as fatty foods slow down our digestive process.
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Choose lean meats for protein, like skinless poultry.
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One must include probiotics in our diet as these healthy bacteria enhance nutrient absorption in our body.
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Consuming meals and snacks on a regular schedule can help keep our digestive system healthy.
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Drinking plenty of water is good for our digestive health as fiber pulls water into the colon to create softer, bulkier stools, allowing them to pass through more easily.
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One must avoid smoking, alcohol, and excessive caffeine, as these things can cause problems like stomach ulcers and heartburn.
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Regular exercise helps keep foods moving through our digestive system, reducing constipation. Exercise can also help us maintain a healthy weight, which is good for our digestive health.
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Manage stress. Too much stress or anxiety can cause our digestive system to go into overdrive.
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Consult a gastroenterologist in case of frequent bloating, discomfort in digestion.
One must stay away from foods that affect the digestive system and adopt habits that can help to have a good digestive system.
