A lot of people dream of having a flat stomach. Sadly, it takes a lot of healthy eating exercise to actually lose belly fat. However, there are some people whose belly problem won’t be solved by weight loss. Bloating is a pretty common occurrence especially among women over the age of 40 thanks to a slowed-down digestive system.
Fortunately, there are still ways one can combat belly bloat through some lifestyle and dietary changes. For starters, people can begin introducing these following foods into their regular diets and see significant results in just a matter of days.
Greek Yogurt
Not everyone is a fan of the sour taste that Greek yogurt has. But you may want to overcome that because it can help your digestive system greatly thanks to the stomach-friendly bacteria it contains. What more, it can help in relieving constipation.
Experts recommend people to consume about four ounces of plain yogurt daily.
Ginger & Fennel Seed
Doctors also suggest adding fennel seed and ginger to one’s diet. This is because they contain compounds which aid in digestion and can solve bloating by getting rid of excess gas.
The food items can be taken with hot tea or just warm water. The fennel seeds should be steeped before drinking while the ginger can just be grated.
Peppermint Tea
Speaking of teas, peppermint is credited for speeding up the body’s digestion process as it contains compounds which trigger muscle contractions in a person’s gut. It can also be used to solve indigestion after an especially large meal.
Even health experts like registered dietician Frances Largeman-Roth follow this advice.
Fiber-Rich Foods
One of the things that can cause a belly to distend is constipation. And this can be prevented by eating one’s recommended daily dose of fiber.
The best time to get this supply is during breakfast so the fiber can get the digestive system moving throughout the day. Researchers have also discovered that consuming two kinds of fiber–gel-like soluble fiber and bulky insoluble fiber— at the same time.
Doing so reportedly speeds up the body’s elimination of waste. Luckily, one doesn’t have to look too hard for foods that meet this requirement. Oatmeal is filled with these types of fiber.
Fat-Rich Fish
Eating more fatty foods to eliminate belly fat may seem counterproductive. But eating the right kind of fats will make all the difference.
Fish like salmon, tuna, herring, and mackerel are rich with omega-3 fatty acids which boosts the body’s burning of calories. While fish is usually cooked as part of lunch or dinner meals, one can eat it in the mornings by using fish on bagels instead of deli meats.