The 6 Worst Foods for Bloating, According to a Dietitian

In This ArticleView AllIn This ArticleCarbonated DrinksInulinMilkBeansBroccoli and CauliflowerGarlic and OnionsWhy Does Bloating Occur?

In This ArticleView All

View All

In This Article

Carbonated Drinks

Inulin

Milk

Beans

Broccoli and Cauliflower

Garlic and Onions

Why Does Bloating Occur?

Photo:Getty Images. EatingWell design.

a photo of a woman grabbing her midsection to express pain in her stomach while sitting on a couch

Getty Images. EatingWell design.

Everyone is gassy and bloated sometimes.But when belly bloat becomes chronic, something might be up. And that something could be what you’re eating.

The good news is that simple diet changes can often ease your digestive woes and stop the uncomfortable feeling in your tummy. We spoke with a dietitian specializing in gut health about the worst foods to eat for bloating. And you may be surprised to learn about some common culprits!

If gas and bloating are making you miserable, here are six foods and beverages to watch out for.

6 Worst Foods for Bloating

1. Carbonated Drinks

Unfortunately for seltzer lovers, carbonated beverages,like seltzer and sparkling water, may produce gas and bloating. “Whether it’s water or soda, the carbonation can cause some discomfort,” saysAmanda Sauceda, M.S., RD, owner of The Mindful Gut. That’s because the air in these beverages gets trapped in the digestive tract, where it may cause burps and belly bloat.

On the upside, you don’t necessarily have to give up your favorite fizzy drink. Just make sure to drink slowly, says Sauceda. And skip the straw, which can make you suck in excess air or drink too quickly.

2. Inulin

Inulinis a prebiotic fiber added to many foods and drinks, such as yogurt, cereal, snack bars, prebiotic sodas and even low-calorie ice cream. Like most prebiotic fibers, inulin is fermented in the gut.“Since this fiber is prebiotic, it does feed your good gut bacteria, but a side effect can be gas and bloating,” says Sauceda.If you consume inulin-containing foods, Sauceda recommends scaling back the portion size to give your gut time to adjust to this type of fiber. Additionally, read the nutrition labels of your favorite snack foods, especially those that are marketed as healthy. Many have added inulin, so you may be consuming more of this fiber than you realize.

3. Milk

Lactose intoleranceoccurs when the small intestine cannot digest or break down lactose, a simple sugar in milk. This results in gas, bloating, abdominal pain and diarrhea.“Lactose intolerance isn’t the same thing as a milk allergy, but both can sometimes cause digestive problems,” notes Sauceda. “If you’re lactose-intolerant, choose lactose-free milk,” she says. “Greek yogurt is also a great option because it’s naturally lower in lactose and has probiotics to help with lactose digestion.”

4. Beans

“Beans are high in fiber and have carbs that can sometimes be hard to digest,” says Sauceda. Specifically,beanscontain difficult-to-digest complex carbohydrates called oligosaccharides, which can cause gas and bloating.If beans make you extra gassy, try cooking them from dry. “When you soak the dried beans, it helps to remove some of the carbs that are harder to digest,” says Sauceda. She also recommends making them in a pressure cooker to reduce cooking time.

5. Broccoli and Cauliflower

6. Garlic and Onions

Gas and bloating are normal parts of digestion. They are so common that 1 in 7 Americans report experiencing these symptoms on a weekly basis.Some causes, like eating certain foods or eating or drinking too quickly, can be easy to manage. However, others may be due to an underlying health condition, such as inflammatory bowel disease, food allergies or intolerances, small bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) or IBS. If your bloating is frequent or severe, talk to your health care professional.

IBS Diet Plan: What to Include and What to Limit, According to a Dietitian

The Bottom Line

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SourcesEatingWell uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable and trustworthy.Garvey SM, LeMoire A, Wang J, et al.Safety and Tolerability of Microbial Inulinase Supplementation in Healthy Adults: A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Trial.Gastro Hep Adv. 2024;3(7):920-930. doi:10.1016/j.gastha.2024.05.013National Institutes of Health. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Definition & Facts for Lactose IntoleranceElango D, Rajendran K, Van der Laan L, et al.Raffinose Family Oligosaccharides: Friend or Foe for Human and Plant Health?.Front Plant Sci. 2022;13:829118. doi:10.3389/fpls.2022.829118Monash University.Cooking with Onion and Garlic - Myths and FactsOh JE, Chey WD, Spiegel B.Abdominal Bloating in the United States: Results of a Survey of 88,795 Americans Examining Prevalence and Healthcare Seeking.Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2023;21(9):2370-2377. doi:10.1016/j.cgh.2022.10.031

Sources

EatingWell uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable and trustworthy.Garvey SM, LeMoire A, Wang J, et al.Safety and Tolerability of Microbial Inulinase Supplementation in Healthy Adults: A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Trial.Gastro Hep Adv. 2024;3(7):920-930. doi:10.1016/j.gastha.2024.05.013National Institutes of Health. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Definition & Facts for Lactose IntoleranceElango D, Rajendran K, Van der Laan L, et al.Raffinose Family Oligosaccharides: Friend or Foe for Human and Plant Health?.Front Plant Sci. 2022;13:829118. doi:10.3389/fpls.2022.829118Monash University.Cooking with Onion and Garlic - Myths and FactsOh JE, Chey WD, Spiegel B.Abdominal Bloating in the United States: Results of a Survey of 88,795 Americans Examining Prevalence and Healthcare Seeking.Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2023;21(9):2370-2377. doi:10.1016/j.cgh.2022.10.031

Garvey SM, LeMoire A, Wang J, et al.Safety and Tolerability of Microbial Inulinase Supplementation in Healthy Adults: A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Trial.Gastro Hep Adv. 2024;3(7):920-930. doi:10.1016/j.gastha.2024.05.013National Institutes of Health. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Definition & Facts for Lactose IntoleranceElango D, Rajendran K, Van der Laan L, et al.Raffinose Family Oligosaccharides: Friend or Foe for Human and Plant Health?.Front Plant Sci. 2022;13:829118. doi:10.3389/fpls.2022.829118Monash University.Cooking with Onion and Garlic - Myths and FactsOh JE, Chey WD, Spiegel B.Abdominal Bloating in the United States: Results of a Survey of 88,795 Americans Examining Prevalence and Healthcare Seeking.Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2023;21(9):2370-2377. doi:10.1016/j.cgh.2022.10.031

National Institutes of Health. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Definition & Facts for Lactose Intolerance

Elango D, Rajendran K, Van der Laan L, et al.Raffinose Family Oligosaccharides: Friend or Foe for Human and Plant Health?.Front Plant Sci. 2022;13:829118. doi:10.3389/fpls.2022.829118

Monash University.Cooking with Onion and Garlic - Myths and Facts

Oh JE, Chey WD, Spiegel B.Abdominal Bloating in the United States: Results of a Survey of 88,795 Americans Examining Prevalence and Healthcare Seeking.Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2023;21(9):2370-2377. doi:10.1016/j.cgh.2022.10.031

6 Worst Foods for Bloating#

1. Carbonated Drinks#

2. Inulin#

3. Milk#

4. Beans#

5. Broccoli and Cauliflower#

6. Garlic and Onions#

The Bottom Line#