An inflamed stomach is one of the most common gut issues that people struggle with. It’s usually caused by food intolerances, hormones, lack of exercise, and more. While an inflamed stomach isn’t always an indication of any underlying health problems, like Crohn’s disease, it can be incredibly uncomfortable and difficult to manage if the problem becomes chronic. Changing what you eat on a daily basis is a great first step for tackling an inflamed stomach. There are certain foods that you may think are beneficial for digestive issues but are actually detrimental to an inflamed stomach. These unexpected foods include beans, refined sugar, and wheat. To discover why these foods frequently lead to inflammation and bloating, we spoke to dietitian Heidi Moretti MS, RD. Read more below!
Beans
It might not surprise you that legumes, or beans, can cause gas. But, Moretti emphasizes the fact that they can be harmful to your digestive system if not prepared properly.
"This is because legumes contain anti-nutrients and proteins that can trigger an inflammatory immune response or indigestion in sensitive people or if the legumes aren't soaked and cooked well," she tells us. If you consume too many beans, you can trigger an inflamed stomach.
So, what is the right way to cook beans? "Ideally, beans should be soaked, sprouted, and fermented to reduce these side effects," she instructs. However, preparing them this way won't always help with an inflamed diet. Moretti recommends that you may have to cut beans out of your diet altogether to see any digestive improvement.
Refined sugar
As we all know, sugar is bad for your overall health (and your skin!)—but sugar and high fructose corn syrup can be especially damaging to your gut health and can cause inflammation in the stomach. "Sugar and high fructose corn syrup are very inflammatory foods that can also cause bloating and digestive issues such as irritable bowel syndrome," Moretti notes. She emphasizes that these ingredients "can cause unwanted bacteria to overgrow and produce gas in the gut, causing bloating and distress." Yikes!
But, we know that cutting out all sugary items can be extremely difficult considering how many foods surprisingly contain sugar. But in the grand scheme of things, it's best to limit your intake as much as possible if you want to minimize digestive issues.
Wheat
Wheat is another culprit when it comes to stomach inflammation and digestive issues—especially if you have a more sensitive gut. "This is because it can increase intestinal permeability, which triggers a threat response in the immune system, causing a cascade of inflammation, for sensitive people," Moretti says. "The gut results of this inflammation are often gas, bloating, indigestion, and abnormal bowel movements in people who are sensitive to wheat and/or gluten." Specifically, white bread has been proven to ruin metabolism.
However, you may not need to cut out wheat and gluten if you find your body can handle it. Just be sure to pay attention to how you feel when you eat them. Do you notice stomach issues when you have wheat or gluten? If so, it may be time to make adjustments to your diet as necessary.
Just because these foods cause stomach inflammation doesn't mean they need to be entirely cut from your diet. Instead, try keeping them to a minimum so you can feel your best and get rid of indigestion. And, if you cut out these foods and are still noticing inflammation in the stomach or other digestive issues, Moretti recommends reaching out to your doctor.
