As summer approaches, many individuals strive to shed excess belly fat and achieve a leaner physique. However, certain gut-ruining foods can sabotage these efforts, contributing to bloating, inflammation, and weight gain around the midsection. By understanding which foods to avoid, individuals can take proactive steps to trim their waistline and feel confident in their summer bodies.
We spoke with Krutika Nanavati, registered dietitian and nutritionist; Abby Grimm, MS, RDN, LDN, IFNCP, Paula Doebrich, RDN, and dietitian Marie Murphy, CEO of MEM Nutrition and Wellness, to learn about seven gut-ruining foods to eliminate for a slimmer belly by summer. They revealed that pastries, highly processed breakfast meats, cereals with artificial sweeteners, sweetened yogurt, granola bars, dried fruit, and diet soda are the ones to minimize.
Pastries
Pastries, with their tempting aromas and indulgent flavors, are often considered a guilty pleasure. Laden with refined carbohydrates, sugars, and unhealthy fats, pastries can wreak havoc on gut health, leading to bloating, inflammation, and weight gain around the midsection.
"[Pastries] do not support healthy levels of gut bacteria and may actually feed the overgrowth of opportunistic (bad) bacteria such as candida and citrobacter," Grimm says. She further adds that "these breakfast foods negatively impact gut health and weight management because the high sugar can lead to higher levels of insulin in the body. High levels of insulin can lead to fat accumulation in the tissues, making weight loss extremely difficult."
Highly Processed Breakfast Meat
Packed with unhealthy additives, preservatives, and high levels of sodium, these meats can impact gut health and lead to bloating and inflammation. Furthermore, their high saturated fat content has been linked to increased abdominal fat deposition and weight gain.
"Eating too much processed red meat may cause unfavorable shifts in the microbiome, meaning more pathogenic bacteria and less healthy bacteria. Farmed-raised, highly processed meats come from animals who have been fed poor quality food and often have been injected with hormones and other chemicals. These components can affect your gut health and weight because they can drive inflammation all throughout the body," Grimm notes.
Cereals With Artificial Sweeteners
Cereals with artificial sweeteners may seem like a healthier choice, but they can be detrimental to gut health and hinder efforts to reduce belly fat by summer. Despite their low-calorie appeal, cereals with artificial sweeteners often contain additives and sugar substitutes that can disrupt the balance of gut bacteria and lead to digestive discomfort.
"Not only are cereals often low in fiber, high in sugar, and low in nutrients, cereal often contains sugar and artificial sweeteners and sugar alcohols such as erythritol that may disrupt the gut. Sugar alcohols draw water into the digestive system, causing unfavorable symptoms like bloating, loose stools, gas, and stomach cramps. They can also change the makeup of good and bad bacteria in the microbiome," Grimm says.
Moreover, research suggests that artificial sweeteners may alter metabolic processes and increase cravings for sugary foods, ultimately promoting weight gain, particularly around the midsection.
Sweetened Yogurt
Sweetened yogurt, while often advertised as a healthy option, can sabotage efforts to reduce belly fat. Loaded with added sugars and artificial ingredients, these commercially-made yogurts can disrupt your gut health and cause bloating, inflammation, and weight gain around your waistline.
"Many store-bought yogurts have too much-added sugar, exceeding the recommended daily intake. Excess sugar promotes harmful gut bacteria growth, leading to inflammation, bloating, and digestion issues. Certain yogurts contain artificial sweeteners, which studies suggest could potentially disturb the composition of the gut microbiome and contribute to weight gain," says Nanavati.
As for gut health, she says "a lot of flavored yogurts fall short in providing enough fiber, which is crucial for maintaining a healthy gut and feeling full. Insufficient fiber intake can result in constipation and consuming more calories than needed."
Granola Bars
Despite its wholesome image, many store-bought granolas are filled with added sugars, unhealthy fats, and calorie-dense ingredients like nuts and dried fruits.
Nanavati states, "Often marketed as healthy snacks, granola bars can be calorie-dense due to added sugars, oils, and processed grains. Granola bars frequently contain concentrated forms of sugar like syrups and dried fruit, contributing to sugar overload and its associated gut health issues. Many granola bars use refined grains instead of whole grains, lacking fiber and promoting blood sugar spikes, potentially leading to weight gain and increased hunger."
Dried Fruit
While dried fruit contains essential vitamins, minerals, and fiber, it's also concentrated in natural sugars and calories. Consuming large quantities of dried fruit can lead to spikes in blood sugar levels, contributing to insulin resistance and weight gain around the stomach.
When it comes to gut health, Nanavati says, "While dried fruit offers vitamins and minerals, its higher natural sugar concentration compared to fresh fruit can disrupt gut bacteria balance, causing bloating. Certain dried fruits may contain sulfites, which are preservatives that could potentially contribute to imbalances in the gut microbiome and digestive problems in sensitive individuals."
This can also impact weight, as she says, "Despite its small serving size, dried fruit contains a surprisingly high number of calories due to the dehydration process. Excessive consumption of dried fruit can cause weight gain."
Diet Soda
Diet soda is usually portrayed as a calorie-free alternative to regular soda, and they may seem like a guilt-free indulgence. However, research suggests that the artificial sweeteners and additives found in diet soda can disrupt gut health and contribute to belly fat. Despite containing zero calories, the artificial sweeteners in diet soda have been linked to alterations in gut bacteria and increased cravings for sugary foods, potentially leading to excess pounds on the scale.
Doebrich says that "drinking excessive amounts of diet soda" leads to "changes in the gut microbiome, which have negative health consequences" such as "gastrointestinal discomfort."
Murphy agrees and notes that artificial sweeteners in your favorite diet soda are "gut disruptors, which decrease the good bacteria in our guts and increase the bad ones," causing more gas and bloating.
