Have you ever felt gassy, bloated, or experienced extreme heartburn after a meal? Maybe it’s even worse for you and your tummy has twisted and sent you running to the restroom. Whenever that happens, it’s most likely due to something you ate. Some foods are worse for your digestion than others, especially if you’re one of the millions of people who suffers from a digestive disorder like IBS, acid reflux, diarrhea, constipation, or GERD, just to name a few.

If you want to make sure that your digestion works properly, and you no longer have to deal with a stomach ache every time you eat, these are the foods you need to avoid for your digestive health.

Artificial Sweetener

Cutting calories by using artificial sweeteners is not a very good idea. They can affect your digestion by causing inflammation in your body, which leads to bloating, gas, and diarrhea. If you’re determined to use artificial sweeteners, we recommend experimenting with which ones work best for you. Try to stick with natural sweeteners like agave nectar or Stevia.

Processed Foods

This one shouldn’t be a surprise. Processed foods like white bread, soda, and potato chips move quickly through the digestive tract and can cause bloating, cramping, and other GI issues. If you can’t totally cut out processed foods, eat them along with foods that digest slowly such as lean proteins (chicken) and healthy fats (avocado or natural peanut butter).

Fresh Fruit and Veggies

Yes, fruits and veggies are packed full of the vitamins and minerals your body needs, but digesting raw fruit and vegetables can be very difficult on your body. Raw produce has high amounts of insoluble fiber, which moves quickly through your intestinal tract and results in loose stools, diarrhea, gas, and bloating. As always, we recommend cooking your veggies and fruit whenever possible. Cooking helps to break down the fiber so you can digest more easily.

Coffee

There are multiple reasons we love tea, not the least of which is that it’s better for your digestive health than coffee. Coffee can be your GI tract’s worst enemy. Coffee doesn’t just wake up your mind; it stimulates acid production in the stomach where it can cause inflammation, heartburn, and GERD. What’s worse, coffee can lead to dehydration, and ultimately, constipation. If you can’t replace your coffee with a cup of green or black tea, limit yourself to one cup of coffee a day and try not to drink it on an empty stomach.

Greasy or Fried Foods

Foods that are high in saturated fat like steak, French fries, and ice cream are extremely difficult for the body to digest. They can make you feel uncomfortably full and increase your chances of acid reflux. If you already suffer from heartburn, fatty food will only make it worse. If you’re really craving something fatty and greasy, don’t combine it with alcohol, as that will make it worse. And when possible, cook your fried foods in plant-based fats like olive oil, so they’re easier to break down.

If you want the best digestive health possible, avoid the foods listed above and try our Digestive Herbs (formerly Tiny Tea) to get your indigestion under control. It will help you get on the right path so that the foods you eat work better for you.

Your in Digestive Health,
Your Tea

Pic via @acolorstory