Bloat busters: These are the foods to stick to if you want a flatter belly

Blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, citrus fruits and grapes are the fruits that cause the least bloating. Photo / 123RF

The UK may be the home of lavatory humour, but for the 20 per cent of the population who suffer from bloating, it’s no laughing matter.

According to Dr Megan Rossi, aka The Gut Health Doctor, in her book Eat Yourself Healthy, the causes are complex, but with simple dietary changes bloating can be reduced or even eliminated.

She advises avoiding large meals, making sure to chew your food well and limiting foods containing FODMAPs (fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides and polyols), types of carbohydrate which the small intestine absorbs poorly and which can exacerbate the problem.

Here are three easy ways to tweak your diet to beat the bloat.

Lighten up on legumes

Alternatives to legumes include whole grains such as quinoa, rice and oats.

Legumes such as peas, beans, chickpeas and lentils are a good source of plant-based protein and key micronutrients, but they are also high in fibre and FODMAPs.

Instead, try tinned and well-rinsed varieties and stick to a portion size of a quarter of a cup, which will help reduce bloating. Alternatives to legumes include whole grains such as quinoa, rice and oats.

Quinoa, in particular, is very protein-rich and suitable for those with gluten sensitivity, another known cause of bloating. Make a quick and easy quinoa salad by mixing together a 250g pouch of cooked quinoa, 150g cubed feta, half a diced cucumber, 150g sliced strawberries and a small handful of chopped mint leaves. Dress with 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, the juice of a lime, 1 tsp of honey and a little salt and pepper.

Know your onions

Onions and garlic are the workhorses of the kitchen, but they are also high in fructans, a kind of soluble fibre that can cause bloating. Photo / Sehajpal Singh, Unsplash

Onions and garlic are the workhorses of the kitchen, but they are also high in fructans, a kind of soluble fibre that can cause bloating. Using the green part of spring onions, chopping in chives or using garlic oil are all great ways to get that allicin flavour fix without the windy repercussions.

A great alternative for taste and texture, which is easier on the gut, is fennel. Make this delicious chicken and fennel dish for dinner by preheating the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Place a sliced fennel bulb, a couple of sliced, peeled carrots and a quartered lemon in the base of a baking dish.

Place eight chicken thighs on top, skin side up, drizzle with olive oil and season well. Mix together 200ml chicken stock, 100ml dry white wine and 1 tsp honey. Pour into the dish and bake for 35-40 minutes until the chicken is well-browned.

Be frugal with fruit

Cooking fruit breaks down the fibre, making it easier to digest. Photo / Vanessa Lewis

Certain fruits, like apples, are high in FODMAPs, fructose and fibre, all of which can cause bloating. Other fruits to limit include apricots, cherries, dates, figs, peaches, pears and plums.

Easier on the stomach are blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, citrus fruits and grapes. Ideally, limit your fruit intake to one piece at any one time, to avoid overloading the gut.

Cooking fruit breaks down the fibre, making it easier to digest. Try making this low-FODMAP rhubarb, ginger and strawberry compote to have with live yogurt - the probiotics it contains will also assist digestion.

Place 250g chopped strawberries, 250g chopped rhubarb, 1 tsp vanilla extract, 1 tbsp peeled and finely grated ginger, 1 tbsp maple syrup and 1 tbsp water in a pan and simmer over a gentle heat for 20 minutes. Let cool and keep refrigerated in an airtight container.