Top 14 foods & drinks linked to bloating

*This article includes data based on a UK survey conducted by DR.VEGAN^® of 251 customers, nationally representative, during August & September 2022. All survey findings reflect our own efforts and have not been influenced or verified by any external organisations or third-party entities.

In our latest survey of members of the public and customers, 70% of people said they suffer from bloating, and more than 50% do so regularly. Why? Poor dietary choices, food intolerances, stress, hormone changes, IBS, constipation – these and other factors can all cause bloating. Our survey of over 800 men and women, including 251 people who take Debloat & Detox, reveals who suffers from bloating, the common food intolerances, the impact of bloating, and tips to ‘beat the bloat’.  

What age does bloating start?

Whilst a third of 811 people in our customer survey said they suffer from bloating as teenagers and in their 20s, the proportion of people suffering from bloating rises markedly among those in their 30s and 40s, with more than half saying they suffered from bloating.

Top 10 effects of bloating

80% of people who suffered from bloating experienced a lack of energy, while more than half experienced weight gain, mood swings, anxiety, poor sleep or insomnia as a result of their bloating. More than a quarter of people say the appearance of their skin and hair is affected by their bloating, while 3 out of 10 people who suffered from bloating said it affects their libido. 

 

Stress and bloating

Our gut health is central to the production of 'serotonin', which is our ‘happy hormone’. If we’re suffering from bloating and poor gut health, it directly affects the production of serotonin, and as a result, our mood and our ability to deal with anxiety and stress. That’s why there is such a focus on diet, nutrition and gut health to relieve anxiety and stress. This is also likely to be the reason why 67% of people said their bloating worsens when they’re anxious or stressed. 

The impact of bloating

Persistent or even occasional bloating can be debilitating. 66% of people who suffer from bloating said it restricts how they go about their daily life. A third of people will experience mild depression as a result of their bloating, while 4 out of 10 people said they avoid social contact and going out as a result of their bloating.  

What causes bloating?

Food intolerances

Our customer survey showed that 1 in 4 people are intolerant to dairy, and nearly 2 in 10 people are intolerant to gluten or wheat. However, the actual figures are believed to be much higher because so many people live with undiagnosed food intolerances. 

IBS and imbalanced gut microbiome

Imbalanced gut bacteria, where bad bacteria, parasites, fungi and other organisms build up in the gut over time, is a very common cause of bloating and IBS. In our survey of 811 women and men, 46% said they suffer from IBS, of which bloating is the most common symptom. Discover our gut health practitioner toolkit. 

PMS & Menopause

Bloating is a common symptom of the menstrual cycle due to hormonal changes that affect the movement of food through your stomach and the small and large intestines to your colon (also known as ‘motility of the gut’), which can lead to bloating. Hormonal changes also have the same affect for women going through menopause, with our survey showing 60% of women experienced bloating through the perimenopause and menopause. The hormonal changes and bloating only serve to add to the challenges with maintaining a healthy weight during menopause and contribute to fatigue during menopause. 

Certain foods and drinks

Our customer survey of 811 men and women highlights the most common foods and drinks that cause bloating, with refined bread the #1 culprit. 

When you consider the growth in the culture of snacks, burgers and sandwiches in the last 50 years, the popularity of toast, cereals and yoghurt for breakfast, our thirst for cold refreshing fizzy drinks, and not to mention the huge growth in coffee culture, it is not surprising that three quarters of the population suffer from bloating! If you take a powder protein or meal replacement shake or a supplement in powder form, these can also cause bloating. The majority of powder supplements contain plant or artificial sweeteners, and not only are both forms of sweetener bad for individuals health, our customer survey shows they can also lead to an increase in bloating. 

Our bodies are simply not designed to easily digest and eliminate these foods through our stools, leading to bloating, IBS, unhealthy poo, constipation, excessive gas and much more. 

Debloat & Detox

Debloat & Detox is formulated to naturally detoxify your liver and digestive-related bloating. When asked 'How effective would you say Debloat & Detox has been in supporting you through menopause?', 80% of Debloat & Detox customers surveyed said they felt the difference when taking Debloat & Detox daily.*  

5 tips to beat the bloat

The good news is that individuals don't need to suffer from bloating forever. Here are 5 important tips to combat and stay on top of bloating. 

1. Don't eat when stressed

Our survey showed that 78% of respondents feel stressed or anxious at least once a week, and it can have a very detrimental impact on our gut health. When the body is anxious or stressed, it triggers the ‘flight or fight’ response, which deprioritises and conserves non-essential functions, of which digestion is one of them. The stomach acid becomes less efficient in breaking down foods, and the gut motility slows down, leading to bloating.

If individuals are feeling tight, anxious or stressed, suggest taking lots of deep breaths before eating. Let other people start, and until their body relaxes. Even cooking a big meal for lots of people can raise levels of stress and hinder digestion of the meal that was just cooked! Recommend pausing, breathing, and taking a few minutes before they start eating. 

2. Chew and chew again

The stomach needs to absorb as many nutrients from the food being eaten as it can, and the more individuals chew the food and break it open, the easier it is for the stomach to both digest the food and to obtain the vital vitamins, minerals, amino acids and fatty acids. The need to chew is obviously different for different foods – if it’s yoghurt, take it slowly. If it’s beans or carrots, chew them as much as they can before swallowing. If they can chew it until it feels like baby food in your mouth, that's a good thing!

3. Avoid drinking too much when eating

The stomach needs the acid within it to break down food. The more clients drink during a meal, the more likely you are to wash away the acid, reducing the effectiveness of the stomach in breaking down food before it passes into the small intestine. Suggest trying to drink as much as they can away from their meals and as little as they can whilst eating. 

4. Add bitter greens to meals

Suggest adding bitter greens such as rocket, kale, spinach, watercress and dandelion to as many meals as possible. Bitter greens stimulate digestive juices and help breakdown the foods being eaten.

5. Avoid common foods that cause bloating

As shown in our customer survey, refined bread, fizzy drinks, milk, dairy products, alcohol, sweeteners such as stevia, and much more foods and drinks can all cause bloating and wider gut health issues, both on their own and in combination. Make sure to eliminate these and other foods and drinks from your clients diet that are common causes of bloating. Also, be sure to avoid meal replacement shakes, which don't contain the same level of nutrients as whole food and contain fewer nutrients than a quality daily multi-vitamin, and they also contain sweeteners, which can be harmful for long-term health and cause bloating.  

Avoid bread, toast and cereal for breakfast and instead opt for fruit, Greek yoghurt, and wholegrain granola with zero added sugar. Clients should try to say no to that cappuccino or latte and instead treat themselves to a fruit smoothie, herbal tea or just good ice cold water. 

You may be interested in reading more of our surveys

• Menopause & gut health survey
• Gut health survey
• Skin health survey
• Stress survey
• Sleep survey
• Daily multi-vitamin survey
• Vaginal health survey
• PMS survey

*Based on a UK survey conducted by DR.VEGAN^® of 811 men and women, including 246 Gut Works^® customers and 251 Debloat & Detox Customers, nationally representative, during August & September 2022. All survey findings reflect our own research efforts and have not been influenced by any external organisations or third-party entities.