Many foods and nutrients can be powerful belly fat fighters, if you desire a flat tummy, there are foods you need to stay away from. There are just as many, if not more, foods and nutrients that can bloat your belly and pack on belly fat. And these foods don’t all work in the same way.
Some of these foods are weighed down with transferred fats and simple sugars, which can trigger your body to store excess belly fat, expanding your waistline over time. Others can increase gas production in your stomach and intestines, causing your abdomen to look and feel distended. Although this condition is only temporary, it can still be an uncomfortable feeling and a less-than-desirable look.
Sugar alcohols: Sugar alcohols are sugar substitutes that can only be partially digested by the body. They’re found in sugar-free foods such as gums, candies, and snack foods like sugar-free cookies. Because these nutrients are only partially digested, they provide fewer calories per gram than regular sugar which may make your flat tummy disappear.
Soft drinks: You may call it pop, cola, soda, or even tonic, but whatever name it goes by in your neck of the woods, consuming large quantities of soft drinks can really bloat your belly. These drinks contain carbonation, which draws gas into the stomach and intestines, causing distension of the abdomen for an instant belly bloat, and the belly-expanding impact of soft drinks can be permanent for another reason: sugar!
Ice cream: “I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream!” But do you know what really screams after you indulge in this frozen treat? Your waistline! Ice cream can bloat your belly in a few ways. It’s rich in sugar, which triggers an increase in blood sugar followed by an increase in insulin levels, which promotes an increase in fat storage in your midsection and distorts your flat tummy.
Deep-fried vegetables: Eating more vegetables is one of the keys to successful weight loss. However, the way in which those vegetables are prepared is just as important as which vegetables you eat. Although vegetables contain many belly-slimming nutrients, eating vegetables that have been deep fried can not only cancel out the health benefits, but also turn vegetables into belly-fat gainers instead of belly-fat fighters.
Hot dogs: They may be a ballpark classic, but hot dogs can be a major belly bloater. The fatty meat of hot dogs is loaded with inflammation-triggering saturated fat, which can not only clog arteries, but also increase belly fat storage. In addition, hot dogs are typically high in sodium. Foods rich in sodium can trigger your body to retain water, making you look and feel bloated, especially in your midsection.
White Pasta: If you love spaghetti, you’d better watch out! Although pasta can seem innocent enough, eating too much of it is a recipe for waistline disaster. That’s because white pasta is made from white flour, which has been refined and stripped of the outermost and innermost layers of grain, removing most of the fibre, nutrients, and even proteins.
Sugar-free gum: You may be saying, “Seriously? Gum isn’t even a food! How can it possibly expand my belly?” Sugar-free gum is virtually free of calories, so it doesn’t seem like it could cause weight gain. And that’s true: Sugar-free gum won’t increase the number on the scale. But that doesn’t stop it from bloating your belly.
Cabbage: Cabbage offers many health benefits, but it can be a little rough on your digestive system. During digestion, cabbage can increase gas production in the gastrointestinal tract. So, after eating large amounts of cabbage, you may notice that you feel a bit bloated and see your waistline expand.
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