Uncomfortable gas and bloating can sometimes be caused by the beverages we consume every day. Certain drinks contain ingredients or have certain characteristics that can upset our stomachs, from fizzy sodas to some seemingly healthier options.
Cutting back on these beverages may help improve your tummy troubles. But even if your favourite quencher is on this list, you won’t have to give it up completely – especially if you don’t sip it through a straw, which can make gassiness and bloating worse.
“If you find that a drink makes you feel bloated, this doesn’t mean you have to always avoid it. Try drinking smaller amounts to help manage it,” says Registered Dietitian Amanda Sauceda, RDN, who is also a Certified Intuitive Eating Counsellor in Long Beach, California.
1. Carbonated Beverages
All fizzy drinks — flavoured, unflavoured, unsweetened, or those that contain sugar or artificial sweeteners – contain carbon dioxide that can make you feel bloated.
“The tiny bubbles of carbonation can make you gassy,” Sauceda says. And diet beverages can spell double trouble for your stomach, since they typically contain non-gut-friendly artificial sweeteners.
“Sugar alcohols, which you find in artificial sweeteners, aren’t digested well in the gut, and can cause bloating, gas, and diarrhoea,” Sauceda says.
The same goes for spiked seltzer, which can cause even more stress on your stomach than the non-alcoholic types. On top of the bloat-inducing bubbles, alcohol can trigger inflammation in your gut, which can lead to further digestive problems.
2. Milk
Milk and other dairy products contain lactose, which is a natural sugar. People who can’t digest lactose well have a condition known as lactose intolerance, which can cause diarrhoea, gas, and bloating.
Lactose intolerance is a common condition that impacts as many as 65 percent of adults. Found most frequently in people of East Asian descent, it’s less prevalent in those whose cultures have a long history of consuming unfermented milk products, such as people from Northern Europe.
Sauceda says that even if milk didn’t bother your stomach before, you might develop an issue as you get older. There are also people who are born with a gene mutation that causes lactose intolerance.
3. Protein Shakes
It’s not the protein in the protein shakes that can cause intestinal discomfort. It’s possible that your stomach is having a reaction to whey, a by-product of milk that’s commonly used to make protein powder.
If you have gas and bloating after drinking protein shakes, smoothies, or any other food that uses protein powder, consider choosing a plant-based, dairy-free protein powder instead.
Protein shakes also may have another reason why they bother your stomach: They may contain artificial sweeteners to enhance their taste without adding calories.
Research shows that sugar substitutes impact overall gut health because they can change the makeup of the gut microbiota.
4. Coffee
Coffee can be rough on the gastrointestinal system in several ways. It can stimulate stomach acid production and change the gut microbiome.
While coffee isn’t a gastrointestinal irritant for everyone, “some people are sensitive to caffeine, and as a result, they might notice some digestive issues like gas or diarrhoea,” Sauceda says.
Plus, caffeine is a stimulant that can contract the muscles in the gastrointestinal tract, which can lead to loose stools or diarrhoea.
5. Bubble Tea
Bubble tea, also known as boba milk tea, is a trendy beverage with versatile flavours, bright colours, and tapioca pearls, which are also known as boba pearls. But, the boba that makes it a fun refresher may be what’s upsetting your stomach.
“Boba pearls usually contain starch made from tapioca with water and sugar, creating a gummy consistency,” explains Pittsburgh-based Jess DeGore, RD, LDN, a Registered Dietitian-Nutritionist who specialises in diabetes and women’s health. And other ingredients may make it hard on the stomach, too. “High-fructose corn syrup can be used as a sweetener in some boba teas, and this can lead to diarrhoea and flatulence in those with a low absorption capacity for fructose.”
6. Fruit Juice
Many fruit juice products on the market aren’t made from real fruit. These beverages are often a cocktail of water, fruit concentrate, sugar, and added flavours. While you may think you’re getting a serving or two of fruit, you may actually be getting a fussy digestive system instead.
“Much fruit juice sold in stores is flavoured with sugar additives, like sorbitol,” DeGore says. “Sugar alcohols remain mostly undigested before reaching the large intestine. When they arrive there, the bacteria will start to break them down, causing excess gas.”
Sorbitol is another ingredient that’s likely to cause gas. Sorbitol is naturally found in some fruits, such as apples and pears, but it’s also used as a sweetener in various foods and sugar-free candy.
7. Beer
Beer can lead to tummy troubles for a few reasons. It’s a bubbly, carbonated beverage, and the alcohol it contains may also irritate the stomach.
“Alcohol is inflammatory and will cause swelling and irritation in the stomach, producing more stomach acid, which can lead to bloating,” DeGore says.
DeGore says beer is an especially big offender because of the fermentation and carbonation processes involved in it that make it bubbly. Plus, the grains often used to make beer – wheat and barley – are hard to digest.
SOURCE: Everyday Health
