10 Popular Foods that are hard to digest….
1. Fried Foods
Once a food, ANY food, is dipped in batter and deep fried, it’s turned into a gut-irritant. Fried foods are greasy and high in fat, both of which spell trouble for the stomach. Oily fried foods are bound to be problematic to people already suffering from inflammatory bowel disease. It can also cause symptoms like nausea and diarrhea.
To make a healthier version, take frozen food (such as chicken nuggets, chicken breast or drumsticks) and bake them instead of frying them.
2. Packet Snacks
So you may not see them made yourself, but that doesn’t make it any better. Packed snacks such as potato chips are made from the same kind of oil that is used in frying foods. If you still want the salty and crunchy goodness of chips minus the greasy side effects, look for baked versions of potato chips or switch to low-fat snacks such as pretzels, air-popped popcorn or soy crisps.
3. Spicy Food
While hot & exotic peppers (such as cayenne or jalapeno) give food a wonderful spicy kick, they can also irritate the lining of the esophagus on the way down. The result is an unpleasant feeling after you eat, similar to heartburn. Using sour cream may help cool down the tongue, but the spices still have to go through the digestive process; thus causing the same irritation, if not more.
Instead of trying to mask spice with high-fat cream, opt for milder versions if you routinely suffer side effects.
4. Chocolate
One brownie as an occasional treat is fine but a triple brownie every day is not! Chocolate doesn’t really affect anyone drastically, till you start over-eating it. However, people suffering from gastro-esophageal reflux disease (GERD) can experience problems from even a small serving of chocolate. This is because chocolate causes the lower esophageal sphincter to relax, allowing stomach acid to come back up.
Citrus juices are acidic drinks which can irritate the esophagus, stimulating the sensory nerves to feel more inflamed. While this might feel like acid reflux, it is really just irritation. Meanwhile, the extra acid of the drink in the stomach can cause other problems. Examples such as drinking orange juice first thing in the morning without eating anything else will leave your gut full of acid, causing a stomach ache. Also, drinking lemonade sweetened with high fructose corn syrup can lead to diarrhea.
6. Ice cream
For those that are lactose intolerant, a big bowl of ice cream can cause bloating, cramping and gas, while telling you the obvious: stay away from rich dairy products! In such cases, switch to lactose-free frozen treats (e.g. made from soy or rice milk). However, ice cream can still offer stomach trouble to those that are not lactose intolerant. This is because ice cream is essentially all fat, and fat lingers in the stomach longer than other foods before getting digested.
7. Broccoli and raw cabbage
These fiber-based and nutrient-rich vegetables are incredibly healthy, but they are also well known for causing gas buildup in the gut. Cooking them will deactivate the sulphuric compounds that cause gas.
8. Sugar-free gum
Sorbitol, an ingredient found in many sugar-free gums, candies, diet bars and shakes, can cause an uncomfortable buildup of gas in your gut. Check the labels before you buy to see if you can find sugar-free products that use less troublesome sugar substitutes. A product that packs 10 or more grams will undoubtedly be tough on the digestion.
9. Beans
While very appealing due to ease and taste, beans are notorious for causing gastric anomalies. The enzyme needed to break down beans is found only in our stomach bacteria which ironically you might not have enough of this enzyme to comfortably digest them, if you don’t routinely eat beans. The result: gas and bloating.
Cooking beans in soup is helpful as the extra fluid will help digest the large amounts of fiber that beans contain, and the extra cooking time will start breaking the beans down even before you eat them. By adding beans to your diet gradually, you will help build up the enzyme necessary to digest them without issue.
10. Raw onion
Onions, garlic, and shallots etc are filled with a variety of phytonutrient compounds, some of which seem to offer healthy, heart-protective benefits, while others cause stomach distress. Cooking them seems may remove some of the problem-causing compounds, but they may also remove the good compounds. Mix them both cooked and raw so that you can reap the benefits without suffering the consequences.