A balanced diet free of processed junk or fast food is essential when trying to obtain a flat stomach. A healthy diet of lean protein, complex carbohydrates and healthy fats combined with a fitness program is necessary to achieve the lean and toned stomach you're after. Avoid foods that cause problems with blood sugar levels, increase your overall caloric intake or cause bloating.
Salt
Excess sodium causes your body to retain water, which often leads to a bloated stomach. The USDA daily recommended value for sodium is 2,400 mg for individuals with normal blood pressure and 1,500 mg for those with high blood pressure. Read nutrition labels to determine the sodium content in foods you eat on a regular basis. Avoid adding extra salt to meals, especially if the foods already contain a high amount of sodium. While it may seem obvious that soy sauce and prepackaged meals have a high sodium content, other foods such as canned goods, seasoning packets, dressings, chips, and soups have high amounts as well. Rinse canned foods such as beans to reduce the sodium content or look for lower sodium options.
Sugar Alcohols
Most low-calorie, sugar-free or low-carb items contain sugar alcohols or substitutes, including xylitol, malitol, aspartame and sorbitol. Your GI tract has trouble absorbing sugar alcohols, which lowers your caloric intake, but increases bloating. In addition to bloating, sugar substitutes often cause abdominal distention, painful cramping, gas and diarrhea. Avoid products made with sugar substitutes including sugar-free gum, low-fat snacks, protein bars and sugar-free drinks.
Gassy Foods
While healthy vegetables are a necessary part of a balanced diet, even nutrient-filled vegetables such as cabbage, cauliflower, onions, Brussels sprouts, and broccoli can lead to bloating. These vegetables create more gas in your gastrointestinal, or GI, tract than other vegetables and often lead to bloating, painful gas and discomfort. To reduce bloating and flatten your stomach, avoid cruciferous vegetables, some citrus fruits and legumes.
Fried Food
Because of the fat content in fried foods, it takes your body longer to digest them. Slow digestion leads to feelings of heaviness and bloating. Healthy fats, or those that contain monounsaturated fatty acids, target visceral belly fat without bloating or puffiness. Monounsaturated fatty acids are found in certain oils, nuts, olives, avocado, dark chocolate and seeds. Limit or eliminate your intake of fried foods to reduce heaviness and flatten your stomach.
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