Bloating typically refers to a full, tight or swollen feeling in your abdomen. It often results from gas buildup in your intestines or stomach and may be triggered or worsened by stress, anxiety, hormonal shifts, smoking, eating too much or too quickly or eating certain foods. Having a bowel movement or passing gas may relieve your symptoms, according to the Mayo Clinic. If you're prone to gas and bloating, emphasizing certain foods in your diet may help reduce your symptoms.
Rice
Starches, such as breads, potatoes and cereal, provide glucose -- your main dietary source of energy. Whole grains starches play an important role in most healthy diets. Because they contain natural sugars that stimulate gas production and rich amounts of fiber, however, most whole grain foods have the potential for triggering or worsening gas, gas pain and bloating. Rice is the only starch that does not stimulate gas, according to the National Digestive Diseases Information Center. For ample dietary benefits, choose whole grain rice varieties, such as long-grain brown, wild and basmati rice, most often.
Soy Milk
Lactose, the sugar that occurs naturally in cow's milk, may also trigger gas and bloating, particularly if you have lactose intolerance. Roughly 30 million American adults have some amounts of intolerance to lactose, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. Swapping out dairy products for soy equivalents may help prevent your symptoms. Foods and drinks made with soy milk, such as soy-based yogurt and cheese, provide useful alternatives to other dairy products.
Nongaseous Fruits and Vegetables
Like whole grains, fruits and vegetables are significant components of most nourishing diets. They provide antioxidants, such as vitamin C, which help your immune system fend off infections and diseases, and fiber. The natural sugar in cabbage, asparagus, broccoli and Brussels sprouts -- known as raffinose -- may contribute to gas and bloating. Fructose, the sugar found in pears, onions and artichokes, may cause similar problems. Limiting gaseous foods may reduce bloating symptoms, according to the Mayo Clinic. Fruits and vegetables less likely to produce excess gas include berries, cherries, melons, citrus fruits, tomatoes, mushrooms, lettuce, onions, carrots and bell peppers.
Yogurt and Kefir
Yogurt and kefir are cultured dairy products that contain beneficial, or friendly, bacteria known as probiotics. Probiotics may help restore bacterial balance in your digestive tract, according to the National Centers for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, and help manage conditions characterized by bloating, such as infectious diarrhea, irritable bowel syndrome, colitis, Crohn's disease and chronic stomach inflammation. Unless you're unable to digest lactose, consume yogurt or kefir containing live, active cultures, such as lactobacillus or bifidobacterium, routinely.
