Belly fat is more damaging to your health than the fat on your hips or thighs. Also known as visceral fat, fat beneath the abdominal wall increases your risk for heart disease, forms of cancer, asthma and dementia, according to Harvard Health Publications. Bloating often stems from gas produced during digestion, eating certain foods or eating too much or too quickly. A healthy diet, limited in certain foods, may help reduce abdominal fat and bloating.
Refined Grains
In a study published in the "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition" in Jan. 2008, 50 obese adults with metabolic syndrome were advised to eat a reduced-calorie diet containing whole grains or refined grains for 12 weeks. Although both groups lost similar amounts of weight, participants who consumed whole grains lost significantly more abdominal fat than participants who did not. Refined grain products may also stimulate bloating. With the exception of rice, all starches contain natural sugars that trigger gas during digestion. Salty starches, such as potato chips, crackers and pretzels, can also contribute to bloating. If you are prone to gas and bloating, choose brown, wild or basmati rice over breads, pasta and salty snack foods. For reduced belly fat, eat whole grains, such as oats, barley, brown rice and quinoa instead of enriched breads, pasta or cereals.
Candy and Soft Drinks
Candy and soft drinks are top sources of added sugars, such as cane sugar and high-fructose corn syrup. Added sugars may offset your blood sugar levels, which is associated with abdominal weight gain, according to HHP. Artificial sweeteners in sugar-free drinks and candies, such as sorbitol, may stimulate gas production. Candy and carbonated beverages can also cause bloating by increasing swallowed air. To manage bloating and abdominal weight gain, choose fresh or frozen fruit instead of candy and water and unsweetened herbal tea or low-fat skim or soy milk instead of soft drinks.
Fatty Meats
Fatty foods delay stomach emptying, making way for bloating, according to MayoClinic.com. Fatty meats, such as steaks, lamb, hot dogs, pepperoni and bacon, are high in saturated fat, a fat form linked to an increased risk for obesity and heart disease. Healthy protein-rich alternatives to fatty meats include skinless, white-meat poultry, fish, egg whites and low-fat dairy or soy-based products. For heightened benefits, use low-fat cooking techniques to prepare lean meats and fish, such as baking, broiling and poaching. For low-sodium seasoning, use natural herbs and lemon juice.
High-Fat Dairy Products
Eating a diet rich in calcium may help guard against belly fat, according to HHP. Lactose, the naturally occurring sugar in milk products, however, may trigger gas, bloating and other digestive symptoms, particularly if you're lactose intolerant. Useful calcium-rich alternatives include fortified soy milk, orange juice, cereals, tofu, almonds and leafy greens. If you do tolerate lactose, choose low-fat dairy products, such as skim milk, yogurt and cottage cheese instead of whole milk and high-fat cheeses, which are high in saturated fat.
References
- Harvard Health Publications: Taking Aim at Belly Fat
- National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse: Gas in the Digestive Tract
- "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition"; The Effects of a Whole Grain--Enriched Hypocaloric Diet on Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors in Men and Women with Metabolic Syndrome; Heather I Katcher; Jan. 2008
- MayoClinic.com: Bloating, Belching and Intestinal Gas
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