Stomach bloating is a common occurrence after eating foods the digestive system struggles to break down.
When foods are difficult to digest, it can lead to excess gas and trapped wind, which creates that uncomfortable, swollen feeling in your tummy.
However, stomach bloating is also a common symptom of some cancers – such as bowel cancer and stomach cancer – and the risk of developing these types of cancer can be increased by consuming some types of foods and drinks in excess.
Cut down on these four foods to soothe a bloated stomach, improve digestive health and lower the risk of associated complications.
Red and processed meat
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Both red and processed meat have been linked to a higher risk of bowel cancer, and processed meat has also been shown to increase the risk of stomach cancer.
In their book ‘Eat Better Live Longer: Understand What Your Body Needs to Stay Healthy’, dietician Juliette Kellow and Dr Sarah Brewer advise limiting red meat to no more than 500g a week, while avoiding processed meat entirely.
Red meat includes beef, veal, lamb, mutton, and pork. Processed meat refers to meat that has been preserved by smoking, curing, salting or added preservatives.
It includes foods like sausages, bacon, ham, deli meats like salami, pâté, canned meat like corned beef, and sliced luncheon meats such as sliced chicken and turkey.
“Eating a lot of red and processed meat probably increases your risk of bowel cancer,” said the NHS.
Refined foods
Refined foods refers to white, processed carbohydrates such as pasta, bread and rice, which Kellow and Brewer note are “low in most nutrients”.
Instead they recommend replacing them with wholegrains, which are packed with fibre and nutrients.
Fibre is essential to the digestion process as it helps to move food along the digestive tract, bulks up stools and makes them easier to pass.
Eating plenty of fibre is also associated with a lower risk of bowel cancer, according to the NHS.
Sugary and fizzy drinks
Fizzy drinks and beverages sweetened with artificial sweeteners can cause excess gas and uncomfortable bloating.
Artificial sweeteners like sorbitol, mannitol and xylitol can also have a laxative effect, according to Kellow and Brewer.
Alcohol
Similar to fizzy drinks, beer and other carbonated alcoholic drinks can also lead to excess gas and a bloated stomach.
Drinking excessive amounts of alcohol in general has been linked to many cancers, including digestive cancers like bowel cancer and cancer of the oesophagus.