Summer Bloat is here!
We’re well into the beginnings of the summer season, which means it’s time for cookouts and barbeques! Barbeques mean smoky burgers, hotdogs, potluck casseroles, and sugary treats galore. While all of that sounds like an American dream – it sounds like a nightmare for your gut. This is a time when a number of people, especially those with IBS, suffer from summer bloating. Not everything on the menu will hurt your digestive system, but there are some foods to avoid if you want to keep enjoying the party instead of being stuck inside with a stomach ache & summer bloat. Below are four foods that are a good idea to avoid when you’re attending your next barbeque. Read on for four foods to avoid to prevent summer bloating.
Foods to Avoid To Stop Summer Bloat
- Sausage
Sausage is pretty common among the burgers and grilled chicken in all backyard cookouts. Most sausage is considered a high FODMAP food, due to inion and garlic, which can cause summer bloating as it starts to digest in your gut. It can be tempting to pick up some barbeque beef or pork sausage links as you go down the picnic table constructing your plate, but it’s best to leave that one alone. Instead, opt for small portions of fully cooked bratwursts and Italian style chicken sausage without high FODMAP ingredients if those are available. If they aren’t, offer to bring some next time to the cookout to have the sausage craving sated.
- Marinated Meats
While most fresh meats are perfectly fine to eat at a cookout, it is important to be cautious of any marinated meats at a cookout. When at a barbeque, the meat to most likely be marinated and grilled would be chicken, but pork is also something to be cautious of when considering marinades. Marinades often have high FODMAP ingredients that can cause stomach trouble and summer bloat like various sugars and alcohols. If you’re unsure about the state of the meat at the cookout, ask the grill master! Generally, the person cooking the meat knows what’s on it, and can confirm whether or not it’s okay to eat or not. Casa de Sante low FODMAP Certified seasonings are safe to use as rubs or in marinades.
- Onions (and Garlic)
Some people might find leaving onions off of a summer barbeque burger utterly unthinkable, but at your next cookout you should probably skip onions. Onions are high FODMAP since they contain oligosaccharides (The O in FODMAP), and should be avoided if you are eating only low FODMAP foods. Onion rings, onion powder (think deviled eggs!), and sliced onions that you would put on your sandwich of choice. The same goes for anything garlic, which you should really only be worried about with garlic powder and roasted garlic at barbeques. Like all foods, be sure to ask the person who brought it what might be in their dish, and either avoid or eat depending on the ingredients.
- Most Pastries
We know it’s a massive bummer, but it’s really important to stay away from most pastries. Pastries are loaded with high FODMAP ingredients and can upset your stomach. There are plenty of alternatives you can bring to the cookout that satisfy your sweet tooth. A mixed blueberry, raspberry, and strawberry with whipped cream is a great choice – and it will taste even better in the summer heat! You could also make all-natural popsicles by mixing these berries with a little bit of water or almond in a blender and freezing in a popsicle mold. Both options are good for a gentle stomach and will be so refreshing after all of that food.
Use these tips to avoid bloating this summer!
