I've been following the nutritarian lifestyle for over two months, which is a whole-food, plant-based diet that focuses on nutrient-dense foods. I've been feeling amazing eating so many greens, beans, veggies, seeds, and whole grains, but eating the recommended minimum of four fruits per day was causing me painful cramps and bloating.
New York-based internist and gastroenterologist Niket Sonpal, MD, said bloating isn't cause for alarm or worry, unless you're feeling abdominal pain as a result of eating fruit or it's making preexisting digestive conditions, like IBS, worse.
Fruits contain natural sugars, including fructose and sorbitol, which can be difficult for people to digest, explained registered dietitian Carlie Saint-Laurent Beaucejour, MS, LDN, known as @mindfuleatingdietitian on Instagram. These poorly absorbed sugars pass through the small intestine and into the colon, where they are fermented by colonic bacteria to produce increased gas, explained gastroenterologist Kristen Lee, MD.
Fruit also contains another substance called pectin, an indigestible soluble fiber. Although the fiber in fruit can help relieve constipation, it can cause bloating in some people. Dr. Lee added that fruit offers antioxidants and vitamins, so you don't want to avoid it altogether, if possible.
Some fruits contain higher amounts of fructose, which can result in bloating, explained Saint-Laurent Beaucejour. These include apples, very ripe black-speckled bananas (due to the higher pectin content compared to unripe bananas), plums, grapes, dried fruits, cherries, pears, mangos, nectarines, apricots, pineapples, and pomegranates. Fruits that are high in FODMAPS may also cause bloating for some, said registered dietitian Jessie Wong, who specializes in FODMAP diets and helping people with IBS. This includes many of the fruits on this list, as well as prunes, avocados, and watermelons.
Fruits lower in fructose may be less likely to cause bloating, said Dr. Lee, including strawberries, blueberries, oranges, grapes, pineapples, and kiwis. Wong added that low-FODMAP fruits are also good choices such as dragonfruits, papayas, tangerines, clementines, and bananas that don't have black spots.
Aside from limiting or avoiding fruits that are high in fructose, here are some tips to help prevent bloating after eating fruit:
If you limit or avoid fruit and the discomfort continues, Dr. Sonpal said to make sure to speak with your primary doctor or gastroenterologist to determine what foods or lifestyle choices could be causing this uncomfortable issue. You definitely shouldn't live in pain or discomfort!
Image Source: POPSUGAR Photography / Matthew Kelly
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Fruit Used to Make Me Bloated, Until I Started Following These Experts' Advice - POPSUGAR
