Foods Bloat - and Not Just Dairy

A fitness columnist on the Chicago Now blogs reminds us that plenty of foods can cause bloating besides just dairy. That's a good thing to remember when you look at your diet and try to determine what's causing the problems.

What are some of the typical bloaters out there in the food world?

Grease! It's quite obvious, really. Greasy burgers, fries, pizza, tots, and anything else that fits into the category of "bar food" is probably going to make you bloat. Not only that, but it's going to cause a war on your digestive track. ...

Fizzy beverages. This includes things like beer, soda, and anything carbonated. Yes, even DIET sodas are included on this list. It's quite simply really... the fizz is air. Air makes you bloat.

Sodium. Too much sodium can be a problem, and most of us eat way too much of it because it's hidden in things that we may not even realize (read your labels). You may think you are helping yourself by eating those freezer dinners, but they are packed with sodium. So, despite being low in calories, they could still be bloating you up! Limit your sodium intake. ...

Other culprits... as healthy as they are for you, veggies such as broccoli, cauliflower, asparagus, as well as legumes and beans, can also cause bloating.