Q My stomach is often bloated and gassy. What foods should I cut back on?
A Foods high in fermentable carbohydrates (FODMAPs)—onions, garlic, legumes, wheat, and some fruits—increase gas production in the gut and worsen symptoms. Trying a low-FODMAP diet for 2–6 weeks helps identify your individual trigger foods.
Detailed Answer
FODMAPs (fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols) are poorly absorbed in the small intestine and fermented by gut bacteria in the large intestine, producing gas and bloating. Onions, garlic, barley, apples, peaches, and legumes are representative, and lactose in dairy is also included. Since they do not affect everyone equally, keeping a food diary to find your own trigger foods is important.
Korean Medicine Clinic Perspective
In Korean medicine, abdominal bloating is seen as resulting from accumulated damp-phlegm (濕痰) when digestive function weakens. Combining herbal medicine that strengthens the spleen-stomach and removes dampness makes dietary management more effective and faster.
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