Gastrointestinal problems confront us from time to time. Some last only a few minutes while others linger much longer. One of these gut issues is bloating.
Accounted as one of the most common gastrointestinal problems, it is so widespread that one in ten Americans have complained of being bloated at one time or the other.
Bloating is notorious for making the sufferer feel uncomfortable due to the pain it brings. Moreover, it can be very embarrassing that you have to let out farts and belches most times uncontrollably. In every way, it’s a real day spoiler.
In dealing with this problem, drinking green tea has been at the frontier for many people. Green tea has been largely praised to help solve the bloating problem.
However, we’ll be examining this claim to know if it is true and to what extent it holds. Just before we do so, it is important that we clarify what causes bloating.
What causes bloating?
There are several reasons that people have attributed as the cause of bloating. While some are outrightly ridiculous, others are just hilarious.
Bloating can occur as a result of medical conditions and your lifestyle. When we talk about lifestyle, we mean the things you eat, drink and do. It’s common knowledge that air accompanies whatever we ingest.
Some habits such as eating too fast, smoking, chewing gum, and alike cause us to swallow much air. When the gas in the stomach doesn’t find a way out (through belching or farting), bloating is inevitable.
Meanwhile, medical causes include weight gain, heartburn, irritable bowel system, and mental health factors (stress, anxiety, depression, etc.), to mention a few.
You have to ascertain what the cause of yours is. If the bloating occurs frequently and lingers for long, then it is time you consult a doctor.
As already stated, it can be due to an underlying health problem.
Does green tea help with bloating?
Researches have revealed that green tea contains powerful antioxidants called polyphenols. The most available of this compound is catechin. Catechins are proven to improve gastrointestinal well-being.
It helps to check bacteria production in the gut. These gut bacteria in excess can lead to increased gas production, causing your tummy to become bloated.
Besides, these compounds have antioxidizing and anti-inflammatory properties. As a result, it prevents gas build-up in the gastrointestinal tract while ensuring that food digests without complications.
Therefore, making green tea the perfect beverage to help with bloating problems.
Does green tea cause or reduce bloating?
Green tea has the ability to both reduce and cause bloating. Many find this unbelievable but that is true. Green tea has a moderate quantity of caffeine which is acidic in nature.
Should it ever occur that it is taken in excess? The caffeine increases the acidity of the stomach which in turn provokes acid reflux.
Not just this, it can cause mineral and iron deficiency. It is much worse if you drink it on an empty stomach. Therefore, it is strongly recommended to take it before a meal or after one.
Overall, the key to getting the best from green tea is being moderate in drinking it. Three cups a day is optimum. If you wish, spread it through the morning, afternoon, and night at a cup each.
In what cases green tea does not reduce bloating?
There is a possibility that you’re drinking green tea and still not seeing any desirable change in your bloated tummy. So, it is important to know that whether the beverage will work or not depends largely on the cause of bloating.
If a stomach infection or other critical health issues are responsible for gas retention in your gastrointestinal tract, it would take more than green tea to resolve it.
There is no denying that green tea has lots of components to help with a bloated stomach, yet, it is powerless in cases where tissue or an organ failure is responsible.
Examples of such conditions include perforated GI tract, ovarian cancer, kidney failure, and the likes.
Another time when green tea can’t be of much help is if there is a sustained unhealthy lifestyle that caused the bloating in the first place.
While many agreed with the anti-bloating effects of this beverage, it is most effective when the sufferer is willing to pay certain sacrifices. This includes backing out from dangerous dieting and taking up exercise.
Final Thoughts
Bloating is one of the common problems worldwide. Green tea can curb several health issues and bloat happens to be one of them.
As with most tea, it is most effective when brewed and taken hot.
Meanwhile, as much as it has a medicinal effect, you must take it in moderation to avoid suffering from its side effects. The reason is the presence of naturally occurring caffeine in it.
Three cups of green tea in a day is a sufficient quantity to get rid of the stored gas and get your belly back to size.
So, the next time when you find yourself going through another episode of gas retention in your abdomen, drink some green tea!
However, as an alternative to green tea, there are other things you can do to prevent bloating. This includes a change of lifestyle and eating patterns.
Regarding eating patterns, you must consume more fibers (fruits, legumes, whole grains, and nuts) and drinking lots of fluid to prevent constipation.
Moreover, you have to tone down on chewing gum and taking carbonated drinks. These are culpable for filling your stomach with air.
You will also do yourself much good by avoiding foods with artificial sweeteners. In addition, you have to avoid food with your known allergens. If you don’t know yours, the most common ones include fish, wheat, soy, cow milk, tree nuts, peanuts, and shellfish.
However, if none of these helps you, then seeing a doctor will be the best thing. As stated earlier, there are medical conditions that bring about bloating. Your doctor will run the diagnosis and prescribe what is best for you.