9 Foods That Are Hard to Digest for Your Gut

　　ice cream

　　There is no quick way to determine whether you are lactose intolerant; you can only find out by sitting down and eating a large bowl of ice cream. When you experience bloating, abdominal cramps, or gas, these physical reactions are telling you to stay away from foods that are high in dairy products.

　　Eating too much cold food such as ice cream, popsicles, and cold beverages can disrupt the normal functioning of the digestive system, making it difficult for food to be digested and potentially damaging the spleen and stomach. Although it tastes incredibly delicious when eaten, it can later lead to a decrease in appetite and also irritate the spleen and stomach, causing bloating Abdominal pain A vicious cycle.

　　Countermeasures: If you don’t want to give up on cold, frozen foods, the only solution is to switch to dairy-free frozen options, such as those made from beans or rice flour.

　　But even if you aren’t lactose intolerant, ice cream contains a large amount of fat, and fat stays in the stomach for a longer time than other foods. Therefore, it is best to eat less or no raw and cold foods.

　　Creamy mashed potatoes

　　Potatoes are a low-calorie, high-protein food that contains a variety of vitamins and trace elements, making them an ideal choice for weight loss. It seems that there is nothing more popular than a bowl of mashed potatoes. This is exactly why mashed potatoes always tops the list when it comes to so-called “convenience foods”.

　　But mashed potatoes with cream or cheese aren’t quite as good as one might imagine them to be. In the United States, there are between 30 and 50 million people who are lactose intolerant. But if you are one of them, then creamy mashed potatoes are not suitable for you. This is because the milk, cream, or cheese added to mashed potatoes can cause discomfort in your stomach.

　　Countermeasures: It's probably best not to buy mashed potatoes from takeout; you can easily make fresh mashed potatoes at home by steaming or boiling them without adding any seasonings.

　　Raw onions

　　Onions, garlic, and leeks are rich in a variety of nutrients that are beneficial for… Health They are very beneficial, for example in protecting the heart, but they can also cause gastrointestinal discomfort such as bloating and abdominal cramps. However, it seems that cooking can prevent the adverse effects of these nutritional compounds that cause gastrointestinal discomfort.

　　Countermeasures: American nutrition expert Mary Ryan suggests that you can combine raw and cooked methods when preparing these foods, allowing you to reap the benefits without experiencing any negative effects.

　　chocolate

　　Eating large amounts of chocolate not only provides excess calories but also causes discomfort in people who suffer from gastroesophageal reflux disease. This is because chocolate causes the lower esophageal sphincter to relax, allowing stomach acid to flow back and irritate the esophagus and throat.

　　Countermeasures: When choosing a type of chocolate, dark chocolate is the best option. This is because dark chocolate contains various minerals that are beneficial for the human body, such as calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, iron, and copper. Of all types of chocolate, it also has the lowest levels of sugar and fat.

　　In addition, dark chocolate also has the effect of lowering blood pressure and preventing atherosclerosis. However, no matter how good something is, you can’t eat too much of it; at most, you should consume two small pieces per day.