List of Foods That Are Hard to Digest

A minute on the lips can create torture on the tummy. Some foods taste good and are good for you but can produce bloating, nausea, acid reflux and other stomach woes. If any of the familiar hard-to-digest foods are part of your diet, try eliminating them one-by-one to determine what causes your belly to rebel.

Batter Battles

Anything battered and deep-fried can beat up your stomach. It's the one-two punch of grease and carbs that pounds the digestive system, which often results in queasiness and even diarrhea. Add to it the low-fiber factor of fried foods, which make them take longer to digest, and you have one heavyweight food group. Quell the effects of batter by oven-baking typically fried foods and concocting your own breading from crushed, whole-grain cereal or panko crumbs.

Dairy Drawbacks

A Red Rash on a Baby's Stomach After Eating

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Creamy can be synonymous with gassy if you find yourself unable to digest the enzyme lactose, which is found in milk and other dairy products. Taking an over-the-counter lactose digestive aid or drinking lactose-free milk might help. Hard cheeses and yogurt do not contain lactose, and could be easier to abide than soft cheeses, such as cottage cheese and ricotta. If ice cream is the culprit, switch to dairy-free sorbets and gelatos or frozen desserts with a tofu or coconut milk base.

Raw Food Rumbles

Following a raw food diet could be the root of stomach rumbles. Raw food diets consist of fresh fruit and vegetables, whole grains, nuts, and a minimum of cooked food that is unprocessed and organic. Although that sounds like a healthy regimen, the high fiber content of raw food can lead to bloating, stomach cramps and increased flatulence. If you find carbohydrates difficult to digest, tolerating a raw food diet could prove challenging.

Red Meat Miseries

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Red meat is another two-pronged detriment to digestion. The high level of saturated fat and protein in red meat gives the stomach a workout, sometimes bringing on repeated trips to the bathroom. Red meat products, such as bacon, ham, pate and deli meats compound the problem because of their elevated sodium content and artificial preservatives. Trimming red meat of visible fat before cooking might make this good source of protein and essential vitamins easier on the tummy.