What to eat to relieve inflammation and swelling
Watermelon
Watermelon's secret weapon against bloating is its ultra-high water content of 93%! When the body is dehydrated, sodium causes the body to retain water, leading to swelling. Eating a few slices of watermelon can increase your overall water intake and help flush out excess sodium and water.
Tomato
This fruit-like vegetable is rich in potassium, which can lower the body's sodium concentration and reduce bloating. Eating tomatoes in the summer has an added bonus: tomatoes contain lycopene, and research shows that lycopene helps protect the skin from sun damage. Another summer seasonal, potassium-rich food is cantaloupe.
Cucumber
This crisp vegetable also has an extremely high water content and has a natural diuretic effect, helping to expel excess water from the body. Additionally, cucumbers are incredibly low in calories—only 47 calories for the entire vegetable. They are delicious whether eaten raw, cooked, or blended into a juice.
Celery
Like cucumber, this herb is a natural diuretic that helps expel excess water from the body. Celery also contains vitamin K, which helps build bones, and vitamin C, which boosts the immune system. It's great chopped into salads or added to various healthy vegetable juices.
Sauerkraut
This is a picnic condiment we have to get on board with. Raw, fermented sauerkraut is rich in probiotics, which can help improve gut health, promote healthy digestion, and relieve constipation.
Mint
Mint is a powerful antispasmodic that relaxes the digestive tract and allows gas to pass more easily. For the best results, experts suggest consuming some mint before and after meals. Sipping mint tea, adding it to juice, or chewing a few mint leaves are all good methods.
Smoothie
When made with the right ingredients, a smoothie can combine the benefits of multiple foods that help reduce bloating. One of the best combinations is pineapple, unsweetened yogurt, and banana: pineapple contains bromelain, which breaks down protein in food to aid digestion; yogurt contains probiotics that improve digestive efficiency; and bananas are rich in potassium, which helps with water balance. You can also add some parsley to the smoothie to help soothe the stomach.