Are there times your stomach feels like it is full of gas and could blow up the next minute? The feeling can be embarrassing and hurting, especially if it happens when you are travelling or in a group of people.

Well, according to medics, you are likely to be having a condition known as bloating, and this may be as a result of what you ate, drunk or the curviness of the colon.

What causes bloating?

Bloating is uncomfortable sensation resulting from distention of the stomach due to gas being trapped in it (stomach). It may also be caused by other factors such as a heavy meal, constipation, stress, taking drinks with a lot of gas (like sodas) and smoking.

Some vegetables such as cabbage, broccoli and cauliflower are also said to cause bloating. Sugar or salt rich products, fatty foods, milk products like cheese as well as whole milk with cream can cause bloating to some individuals because of lactose intolerance.

Dr Rachna Pandey, a medic at Ruhengeri Hospital, says eating whole grains and white starches contribute a lot in puffing of the stomach.

"Some people may accumulate gas due to consumption of whole grains like wheat and white rice. One should opt for brown rice because of its natural digestibility coupled with the high fiber content that is friendly to sensitive digestive systems. Similarly, white refined flour is more likely to cause gas than whole wheat flour,” she says.

According to Rene Tabaro, a nutritionist and dietician at King Faisal Hospital, bloating happens most of the time due to undigested food in the stomach.

He says some people don’t know what to consume with what. "Instead they just eat in the name of filling up their stomach and this is so dangerous as far as nutrition is concerned,” Tabaro explains.

"If you take in a lot of food before you retire to bed or eating eggs and fruits with a lot of citric, your stomach will definitely be ballooned. You should make sure that what you took in the night is eliminated first before adding something in the morning,” he adds.

Tabaro says some people might have some medical problems that can make their stomach to puff.

"If a person has a gastric problem, their stomach may not be tolerant to certain foods like beans, sweet potatoes and eggs. Here, they should try as much as possible to do away with such foods and substitute them with others that have the same function,” explains Tabaro.

What you need to eat to prevent bloating

Dr Pandey says one can take yoghurt since it is easier to digest hence preventing gas from being trapped in the stomach. She also adds that drinking adequate amounts of water daily eases digestion and reduces constipation which may cause bloating.

Consuming small amounts of vegetables such as cabbage, broccoli and cauliflower also reduces the chances of bloating.

However, Tabaro advises against eating acidic foods in excess since too much acid in the stomach can cause bloating too. He says if both the meal and the salad or fruit are highly acidic, it is advisable to take them at an interval of at least 30 minutes.

"When eating foods with high amounts of acid such as canned fruits, processed juices, doughnuts and white bread or rice, the best way to avoid bloating is to neutralise them with fruits like pawpaws, mangoes and bananas. This will ease digestion and reduce the chances of gas accumulating in the stomach,” he says.

Tabaro also adds that some people may have high acidic chloride which makes digestion of food faster, while others have low acidic chloride which may delay the digestion. Such persons are advised to always neutralize basic food with acidic fruits and vice-versa.