7 Foods That Are Easy To Digest

Foods That Are Easy To Digest

Healthy digestion is important for overall wellbeing. Many people have issues with digestion like constipation, diarrhea, excessive gas, and bloating. People who suffer from these conditions often turn to foods that are easy to digest. There are also other instances where people might want to eat foods that are easy to digest. For example, if it seems to have an upset stomach at the time or before going on a long run,

 

Rice

Rice contains mainly carbs and also a very little amount of fiber, so it's very easy to digest. Even though brown rice is a healthier choice and has more nutrition, but white rice can be digested faster than brown rice. Brown rice contains the bran and germ, and all parts of the grain which are the most nutritious and fibrous parts. While white rice has had these parts of the grain removed. It is converted to sugar faster and not as nutritious as brown rice, since there's almost no fiber to slow down its digestion. Cooling the rice after cooking is really hard to digest.

Egg whites

Eggs are one of the most nutritious foods and known as a nutritional powerhouse. The egg whites are easy to digest. The egg yolks contain all the nutrients, but the fat in the egg yolk might upset the stomach. The egg yolks are fat and can create difficulty for some people to digest. Whole eggs are even recommended. Health specialists advise people with IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) to include eggs in their diet. IBS is a disorder characterized by long-term gastrointestinal issues. It is recommended to boil the eggs rather than frying them in any oil. Because that fat or any oil can disturb the stomach.

Lean Meat

Lean meats like chicken, fish, and turkey are high protein foods and really easy to digest than plant-based protein. Lean meat doesn't contain any carbs and there’s lower fat content. Also, there's no fiber in them which means they cannot cause any digestive issues. However, it's best to cut the skin off meat, because it may contain fat that is not easy to digest as the meat itself. The low-fat content makes lean meat easy to digest for our body. Also, you need to avoid fish or meat that has been fried in oil. Because it can disturb your stomach.

Instant Oatmeal

Oatmeal from instant oats is digested faster than oatmeal from other types of oats. Oatmeal contains both soluble and insoluble fiber that supports digestive health and promotes bowel function. People who suffer from digestion problems should include oats in their diet. People with celiac disease should take care to consume only gluten-free oats. 

Ripe Bananas

Bananas promote healthy digestion. It helps people with an upset stomach. Ripe bananas have less resistant starches and it’s broken down into simple sugars that help our body to digest easily. They contain less resistant starch and fiber than unripe bananas.  The starch content of unripe bananas is about 70 to 80% but it decreases to less than 1%

when they've ripened. When bananas ripen, this softens the banana and makes it even more digestible. But unripe bananas are better for people with IBS. Studies have shown that bananas play a great role to accelerate the digestion process.

Yogurt

Yogurt is very rich in probiotics, which are friendly bacteria that benefit digestive health. Eating yogurt can help your gut bacteria remain healthy.

Research has shown that yogurt has so many benefits like digestive health, support immune function, and even influence weight loss. Yogurt helps to improve lactose digestion in people who are lactose intolerant may also help protect against antibiotic-associated diarrhea, especially in children. Eating yogurt also improves the symptoms of IBS. There is much less lactose in yogurt than in milk because the lactic acid bacteria in yogurt breaks down the lactose in milk into lactic acid. Yogurt is really one of the best foods that can be digested easily.

Boiled potatoes

Potatoes are rich in carbs. The starch in cooked potatoes is easy to digest. Boiled potatoes contain less resistant starch than baked potatoes. They contain several important nutrients. In contrast, raw potatoes contain a lot of resistant starch which is really hard to digest and can cause issues. However, potatoes are not usually eaten raw. Eating boiled potatoes that are still warm is the better option for easy digestion.

Foods To Avoid On Empty Stomach

Following are some of the foods to avoid on empty stomach.

Spicy Foods

Spicy foods can increase acid production in your stomach. It can also cause damage and irritate the gastric mucosa. Avoid eating spicy foods on an empty stomach as it contributes to many common disorders of the digestive system. 

ShortCrust And Puff Pastries 

This food should be avoided in the morning or with an empty stomach as it contains yeast that can cause flatulence.

Sweets

Sweets are the worst food to eat on an empty stomach as it can increase the load on the pancreas, and this may lead to diabetes.

Fermented Milk Products

Fermented milk products and yogurt for breakfast has little benefit for your body. But eating this food on an empty stomach can create hydrochloric acid forms in the stomach kills the lactic acid bacteria.

Pears

Avoid eating pears in the morning. In pears, there is a crude fiber present that can injure delicate mucous membranes of an empty stomach.

Tomatoes

Tomatoes should be avoided to eat on an empty stomach. It contains high levels of tannic acid. That acid increases acidity in the stomach which can lead to gastric ulcers.

Green Vegetable

vegetables such as cucumbers and other green vegetables are rich sources of amino acids. Avoid eating this food on an empty stomach. Because they can cause heartburn, abdominal pain, and flatulence. 

Cold Carbonated Drinks

Drinking carbonated beverages can reduce the blood supply to the stomach. It can also damage your mucus membranes. As a result, food digests slower

Citrus Fruits 

Drinking citrus fruit juice or eating them on an empty stomach can cause heartburn, gastric ulcers and increase the risk of gastritis.

Ways To Improve Digestion

Avoid or reduce intake of water. Because they'll link the digestive juices and cause digestion to slow down.

Light exercise such as brisk.

Walking after meals can also help to improve digestion.

The frequency of meals is also an important factor that can contribute to improve digestion.

In order to improve digestive issues, the easy solution is to have five to six small size meals throughout the day.

People who face difficulty digesting solid foods should have mashed food during meals.