These 9 Foods Will Help You De-Bloat Faster Than Anything Else

Bloating doesn't look great, sure, but bloating can also cause physical pain, so when your body is going through it, it might be worth it to eat some de-bloating foods—and fast. But which foods will be your de-bloat heroes? The nine foods below, according to Daily Harvest's nutritionist Amy Shapiro, MS, RD, CDN. Plus, read on for tips on how to de-bloat quickly from certified nutritionist Philip Goglia, Ph.D., of G-Plans.

1. Watermelon

Watermelon is (obviously) made up of mostly water—in fact, it's about 97% water, and this will help to hydrate you and flush out excess water and sodium in the body, explains Shapiro. "It is also high in potassium and therefore helps to flush out excess water in the body in order to keep fluid balance."

2. Sweet Potato

High in fiber and potassium, sweet potatoes will help you to stay satisfied without causing too much volume in your stomach, says Shapiro. Plus, "the potassium will flush out excess water in the body."

3. Banana

Saying it again for the people in the back—potassium is your friend when it comes to de-bloating. Bananas are super high in potassium (anyone who watched Honey, We Shrunk Ourselves knows that), so they will help to decrease fluid in the body.

4. Water

"It sounds like an oxymoron. Why would you want to put more water in when you want to take water out?" agrees Shapiro. But, she explains, "the body holds on to water when it doesn't have enough, so by drinking more water, you'll release the excess."

5. Cucumber

"When you are feeling bloated and gassy, you want to increase foods that are full of water and low in fiber so they do not add to the already-uncomfortable bloated situation," says Shapiro. "Cucumber is made up mostly of water and is easy to digest."

6. Fennel

"Not only does it help to release excess water, but it also helps to relax the gastrointestinal tract, which will help air pass through to allow for de-bloating," explains Shapiro. "Enjoy as a food, seeds, or even a tea."

7. Celery

"Celery is another high-water, low-fiber food that will relieve bloating by not adding to the discomfort and will help with flushing excess water from the body," says Shapiro.

8. Papaya

Fun fact: Papaya contains an enzyme called papain, which is known to help with digestion and therefore can relieve or prevent any bloating that may occur when eating, explains Shapiro. "You can enjoy this food whole or in a supplement as well, to take prior to a big meal."

9. Mint

According to Shapiro, mint contains natural spasmodics (spasm-inducing properties for your insides) and oils that help relax the GI tract and move digestion along, preventing and reducing bloating and gas.

De-Bloating Tips

Eliminate Dairy: "Dairy is like eating moderately hard phlegm," says Goglia. "It adversely affects digestion, it causes bloating and gas, it promotes inflammation, and it adversely affects oxygen utilization."

Avoid yeast, mold, gluten, and, really, any starch with more than one ingredient: "This basically means no bread. They are multi-ingredient starches. They are yeast, mold, and gluten-bound," says Goglia.

Your dinner should be your biggest protein meal: "Fish offers up a lot of anti-inflammatory benefits and fat-burning benefits when consumed at night, but it's got to be a fatty fish like salmon, sea bass, black cod, or Arctic char," Goglia explains.

Drink half your body weight in ounces of water: "Water does two things. Firstly, it's responsible for moving nutrients and toxins through your system, and then more importantly, as it relates to your physique, it regulates temperature," Goglia says. "If your water is low and you can't regulate temperature patterns, then your body will start to store fat underneath your skin to act as insulation to control your temperature."