The big food mistakes everyone is making on holiday

DOES it ever feel as though you step onto the plane ready to jet off on holiday and find that your stomach just doesn’t want to play ball?

It’s a problem that affects many of us, but what’s causing it? And what can we do to prevent these irritating gut issues?

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Pippa Campbell, Nutritionist and Founder of The Female Food Club told Sun Online Travel: “Going away is often a time to relax and drop any food ‘rules’ you have at home, however, this can mean that we end up indulging in things that worsen bloating, gas and constipation.

Here, she reveals what you’re doing wrong and how to make some easy changes to prevent your body playing up.

The wrong booze

“Tequila is supposed to be the ‘cleanest’ alcohol in terms of gut health,” says Pippa, who adds that it’s also key to never drink on an empty stomach, “as this will result in additional inflammation to your gut.”

Beer and wine can cause problems thanks to gluten and yeast, however, “small amounts of red wine have been shown to have a positive effect on the composition of the gut microbiome due to their polyphenol content.”

Our gut microbiome is the collection of organisms and bacteria in our gut. There are good and bad organisms; too many of the bad variety can lead to symptoms such as excessive bloating, gas and inconsistent bowel movements.

Alcohol can directly impact on the composition of the gut microbiome leading to ‘dysbiosis,’ which is an imbalance of microbes in the gut.

Fizzy drinks

Love sipping on ice cold fizzy drinks round the pool? It might be time to give them a miss.

Pippa explains that fizzy drinks containing CO2 go straight to the digestive tract, where they can cause bloating as they release air as they move through the digestive system.

Pool snacks

Salty foods like crisps, baked goods, salted nuts, processed foods and even sauces such as ketchup and mayonnaise can lead to bloating as they exacerbate water retention.

When snacking, try popcorn, plain nuts and seeds instead.

It’s not just on holiday that salty foods crop up; on the flight itself, heavily processed plane food is often laden with salt.

Pippa said: “Consider taking healthy snacks with you as an alternative; a handful of nuts, apple slices with nut butter, gluten-free oat cakes or hummus and vegetable sticks.

“Processed foods also cause insulin spikes and this causes the kidneys to retain more salt, which causes water retention.”

She adds that fats found in refined carbs such as cakes, biscuits, sweets and pastries, also slow down the digestive process because they take longer to digest, leading to constipation and bloating.

Overdoing the buffet

Enjoying an all inclusive trip? The all-you-can-eat buffet might also be a reason for the bloat.

Pippa said: “If you are consuming rich foods that are high in fats and sugars, this will down digestion and delay gastric emptying, which can lead to bloating and a feeling of fullness.⁠”

Practising portion control, whilst tricky when surrounded by delicious food, can really help to reduce the chances of stomach issues.

Try to stick to one plate of food, eat slowly (aim for 20 to 30 chews per mouthful will help produce digestive enzymes that break down the food so it can pass through your intestines properly) and place cutlery down between each mouthful to give your body a chance to
digest.

Beat the bloat, naturally

Follow these simple tips to help ensure a happier tummy, all holiday long:

Go herbal – Herbal teas including peppermint, chamomile, ginger, turmeric and fennel, can aid digestion and help process gas. Or try dandelion tea, which can help relieve water retention.

Supplement savvy – Consider taking a magnesium supplement, as this can help to neutralise stomach acid and relax the intestinal muscles, as it has a natural laxative effect⁠.

Pippa recommends taking magnesium 30 to 60 minutes before bed; magnesium also promotes mental calm and relaxation and can therefore help support better sleep.

Choose your vice – Don’t go for everything; so this might mean having that glass of wine, but not going for the
bread basket.

Eat diuretic foods – If you are really suffering with bloating whilst away, try eating foods with diuretic properties
such as asparagus, pineapple, cucumber, leeks, ginger and garlic⁠, as they work to remove salt from the body.

Eat fruit away from meals – For many people with gut imbalance and an overgrowth of ‘bad’ bacteria, fruit could be the culprit behind bloating and gas, as the fructose sugar is poorly absorbed by the gut.

But fruit digests very quickly when eaten alone.

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