Feeling bloated, hungry or bored after salad? These tips might help

Salads are excellent for our health.

They are nutritious, full of fiber, micronutrients, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.

However, some people may experience certain drawbacks from eating salad after salad, such as feeling bored, bloated, or even hungry.

Here are some tips to help you make the most of your salad-eating habits as the weather warms up.

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Stay full longer

Salads are naturally low in calories or kilojoules. This is because most salads contain vegetables, which have a high water content.

This can mean that you don’t feel very full after eating your salad, making it hard to stay full until your next meal.

Instead of eating a salad and then looking for something less healthy to fill you up, you can stay full longer by including all three macronutrients in your salad:

1. a healthy source of carbohydrates (squash, sweet potato, parsnip, malanga, brown rice, quinoa, barley, or whole wheat pasta)

2. a source of healthy fats (avocado, olive oil, roasted seeds or nuts)

3. a source of lean protein (eggs, fish, chicken, tofu, tempeh, lentils, or legumes).

reduce swelling

Many people experience bloating and/or upset stomachs when they eat a lot of salad.

This commonly occurs if someone is rapidly transitioning from a less healthy, low-fiber diet to a healthier, higher-fiber diet.

It happens because gut microbes multiply and produce lots of plant-digesting enzymes (which is great for gut health!).

However, your gut needs some time to adjust and adjust over time. You can help ease any discomfort by:

1. take one short walk or doing some stretches after eating your salad. This has been shown to reduce bloating as it relaxes the intestinal muscles and helps release any trapped gas.

2. being mindful how you are preparing lentils and legumes. Make sure they are well rinsed and only include ¼ cup of them (soaked) to start with if they are something new to your diet.

3. eating your salad mindfully. A tight, unrelaxed gut or a gut that has recently been irritated by illness may mean that your gut is not as efficient at absorbing gas. This can trigger bloating as gas is “trapped”

4. cook some of the vegetables in your salad. Applying temperature or heat to your vegetables can help break them down and make them easier to digest

5. considering your symptoms. If you experience extreme abdominal pain, irregular bowel habits (including chronic diarrhea or constipation, or alternating diarrhea and constipation), and a bloated stomach after eating salad, it may indicate that you have irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Consult a licensed practicing dietitian who can evaluate and diagnose IBS, help you identify your triggers, and manage your symptoms.

6. Be aware of your current health conditions or treatments. For example, if you are undergoing chemotherapy, some medications can slow down your digestion. This may mean that some of the vegetables and other high-fiber foods in your salad are distasteful to your gut. Again, talking to a registered dietitian is the best way to get evidence-based advice on how to manage this.

Keep salad boredom at bay

Stuck on what makes a good salad? Here is Lauren’s tried and tested formula, based on six categories of ingredients:

1. leaves, such as lettuce, arugula, or spinach

2. something sweet and juicy, like tomato, pear, mango, peach, or whatever is in season

3. something crunchy, like carrot, bell pepper, or broccolini

4. a type of nut, such as cashew or macadamia

5. a cheese, such as feta, bocconcini, aged cheddar, parmesan, edam

6. something fragrant, like mint, parsley, basil, or cilantro.

To turn salad into a complete meal, add a healthy source of carbohydrates, fat, and protein (the three macronutrients we mentioned earlier).

The bottom line? Eating salads is a great way to have a healthy and varied diet. With these settings, you can make the most of the summer weather ahead!

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