If you’ve been trying to eat healthier but feel more bloated than ever, you're not the only one. I see this all the time. People come in and they’re frustrated. They’re eating the bars, drinking kombucha, trying to load up on veggies.
They’re doing what they think is right, and they still feel like something’s off.
Bloating isn’t really a medically defined term, but a lot of people describe it the same way. A sense of fullness, discomfort after meals, sometimes gas or a rumbling sensation in their stomache. For some people, it’s mild. For others, it’s affecting their sleep or their ability to work or socialize.
And the thing is, it’s not always about how much you eat. It’s often the ingredients. There are certain things that feed bacteria in the gut really fast, and that fermentation can produce gas. If you’ve got a sensitive gut or an imbalanced microbiome, you’re going to feel that more.
So let’s talk through some of the problematic ingredients that have been causing bloating in my patients. These are things that show up in a lot of “health” foods that might actually be making you feel worse.
Inulin—The Sneaky Sweetener in Health Drinks and Bars
Inulin is a big one. It’s a prebiotic fiber that shows up in foods like garlic, onions, bananas, wheat, asparagus—stuff people don’t usually think twice about. In its natural form, it’s there in smaller amounts, so a lot of people do fine with it. But not everyone. I’ve definitely seen cases where someone reacts even to the inulin in whole foods. So it really depends on the person.
The bigger issue tends to be when it’s added into processed health foods. It’s usually labeled as chicory root or chicory root fiber. You’ll see it in bars from Kind, Quest, Atkins, Bulletproof. And it’s in drinks like Poppi. One bottle can have about two grams of inulin, which is a pretty concentrated dose.
Once it gets into the gut, it starts getting fermented by bacteria, usually in the small intestine or colon. That fermentation produces gas, and for people who are sensitive—whether that’s because of their microbiome or because they’ve got something like SIBO—it can lead to bloating, discomfort, even diarrhea.
It’s different for everyone. Some people tolerate it fine. Other people are super reactive, even at lower doses. And it’s not always obvious. A lot of the time, people don’t even realize they’re eating this stuff. It’s in all kinds of snacks and drinks marketed as gut-friendly or healthy.
When I’m working with patients, we’ll often run a challenge. I’ll have them take inulin in a capsule or eat a food with a known amount, and we track how they respond. That’s how we figure out if it’s part of the problem.
Sugar Alcohols: Sorbitol and Erythritol
Another big one I see is sugar alcohols. These show up in both natural foods and packaged products, and they can be a major cause of bloating for a lot of people.
Sorbitol is a naturally occurring sugar alcohol. It’s found in a bunch of fruits—especially stone fruits—like apples, pears, prunes, and plums. It’s also used sometimes as a sweetener. What sorbitol does is it pulls water into the gut, and then it also gets fermented by bacteria. That combo can lead to gas and bloating.
Prunes are probably the one people are most familiar with. They’re kind of known to help with constipation, and they do work—but a lot of people don’t realize it’s the sorbitol that’s responsible for that effect. And along with it, you’re also probably going to get some gas.
What’s less obvious is that apples and pears also have a decent amount of sorbitol. If you’re eating a lot of those and feel bloated, that could be a reason.
Erythritol is another sugar alcohol I see a lot. It’s used in a ton of keto and low-carb products. You’ll find it in keto ice creams, protein bars, drinks, all kinds of snacks. People like it because it doesn’t raise blood sugar, which makes it seem like a better option. But it’s still a sugar alcohol, and it still causes issues for a lot of people.
It might not be a problem in a small amount, but the amount you get from processed foods can add up fast. And if your gut is sensitive or your microbiome is off, it doesn’t take much to cause symptoms. I’ve seen plenty of people who are doing great with their blood sugar, but they’re feeling bloated every day and have no idea it’s from the erythritol in their “health” snacks.
So again, it really comes down to paying attention to what’s in your food. If you’re eating or drinking things with sorbitol or erythritol and you’re noticing bloating, it’s worth considering those as possible triggers.
Raffinose: Found in Beans, Lentils, and Cruciferous Vegetables
Raffinose is another one that comes up a lot. It’s a type of complex sugar—an oligosaccharide—that your body doesn’t break down very well. Most people don’t have the enzyme needed to digest it fully. So it ends up fermenting in the colon, which produces gas. That’s what leads to bloating.
It’s in a lot of the foods that people already associate with bloating—beans are a big one. Lentils, too. But it’s also in vegetables like broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower—cruciferous veggies.
These foods are really healthy, so I’m not saying to avoid them completely. But if you’re not used to eating them and suddenly start loading up, that can overwhelm your digestion. Especially if your gut is already sensitive or if your microbiome is out of balance.
What I see a lot is someone who switches to a healthier diet—more beans, more greens, all the good stuff—and then suddenly they’re more bloated than ever. That can be frustrating. They feel like they’re doing everything right, and their gut’s not cooperating. But when we look at what they’re eating, a lot of times it’s just too much raffinose all at once.
One thing I do with patients is either ease them into these foods slowly or use specific enzymes that help break down raffinose. There are enzyme complexes out there that can help your body digest this stuff a little better, and that can make a big difference. Especially if you don’t want to avoid these foods entirely.
Lactose: Often Overlooked, Still a Big One
Lactose is probably the most well-known cause of bloating, but it still gets overlooked. A lot of people are lactose intolerant and don’t even realize it. They might have some milk in their coffee, some cheese with lunch, maybe a little yogurt, and then wonder why they’re feeling off.
Lactose is the sugar found in milk and dairy products. To digest it, your body needs an enzyme called lactase. But a lot of people don’t produce enough of that enzyme. So when they eat dairy, the lactose isn’t broken down properly. Instead, it gets fermented by gut bacteria, which leads to gas, bloating, sometimes even diarrhea.
Some people have always been sensitive to dairy. Others lose the ability to digest it over time. But what I also see is people who were fine with dairy—then they get a stomach virus or some other GI illness, and suddenly they can’t tolerate lactose anymore.
That happens because certain stomach bugs, like norovirus, can damage the cells in the small intestine. Those cells are responsible for making lactase. So if they get damaged, your body stops producing as much of the enzyme. You might not notice it right away, but a few weeks later you start feeling bloated or uncomfortable after dairy.
It doesn’t always last forever. For some people, it’s temporary. The gut can heal and start producing lactase again. But during that recovery period, cutting back on lactose can really help. It’s one of the first things I look at when someone’s coming off of a GI illness and dealing with new bloating symptoms.
What to Do If You’re Struggling with Bloating
If bloating is something you’re dealing with regularly, the first step is to take a closer look at what you’re eating. Not just the big picture stuff, but the actual ingredients.
A lot of the time, people don’t realize they’re eating things like inulin, chicory root fiber, sorbitol, erythritol, raffinose, or lactose every single day. They think they’re eating clean, but these ingredients are hidden in a lot of products—especially the ones marketed as healthy or gut-friendly.
So that’s where I usually start. I have patients read their ingredient labels and just start getting familiar with those names. Keep an eye out for:
- Chicory root fiber or inulin
- Sugar alcohols like sorbitol or erythritol
- Foods high in raffinose like beans, lentils, broccoli, and cabbage
- Dairy products that contain lactose
The next step is to track what you eat and how you feel. Keep a simple food and symptom journal. You don’t need to track calories or macros—just note what you had and whether you felt bloated afterwards. That can go a long way in helping you see patterns you might otherwise miss.
And then a lot of times I’ll put my patients through the aforementioned challenge. We’ll pick one of these ingredients, isolate it in a capsule or a food I know contains it, and see how you respond. That’s one of the best ways to figure out what’s actually causing the bloating.
If you’ve already tried cutting out some of these ingredients and you’re still having issues, that’s when it makes sense to dig deeper. I’ll usually look at doing a more comprehensive workup of the gut microbiome. There are plenty of other things that can cause bloating—this is just a starting point.
Conclusion
Bloating can take a real toll. I’ve had patients tell me they can’t get through a meal without discomfort. They have to leave work meetings, skip social events, or wake up in the middle of the night because their gut feels off. It doesn’t have to be that way.
Once you understand what your body is reacting to—and once you know what to look for—it gets easier to take the next step. For some people, removing a few ingredients like inulin or erythritol makes a huge difference. For others, it takes a more gradual approach or deeper testing to get clear on what’s going on with the microbiome.
But this stuff is figure-out-able. There are ways to reduce your symptoms, support your gut, and feel more comfortable again. You just need the right plan, the right pace, and the right information.
If you’re dealing with this, start small. Look at the ingredients. Pay attention to how you feel. And if it’s still not clear, that’s where working with someone can help.
Getting your digestion back on track can change how you feel every single day. It’s worth it.
