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When you think of winter staple food, sarson ka saag tops the charts in most north Indian homes. Made with mustard leaves, Spinach and fenugreek greens, sarson ka saag is loaded with health benefits. And doesn’t it make for a finger-licking good meal with makke di roti? Oh yes, it does!
But has it ever happened that you have enjoyed saag for dinner, but felt bloated or a sense of acidity later? This is because eating saag or greens in large quantities may often cause bloating!
How can saag lead to gas or bloating?
Let’s break it down for you. That gassy feeling isn’t only a result of enjoying a huge feast or overeating, but can also happen when you eat saag.
“Saag can make a lot of us feel bloated. A lot of times it is because of adding food sources which we do not generally eat in everyday life,” explains Yash Wardhan Swami, a health and fitness expert.
1. Overeating saag and adding a major portion of spinach to the recipe can cause bloating for some of us.
2. Other additives such as adding excess ghee and butter to it can cause bloating.
3. Accompanying saag with corn chapati (Makke ki roti) can be hard on the digestive system.
Fortunately, some ingredients are known to improve our gut health, enhance digestion, avoid water retention and keep bloating at bay.
Adding these ingredients to your saag may not just prevent that gassy feeling, but also enhance the taste of your recipe!
Here are 5 ingredients that must be incorporated in your saag recipe:
1. Cumin seed:
A staple in tadka, good old cumin seeds are known for their digestive properties. Cumin seeds alleviate bile production in our body to aid digestion and absorption. In addition to this, Cumin or jeera seeds are diuretics that tend to increase your urine flow which may ultimately relieve bloating.
2. Ginger:
Ginger not only gives an earthy fragrance to your saag but makes it easier to digest for a weak gut. Due to its anti-inflammatory properties, ginger helps relieve inflammation and protects the inner lining of our stomach. It is known to naturally stimulate your body’s digestive enzymes to alleviate bloating, gas, and stomach pains.
3. Turmeric:
Adding a tiny amount of turmeric may not only brighten the appearance of your saag recipe but also aid symptoms of indigestion and bloating. Turmeric is rich in curcumin which is an anti-inflammatory agent. Curcumin may resolve the excess gas condition in our stomach and improve our gut health.
4. Coriander seeds:
Crushed coriander seeds when added to saag may give your recipe the body and fragrance but also help reduce bloating-induced swelling. Dhaniya seeds are a rich source of fiber that can reduce water retention and help boost metabolism.
5. Carrom seeds:
Have you wondered why your mother adds a pinch of carrom seeds to regular bhajiyas and pooris? So basic! Carrom seed or ajwain is known to aid digestion. Ajwain is rich in fiber and acts as a natural laxative.
Do you often feel uncomfortable and gassy after a meal? Here are three common causes of bloating:
The most common cause of bloating has to be overeating. Eating smaller portions and eating moderately should help you out.
Eating food slicked with oil can make you feel uncomfortable and excessively stuffed. Oil-rich and fatty food takes longer to digest than protein or carbohydrates which is one of the reasons we feel full for a long duration.
Not chewing your food enough is a common cause of bloating. Eating too fast and swallowing food also adds to the risk of bloating. Nutritionists have advocated the benefits of eating slowly for time and ages now. It takes 20 minutes for satiety signals to reach our brain. Therefore, eating slowly can prevent overeating and gaining weight as well.
Of course, there are medicines that are available that will help to keep bloating in check, but why go that way when there are natural ways to curb bloating in our kitchen.
Try these ingredients in your saag recipe next time to enjoy your meal without dampening your gut health!
