5 proven Indian home remedies to beat bloating and boost digestion naturally

A feeling of fullness, especially after your favourite meal, is called bloating, and this is something everybody experiences once or twice in a week, especially when the day is packed with irregular eating, consuming junk food and late-night snacking. Gas and bloating are the gut's way of telling us that it is under dire stress! But the good news is that Indian kitchens are full of simple, natural and anti-bloat recipes that reduce gas, calm down bloating and restore gut comfort.

There is a reason why our grandparents used to take a glass of chaas post each meal or some, even with. Being naturally probiotic in nature, buttermilk helps in improving digestion and prevent gas from building up in stomach. It in turn soothes the stomach, normalises bowel movement and eliminates toxins from the body. A pinch of roasted cumin powder, little rock salt, can pacify the gut further. It is light, comforting, and a wonderful way to finish off a heavy lunch. As per the research in International Journal of Research in Ayurveda and Pharmacy, while mentioning the gut health benefits of buttermilk, it is to be noted that they also exmained its efficacy for patients with IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) and it was found that, in IBS patients it helped IBS patients with their symptoms, especially with regard to lowering bloating, stomach pain and irregular bowel movements.

Ajwain is a centuries-old Indian remedy for indigestion and bloating relief right away. It contains thymol, which activates digestive enzymes and increases food digestion. Consuming half a teaspoon of ajwain chewed with a pinch of black salt or drinking ajwain water cures uneasiness in minutes. It is especially helpful after oily or spicy foods that slow down digestion. A research published in Science Direct, under the title, Chemometric studies of thymol binding with bovine serum albumin, states that thymol is antibacterial and antifungal activities of that are effective in treating many digestive problems like bloating of stomach and intestinal. It works by collecting the gas of the intestines and killing intestinal bacteria in the stomach

Hing is one of those spices in the kitchen that truly deserves more attention. With its anti-gas properties, hing helps release trapped air from the digestive system and calms bloating. It can be used in multiple ways, and in Indian kitchens, it is almost used in every dish prepared. It's an Ayurvedic remedy that slightly detoxifies your gut and supports a healthier metabolism. A study in PubMed central, states that Asafin, a compound found in Asafoetida, was a significant remedy for a gut condition known as functional dyspesia, and it noted that over a period of 30 days people who consumed asafoetida, saw significant reduction in bloating, constipation, and fullness.
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Chewing a handful of fennel seeds after meals is one of the simplest means to prevent bloating and gas. Fennel contains natural oils that calm the digestive tract muscles and allow for the effortless passage of gas. Or, boil fennel seeds in water, consume it as tea, strain and have warm as a soothing digestive tea. This little post-meal habit can make a big difference in how you feel light after meals. International Journal of Advances in Nursing Management mentions the fact that fennel tea, is very useful to help with indigestion, bloating and constipation because of the oils found in these seeds. Fennel seeds contain estragole, fenchone and anethole, which contribute to the plant's antispasmodic and anti-inflammatory properties.

Black cumin seeds are extensively used in Indian kitchens and it contains volatile oil that stimulate digestion and even prevent gas in stomach. To use this properly, one can boil a teaspoon of jeera in water for atleast 5 minutes, strain and drink on an empty stomach in the morning. In turn, this remedy causes bile prodcution to increase allowing for quicker digestion of food, reducing inflammation in the gut and religious intake of this water might naturally purify the system and improve gut balance. International Journal of Pharma and Bio Sciences (IJPBS) in their study mentions how black jeera, consumed in the boiled water form, effectively reduced gastritis symptoms, including bloating and vomiting, after 4 weeks of use. Regular consumption of black cumin water can thus be a simple, natural way to support digestion and overall gut health.