The human body is pretty soft and pliant, which makes it bloat quickly. You eat too fast, you bloat. You become gassy, you bloat. Even if you try to eat healthy by adding salads to your daily diet, you can still bloat – unless you take in your greens before your main meal.
The road to feeling fitter and quicker on your feet doesn’t only mean eating right, but also eating in proper order. According to integrative nutritionist Daphne Javitch in a feature on Vogue, you can avoid feeling bloated and experiencing “food coma” by eating your lightest dish first.
“The idea here is to maintain flow in the body,” she explains. “Salad wants to move through your body faster than denser food.” Vegetables, especially those that are packed with water, act as primers for your heavier dishes such as grains and meats and allow easier passage. When food is digested faster, less gas is produced. It’s the same with fruit-it’s also more beneficial to have some prior to a heavy meal. This can also keep you from overeating, which is another cause of bloating.
Aside from reducing that uncomfortable, heavy feeling, WebMD notes that eating salads can also give you your daily dose of fiber, help you cut back on calories, and lower your risk of developing certain diseases, including cancer.
Looking for great tips on making your own salad? Check out this discussion on GirlTalk.
