Beat the Bloat: Summer Foods That Soothe Your Gut (and Still Taste Amazing)

There’s nothing like a summer dress... until the bloat hits.
One minute you’re feeling good, and the next, your stomach feels like an inflated beach ball.

Here’s the thing: summer can be a beautiful time to reset your digestion—but only if you’re choosing the right foods. Because while raw salads and fizzy drinks seem healthy, they’re often the very culprits behind that mid-afternoon bloat.

Let’s break down what to avoid—and what to load up on—to keep your gut flat, calm, and comfortable all summer long.

What’s Really Causing Your Summer Bloat?

While every body is unique, the most common gut disruptors this time of year include:

1. Cold, raw vegetables in excess: Raw veggies like broccoli, kale, and cabbage are nutrient-rich, but they’re also hard to digest when eaten in large quantities—especially cold from the fridge.

2. Bubbly beverages: Sparkling waters, kombucha, and even “healthy” sodas can trap gas in the digestive tract, leading to pressure and bloating.

3. Fruit + fat combos: That fruit-and-yogurt parfait might seem harmless, but combining quick-digesting fruit with slower-digesting fats can cause fermentation in the gut—and the bloat to go with it.

4. Snacking all day: Frequent grazing, especially on processed snacks, doesn’t give your migrating motor complex (MMC) time to sweep food through the digestive tract. Result? Food sits, ferments, and bloats you up.

Top 7 Bloat-Reducing Summer Foods

These seasonal superstars are gentle on digestion, anti-inflammatory, and easy to prepare—so you can feel lighter without a full-blown detox.

1. Zucchini: Soft, hydrating, and easy to digest when cooked. Try spiralized zucchini noodles sautéed in olive oil with sea salt.

2. Fennel: Naturally carminative (gas-relieving) and great for bloating. Add thin slices to salads or sip fennel tea after meals.

3. Papaya: Loaded with digestive enzymes that break down protein and reduce inflammation.

4. Ginger: Supports motility and soothes the gut lining. Blend it into smoothies or steep in hot water with lemon.

5. Mint: Cools the body and relaxes the digestive muscles. Add to teas, waters, or fruit salads.

6. Cucumber: High in water, low in fiber, and cooling to the digestive tract.

7. Bone broth: Surprise! Even in summer, sipping warm broth (or adding it to quick soups) helps repair the gut lining and ease inflammation.

Simple Ways to De-Bloat Daily This Summer

• Eat your raw veggies at lunch, not dinner
  
• Cook most vegetables lightly (steamed, grilled, sautéed)
  
• Avoid snacking between meals to allow gut motility
  
• Prioritize meals with protein, fat, fiber, and something green (the ROOT Rx way)
  
• Try a ginger or fennel tea 

This zesty gut healing ginger tea is caffeine-free, anti-inflammatory, and packed with natural digestive support— a go to of mine that makes your belly say "thank you."

Want a 7-Day Gut Reset That Actually Works?

If you’re tired of bloating that won’t budge—even when you’re “eating clean”—it’s time for a reset that actually addresses the root cause.

The 7-Day Glow Up is your gut-loving, anti-bloat plan that fits real life.

You’ll get:

• A ready-to-follow food plan
  
• Gut-healing smoothie formulas
  
• Daily anti-bloat routines
  
• Quick, easy meals that feel like summer—not a cleanse
  

Ready to feel lighter in your clothes, clearer in your mind, and more at home in your body? Just click here to join the 7-Day Glow Up today for just $7. 

XO,

Dr Sheena