Plus recipes to make ASAP with the spice.

Reviewed by Dietitian Emily Lachtrupp, M.S., RD

Let's face it: bloating is uncomfortable. Whether it's due to overeating, digestive issues or menstruation, relieving your bloat can be tricky and a sensitive issue.

Luckily, there are foods that can help with debloating, including a certain spice you should consider incorporating into your diet. Hint: it's probably already in your spice cabinet.

We talked to expert Kanchan Koya, Ph.D., the founder of Spice Spice Baby and author of The Spice Spice Baby Cookbook, through her partnership with Little Leaf Farms. Here's what spice she recommends to include in your eating pattern for reducing gas and bloating.

Related: The #1 Spice to Eat for Indigestion, According to a New Study

The #1 Spice to Help Reduce Bloating

So what's the spice you should consider adding into your routine? According to Koya, ginger is the way to go.

"Ginger has many compounds, like gingerol, which is an anti-inflammatory compound," she explained. "It's great for gas and bloating reduction, one because it reduces inflammation and too much inflammation can cause gas, bloating and gastric distress."

A small dose of ginger each day can help reduce inflammation, like Koya suggested, but it can also provide benefits like reducing nausea and vomiting, according to a 2022 study published by Nutrients. And these aren't the only ways that ginger can help improve your gut health and symptoms like bloating.

"It can also help move food down the GI tract more efficiently, increasing gut motility," Koya added. "A sluggish digestive system can also cause gas and bloating, so it helps with that. It can relax the muscles in the gastrointestinal tract if you have muscle spasms or stomach cramps." This is supported by an extensive 2019 study on ginger's health benefits from Food Science & Nutrition.

Related: Is the Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte Healthy?

If you're looking to add ginger into your eating pattern but are put off by its strong flavor, Koya has some suggestions to help make it more palatable.

"You can use the ginger root by grating it or slicing it into things like teas or stews or lentil soup," Koya said. "But you can also use the dried ginger powder, which also has a lot of the benefits, and it tends to have a slightly more mellow flavor. People use it in things like gingerbread, ginger cookies, and it's the one that's used in pumpkin spice. So if you feel like the raw ginger is overpowering, you can definitely use the powdered ginger."

Try out ginger in savory and sweet dishes. Dinner recipes like our 5-Ingredient Honey-Ginger Chicken and Szechuan Tofu & Green Bean Stir-Fry embrace the spice's fresh flavor, whereas desserts like Air-Fryer Gingerbread Churros and Ginger Molasses Cookies use ground ginger for a fragrant, spicy bite.

Up next: The #1 Ingredient to Add to Your Coffee, According to a Gastroenterologist

Read the original article on Eating Well.