Do you ever sit down for a nice meal and then find yourself doubled over in discomfort later that evening suffering from bloat? Many of us struggle to prevent stomach discomfort after eating large meals and it often feels like we just have to deal with it. Bulging stomach, cramping, gas, and just feeling blah can be a thing of the past! Did you know that there are specific foods and ingredients that can help to reduce digestive discomfort and bloating? 

Ingredients like ginger, asparagus, fermented foods, and kiwi are all known to help reduce belly bloat. Below we have a recipe for a spinach and pasta salad, topped with shrimp and a fruit salsa that will leave you full and feeling great. This dinner recipe is designed to help you feel great with large pieces of ginger-soy marinated shrimp and tropical fruit salsa with pineapple, mango, peach, kiwifruit and mint tossed with baby spinach leaves and long strands of soba in this tropical dish.

So What Ingredients do I need?

There are two parts to this recipe, the tropical salsa and the main dish! Below are the ingredients that you will need for both - all of these can be found at your local market: 

Ingredients:

• 1lb of fresh or frozen large shrimp
• rice vinegar
• 2 tablespoons of finely chopped chives
• low sodium soy sauce
• 6oz of soba noodles (or udon or vermicelli)
• 1 tablespoon of canola oil
• fresh baby spinach leaves
• Fresh kiwi , mango, pineapple, peach, and lime
• Fresh Mint, ginger, and cilantro

Other Necessities

• A large bowl
• Mason jar with a lid 
• Medium to Large container with lid
• Medium bowl
• Large boiling pot

Step By Step: 

1. Thaw, peel, and devein the shrimp removing the tail if desired. Rinse them well and pat the shrimp dry with a paper towel. Set them aside. Chop your chives finely and grate the fresh ginger.
2. Combine the following ingredients in a mason jar with a lid and shake them well. Keep 1/4 cup of this mixture - chill and save for later. 

• ⅓ cup Rice vinegar, chopped chives, grated ginger to taste, and 1 tablespoon of soy sauce
• Place your shrimp in a resealable bag or large container with a lid. Pour the un-chilled vinegar mixture that you just made over the shrimp. Make sure they are completely covered, you may need to stir them to ensure this. Place this in the refrigerator and let the shrimp marinade in this mixture for at least an hour.
• To make your fruit salsa: In a medium bowl, combine chopped mint to taste, 2 teaspoons of fresh squeezed lime juice, 1 teaspoon of grated ginger, 2 teaspoons of rice vinegar, and your chopped tropical fruit (kiwi is essential for bloat reduction but you can be creative with the fruits you choose - we recommend peach, mango, pineapple, and kiwi. Mandarin oranges are also a popular addition.)

• You can prepare this beforehand and chill for up to 24 hours if desired. A ¼ cup has around 30 calories.
• Cook your noodles - vermicelli, udon, or soba work well. Follow the packaging instructions for your noodles. Be sure to keep them warm and feel free to trim the noodles if needed.
• Combine the reserved ¼ cup vinegar mixture and the canola oil in a large bowl. Next, whisk this mixture until it is well combined. Add your warm noodles, shrimp, spinach leaves and fruit salsa and then toss to ensure that everything is evenly coated. Serve with lime wedges and enjoy!

The Battle Of The Bloat

Fixing bloat unfortunately, is not as simple as consuming the right foods in a single dish. We however, have a quick fix that could help bring you consistent and constant relief from digestive concerns. Happy Mammoth's Vital Digestive Enzymes help to improve digestion, reduce sensitivity to certain foods, aid in nutrient absorption, and even help to boost your metabolism. Within this product are 5 important enzymes that assist with the breakdown of carbs, starch, protein, fat, and dietary fiber. They assist with providing digestive relief in a multifaceted way. Additionally, they are SO easy to take! Simply mix one scoop mixed with water before each major meal. You can mix them with food as well but they have a neutral taste and can easily be consumed with simply water.

If you want further support, L-Glutamine is your bloat battling best friend. L-Glutamine helps to balance gut bacteria and support weight loss, it has been proven to reduce leaky gut symptoms, and combats bloating and gas pain. When taking this product for weight loss, IBS, leaky gut, or general digestive problems, we recommend mixing one scoop with water 30-45 minutes before major meals. 

Bloat Be Gone

When you work to consciously consume bloat battling foods in combination with natural supplements that support healthy digestion and reduce digestive discomfort, battling bloat can feel easy. Remember to keep a healthy mix of fermented and cultured foods in your diet that contain healthy gut bacteria. Consider adding lemon to your water regimen as the acidity in lemon mimics the acidity of our stomach and actually combats bloat shockingly well! It is essential to ensure that you have plenty of vital enzymes, good gut bacteria, water, and physical movement in your daily routine in an effort to remain bloat free and comfortable day after day. 

Learn more about combating bloat and other common gut issues by visiting our gut health collection.