Low-calorie and low-carb artificial sweeteners are popular with people trying to lose weight, but Dr. Dixit says they can disrupt your gut microbiome. Avoid artificial sweeteners such as aspartame, sorbitol, and xylitol.
You may also notice that your stomach doesn't react well when you eat erythritol (made from cane sugar), or when you eat too much real sugar (eating sugar definitely makes me bloated!). That's because eating a high-sugar diet can decrease the amount of good bacteria in your gut, explains Leslie Langevin, MS, RD, CD, of Whole Health Nutrition. She says, "in your GI tract, there are trillions of bacteria that usually help with health, but these bacteria consume the sugars in your foods and can increase gas production and bloat." Listen to your body when it comes to these foods.
