Nothing ruins date night quite like stinky breath, massive bloating, or having to run to the bathroom. We talked to nutritionists about the foods that ruin date night moods faster than you can swipe left or right. Find out more below, resist the urge to eat, and then turn up your Sade playlist after these 24 Ways to Shrink Your Belly in 24 Hours help you lose weight right away!
Heres a fast way to puff up, pronto: Down some sodas or mixed cocktails. People who write the book The Nutrition Twins Veggie Cure, Lyssie Lakatos, RDN, CDN, CFT, and Tammy Lakatos Shames, RDN, CDN, CFT, say that carbonated drinks like soda and seltzer can make gas bubbles in the stomach that need to be let out. “And thats never sexy!” Avoid these 70 Worst Drinks That Give You “Soda Belly”.
Getting food poisoning on the night of your third date and ending up at an urgent care center? That sounds like something out of Aziz Ansari’s “Master of None.” Lisa Hayim, registered dietitian and founder of The Well Necessities, says, “Steak or fish tartare can make you sick from food.” Bad news if youre trying to KTR (Keep Things Romantic). “Instead, opt for cooked meat, well-done is best, to avoid any gastrointestinal upset. “.
Crab is one of the most delicious and coveted seafood treats around. With its sweet, succulent meat and iconic shell, crab is a culinary favorite across the globe. However while crab may taste amazing many crab lovers are plagued by one gastrointestinal side effect – crab-induced gas and bloating.
If you’ve ever found yourself feeling gassy and bloated after indulging in some freshly cracked crab legs or a hearty crab cake you’re not alone. In this article, we’ll explore the reasons why crab causes gas provide tips to minimize crab-related gas, and offer healthy ways to keep enjoying crab without discomfort.
Why Crab Causes Gas
There are two main components of crab meat that can lead to gas production when eaten – protein and fiber.
Crab meat is very high in protein. In fact, a 3-ounce serving of Alaskan king crab can contain around 22 grams of protein [1]. While protein is an essential nutrient, consuming large amounts of it can overwhelm the digestive system. When we eat protein, it must be broken down into amino acids during digestion. If the protein is not adequately broken down, undigested compounds can make their way to the intestines and become food for gut bacteria. As the bacteria ferment the undigested protein, gas is produced, leading to bloating, flatulence, and discomfort.
In addition to protein, crab meat contains a substantial amount of fiber – around 0.5 grams per 3-ounce serving [1]. Fiber is healthy and important for digestive health. However, some forms of fiber are difficult for the body to break down. As these fibers pass through the intestines undigested, they can also become fermented by gut bacteria, producing excess gas [2].
While crab’s protein and fiber content is the primary cause of crab-related gas, another factor can be the way crab is prepared and served. Crab legs, for instance, are often cooked by boiling and then served warm with drawn butter for dipping. The combination of hot crab smothered in melted butter can be hard on digestion, especially in large quantities. This oily preparation style may exacerbate gas and bloating.
Tips to Prevent Crab-Induced Gas
If you want to keep enjoying delicious crab without suffering from gas and bloating, here are some useful tips:
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Chew thoroughly – Chewing crab meat slowly and thoroughly can help digestion tremendously. This gives digestive enzymes in saliva more time to start breaking down the protein.
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Limit portion size – Be mindful of how much crab you’re consuming in one sitting. Large portions are more difficult to digest. Stick to a sensible 3-5 ounce serving.
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Say no to butter – Request crab legs and meat to be steamed or grilled without butter. The fat from butter can contribute to gas and indigestion.
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Try digestive enzymes – Consider taking a digestive enzyme supplement when eating crab to help properly break down the proteins.
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Incorporate ginger – Fresh ginger tea or ginger slices in water can help relax the GI tract and aid digestion.
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Prevent air swallowing – Eat crab slowly, chew with your mouth closed, and don’t use a straw when drinking to limit excess air swallowing.
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Take a walk afterward – Light physical activity after eating can stimulate the digestive system and help gas pass more easily.
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Monitor personal tolerance – Pay attention to your own sensitivities. You may be able to tolerate smaller amounts of crab without issue.
Healthy Ways to Eat Crab
Just because crab can cause gas doesn’t mean you have to avoid it altogether. With a few dietary tweaks, you can create healthier crab recipes that are less likely to cause digestive upset:
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Crab cakes – Make homemade crab cakes using clean ingredients – avoid fillers, breadcrumbs, and excess mayo. Pan-fry instead of deep frying.
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Crab salad – Toss crab meat with fresh vegetables, greens, a touch of olive oil, and lemon juice or vinegar for a light, low-fat salad.
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Crab-stuffed avocado – Fill halved avocados with a mix of crab and diced mango, red onion, cilantro, and lime juice for a refreshing appetizer.
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Crab stir-fry – Quickly stir-fry crab meat with vegetables like zucchini, bell peppers, and broccoli in a pan with a little sesame oil and reduced sodium soy sauce.
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Crab omelet – Make a fluffy omelet filled with crab meat, spinach, diced tomatoes, and a sprinkle of cheese for a protein and veggie-packed breakfast.
The Bottom Line
Crab can be a super tasty and healthy seafood choice loaded with protein, vitamins, and minerals. However, components in crab can also contribute to gas, bloating, and indigestion when consumed in large quantities or when paired with heavy sauces or sides. Paying attention to your personal tolerance levels, adjusting portion sizes, choosing healthier preparations, and employing gas-preventing techniques can allow you to keep crab in your diet without discomfort. With a few simple dietary modifications, you can continue to reap the rewards of eating crab without the unwanted side effects.
References
[1] U.S Fish & Wildlife Service. (2018). Nutrition facts for crab meat. https://www.fws.gov/alaska/mbsp/mbm/fishandshellfish/pdf/crab_nutrition_facts.pdf
[2] Mayo Clinic. (2022). Digestive health: How fiber benefits digestive health. https://www.mayoclinic.org/digestive-system/expert-answers/faq-20058340
Things That Spill Easily
Its not so obvious when youre scanning a menu, but this ones important to keep in mind. “Avoid the spaghetti dish with red sauce or that Vietnamese Pho soup dish. Thanks to all that slurping, you might stain your favorite date clothes!” yells Rebecca Lewis, RD for HelloFresh, a popular healthy meal kit delivery service For a non-messy, at-home pasta choice, check out The #1 Best Pasta for Your Body.
A Raw Kale Salad
Mmmm…Gently Massaged Kale Medley with Roasted Pepitas, Blood Orange, and Miso-Yuzu Vinaigrette. But don’t order that tasty kale salad right away. “We know this is a healthy food that’s hard to pass up, but raw kale is one of the hardest things to digest,” says Hayim. “Its likely to cause gas pain and bloating. If the chef is able to, ask for cooked kale. This will start to break down the food and make it easier to digest. “.
For about six hours before your dinner date, youre gonna wanna avoid dairy. “As we get older, our bodies make less lactase, the enzyme that breaks down lactose in dairy products. Because our bodies make less lactase, we are all more likely to get gas, diarrhea, and bloating from dairy products,” say The Nutrition Twins.
“These kinds of foods will make you sleepy and give you gas,” says Lisa DeFazio, MS, RDN, a famous nutritionist. What come to mind? Pizza with everything, meatball sandwiches, fettuccini Alfredo, lasagna… These are also some of the worst foods to eat before bed, so you should stay away from them for better sleep.
“With nerves high, why add to our stomachs woe with foods that are highly irritable?” says Lewis. “Plus, all that spice makes your nose run, which isn’t the cutest look!” We totally get it!
Foods that are high in fat and large meals can take up to eight hours to digest. Carbs take one to four hours and proteins four to six hours. “Your blood is moved from your muscles and brain to your stomach to work on digestion. It stays there for a long time,” say The Nutrition Twins. “It leaves your brain and body feeling tired and sluggish—not what you want when youre celebrating. ” For more foods to avoid, check out the 50 Unhealthiest Foods on the Planet!.
It’s true that comfort food tastes better when you’re eating it with your partner, but not this time! “The heavy cream used in most restaurant mac and cheeses is enough to push someone without a lactose allergy over the edge,” says Hayim. “Not only is the dairy gas-producing, but the fat in the dish is difficult and slow to digest. It may leave you feeling sluggish and bloated over the next day. “.
Broccoli. Cauliflower. Bok choy. Brussel sprouts. Indeed, these are the veggies nutritional dreams are made of. But you might want to break up with them for date night. The Nutrition Twins say, “They have a very healthy antioxidant called sulforaphane that helps the body get rid of toxins and cancer-causing cells, but it’s not date night.” “There’s a reason sulforaphane sounds like sulfur: sulfur is the important part of it and is what gives cruciferous vegetables their smell, which causes gas.” Stick to leafy greens instead!” For more healthy foods that you should eat in small amounts, check out our list of 20 Healthy Foods You Should Do That.
We dont mean to be Captain Obvious here, but onions are bad news as a date food. Is it even worse to fry them? “The oil used to coat and fry them adds fat that is hard to digest.” The oil also loosens the esophageal sphincter, causing repeat, or burping,” offers Hayim. Ew.
Do Probiotics Make You Gassy?
FAQ
Does seafood give you gas?
Why does crab meat make me gassy?
Is crab bad for digestion?
What happens when you eat too much crab?
What foods make you gassy?
Some foods can make you gassy. Fruits, certain vegetables, grains, dairy products, and other foods that contain certain types of sugars or fiber can all contribute to intestinal discomfort such as bloating and flatulence .
Why do I get gassy If I eat fish?
You get gassy from swallowing air when eating or digesting certain foods in your large intestine. Symptoms of gas include burping, flatulence, bloating and abdominal pain. Keep a diary of what you are eating and when your symptoms occur to determine if fish is what’s causing you to feel bloated.
What foods cause gas & bloating?
Some of these foods, such as asparagus, may cause particularly odorous gas. Wheat and other whole grains, except rice, all contain raffinose and large amounts of fiber. Both of these can lead to increased gas and bloating. Some whole grains also contain a protein called gluten.
Is brown crab bad for You?
Brown crab meat can also have high levels of cadmium, which is toxic if you take in too much. Crab also has a good bit of sodium (376 mgs in a 3-ounce portion). If you’re hungry for seafood, but want a little less sodium, great choices include: Find out what the research says about crab, who should avoid it, and how it may affect your health.