Body & Mind

Ate too much at Easter? With this drink, you'll never wake up with a bloated belly

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You probably know it: Easter always gets a bit out of hand. Breakfast starts with two hard rolls and somehow also two chocolate eggs on the couch. Whether you're talking about that cinnamon pull-apart bread, homemade Danerolles croissants, or those terribly delicious chocolate Easter bunnies: it's hard to resist. And eating a few chocolates is really not a war crime, but it can cause some problems, like a bloated belly. You thought you would wake up fresh and fruity today, but you were faced with a stomach ache. It might be too late now, but we know exactly the trick that allows you to eat what you want, but not get up with a bloated belly. The secret? This super drink.

What you can drink to wake up without a bloated belly

Now, of course, you can just put on a pair of flare pants and go to work, but I totally understand if you don't want to feel that way. A bloated belly is never nice; your tight pants suddenly don't fit anymore, that one top you’d rather not wear now, and you spend the rest of the day with cramps. That's no fun, so you want to do something about it. There is a drink that seems to help against bloating and gas in your belly. Oh, and no, before you get any ideas: this is not an energy drink with thirty electrolytes, a fizz tablet, and three supplements. All you need is kefir.

For those who don't know: kefir is a fermented milk drink that is widely consumed in Turkey, Central Asia, and Russia. In these countries, it has been drunk for thousands of years because of all the good substances it contains. This yogurt-like drink is a thick, carbonated, and slightly alcoholic (what?!) milk drink. It is a mixture of lactic acid bacteria and yeasts that together give a slightly sour and fresh taste. Due to the microorganisms in the yeast and milk, a small amount of alcohol is produced, just like in beer. Furthermore, it contains various nutrients such as proteins, polysaccharides, calcium, iron, iodine, and vitamins A, B1, B2, B3, B6, B9, B12, and D.

How come drinking kefir prevents you from waking up with a bloated belly?

Doctor Joseph Salhab knows. He specializes in nutrition and says this drink will definitely help you: “When it comes to drinks, kefir is one of the types with the most probiotics.” These are good bacteria that have a positive effect on your body. “There are more different scoring organisms in it than in yogurt. There are many studies that conclude that kefir can improve your bowel movements and thus a swollen belly.” By drinking the beverage in the evening, you can wake up with a flatter belly and less pain, according to Joseph.

Where do you get Kefir and what does it taste like?

As I mentioned, kefir has a yogurt-like taste. That sourness provides a freshness that is very nice in the morning, but also in the evening. But good: just like with Greek and farmer's yogurt, you can make it even tastier. Especially if you don't like that sour taste. You can choose to add fruit. Think of strawberries and blueberries, or banana and mango. This fruit adds some extra fiber, which is also very good for your gut health.

Are you convinced and want to try the kefir hype too? Then you can basically get this anywhere. At Albert Heijn, at Jumbo – every supermarket has it. You can also choose to try an organic version at Holland & Barrett. Or you go straight to the source to a Turkish supermarket; it has been on the shelves there for years. Now you can also make kefir yourself. The thing is, factory kefir is usually not real kefir. That’s quite contradictory, but it is true. The Food Quality Inspection Service has investigated this by diving into the factories and seeing how this is made. Where real kefir is made from kefir grains, this is not feasible industrially. So if you want to be sure that it is real kefir, you can easily make it yourself. And no: you don't have to buy new grains every time. These organisms stay alive, you rinse them clean, and you can store them for months.

Do you want to try kefir once? Then go for the one from the Turkish supermarket first. If this works well for you, you can always start your own DIY kefir.

Credit: Instagram |roselitkowski