Flat belly foods for summer

If there's one thing that makes you feel ghastly, it's a bloated belly. And there's no worse time of year to deal with bloat, than summer. Luckily, there are certain superfoods that you can turn to, to get you bikini-ready in no time.

Photography by Ian Wallace

New-style crudites with rocket salsa, delicious. November 2010

Yoghurt

Natural or Greek yoghurt is low in sugar and extremely nutritious. It contains 'good bacteria' known as probiotics that help to naturally regenerate the good bacteria found in the gut. A daily serve of natural yogurt can prevent gastric discomfort by eliminating wastes and gases in the gut.

Peppermint tea

Herbal teas such as green, licorice and dandelion tea have powerful diuretic properties meaning that they draw fluid from the body, reduce water retention and help to keep the tummy flat. Peppermint tea in particular is known to help reduce stomach discomfort and aid digestion. Aim for 2-3 cups of herbal tea a day.

Bran-based cereal

Any high fibre breakfast cereal will help to keep food moving through the digestive tract regularly, removing wastes and keeping the tummy flat. Bran in particular tends to have the most powerful effect. Aim for just 1/2 cup of bran-based cereal each day and notice how much more regular your digestive system works.

Cucumber, celery and radishes

While all salad vegetables are good for us, it's the high-water content vegetables, that are low in calories and packed with nutrition, that help to eliminate fluid and waste from the body. Snack on vegetables throughout the day and aim for at least one serve of salad to maximise the flat belly effect.

Watermelon and berries

While some fruits have a relatively high sugar content, most melons and berries are lower in sugar while having an extremely high proportion of water. High-water content fruits such as watermelon and berries move quickly through the digestive tract, helping to keep bellies flat.

Nuts

Consuming small, regular meals and snacks every 2-3 hours, as opposed to large meals that can leave you feeling heavy and bloated, is the key to flat-belly success. To achieve this we need to rely on low bulk foods that are nutrient-dense. Nuts fit this description perfectly. A handful of nuts will fuel you for at least a couple of hours while leaving minimal bulk in the tummy so you are left feeling light yet energised.

Rye crackers

Rye has a high proportion of insoluble fibre, the type of fibre which helps to move foods through the digestive system quickly. Swap heavy breads and grains for a few rye crackers to fuel you adequately while maintaining a flat tummy throughout the warmer months.