Unsuitable Comfort Foods for People Having Digestion Problems

I am a big foodie. In anxiety, tension, or depression, it turns worse; I just can't stop eating the so-called comfort foods. They do reduce the acuity of pain; my experience proves that. However, some of the comfort foods can put the stomach in great discomfort, as they are very hard to digest.

The article lists some of the comfort foods that should be avoided by the people having digestion problems to ward off any trouble that may otherwise arise. If you think you can't leave them then the article also has suggestions for substitute ingredients for some of these foods.

Creamy mashed potatoes

Cream gives the specific taste and the smooth texture to the mashed potatoes. While it is a treat to the taste buds, the stomach finds it hard to digest. Potatoes are rich in carbohydrates. A medium sized potato contains almost 27 grams of carbohydrates. Among all the potato species, the major component of the carbohydrate is a starch that is hard to digest. A freshly cooked potato contains almost 7 percent of this 'resistant' starch. However, upon cooling this starch reaches to about 14 percent. So, make sure that you eat freshly prepared mashed potatoes.

Among the dairy products, the cream lies in the group, which is hard to digest. So the combination of cream and mashed potatoes might not be very gentle on the stomach. A good idea is to replace that cream with milk (Replacing with skimmed milk would be even gentler).

People who are lactose allergic or intolerant can use soy milk.

Flavored chocolate and other chocolate products

There is no need to worry; the article has nothing against the chocolate, especially the dark chocolate. However if you are particularly fond of flavored chocolates and chocolate products like cakes, mousses and cookies then you might be putting your digestive system on a roll. These products have loads of oil, eggs, butter, or other dairy products, which are very hard to digest.

Ice cream

Ice cream can be a big problem for lactose intolerant individuals. Other than that, the ice creams are loaded with different kinds of fats. The fats are also among the species, which remain in the stomach for much longer periods, since they are hard to digest.

However if you happen to like an ice cream made up of fat/lactose free milk or soy milk then you can enjoy the treat without any problems.

Sugar free candies and chewing gum

I am very fond of candies. I thought I am doing myself a big favor when I switched to sugar free candies and chewing gums. However, after encountering some digestion problems I came to know that sugar free candies and gums have 'sorbitol', an artificial sweetener. Two or three grams of sorbitol are fine but if you consume more than that, it is going to cause a problem.

Source(s):
Personal Experience

Wikipedia (for nutrient and digestion information about the given foods)

http://health.msn.com/fitness/slideshow.aspx?cp-documentid=100159206