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[Park Mi-sun YouTube]
[Park Mi-sun YouTube]

Broadcaster Park Mi-sun, 59, has drawn attention after revealing that dining out regularly left her with uncomfortable bloating. She recently visited a vegan restaurant as part of a personal wellness day, choosing a bowl made with lion's mane mushrooms and assorted vegetables. Abdominal bloating after meals — a feeling of fullness or swelling in the stomach — can stem from a range of factors, including the fat content of food, portion size, and fermentation by gut microbes.

Park shared the outing on her YouTube channel, Misun Impossible, where she documented what she called a "wellness day" focused on healthy eating. She ordered a bowl featuring lion's mane mushrooms and a variety of vegetables.

After tasting the dish, Park said she had initially thought she was eating meat. "I cannot believe something that is not meat can taste this good," she said. She added that eating out normally left her stomach full of gas, and that this kind of meal felt like a healthier way to eat.

Abdominal bloating is a common digestive complaint that almost anyone can experience. When the stomach feels unusually swollen or gassy after meals on a recurring basis, it is worth examining not just what is being eaten but also how meals are consumed and how well the gut is absorbing food.

Greasy food and fast eating: why dining out can leave you bloated

Abdominal bloating refers to an uncomfortable sensation of fullness or swelling in the belly. In some cases the abdomen visibly expands, while in others the feeling of bloating occurs without any noticeable change in size.

Intestinal gas forms in two ways: air swallowed while eating, and gas produced when gut bacteria break down undigested carbohydrates. Under normal circumstances this gas is released through burping or flatulence, but when production increases or the movement of gas through the intestines is disrupted, discomfort can intensify.

According to the US National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, eating quickly or frequently drinking carbonated beverages can increase the amount of air entering the digestive tract. Consuming large quantities of food in a single sitting also worsens post-meal bloating.

The fat content of food plays a role as well. High-fat meals can affect the rate at which food leaves the stomach and the overall digestive process, and in some people they increase feelings of heaviness and bloating after eating.

Fatty meats, fried foods, and cream-based dishes consumed in large portions are particularly likely to cause discomfort. When carbonated drinks and dessert are added to the mix during a restaurant meal, the number of factors contributing to bloating multiplies.

People who frequently experience post-meal gas are therefore advised to reduce portion sizes and develop a habit of chewing slowly. If symptoms worsen after eating greasy food, adjusting cooking methods and reducing fat intake can also help.

Mushrooms and vegetables can cause gas too — the role of FODMAP fermentation in the gut

The mushrooms and vegetables Park chose supply dietary fiber and a range of nutrients. However, for people prone to intestinal gas, the type and quantity of plant-based foods consumed also matters.

Some dietary fiber passes through the small intestine without being fully digested and moves into the large intestine, where gut bacteria ferment it, producing gases such as hydrogen and carbon dioxide. This fermentation is a normal part of digestion, but in sensitive individuals it can cause bloating and abdominal pain.

FODMAP — an acronym for fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols — refers to a group of carbohydrates closely linked to intestinal gas. Certain FODMAP components that are not absorbed in the small intestine are fermented by bacteria in the large intestine.

Onions, garlic, wheat, legumes, and some fruits are among the most common high-FODMAP foods. Depending on the variety, mushrooms can also contain significant amounts of mannitol, a sugar alcohol, which can trigger bloating in sensitive individuals.

Monash University in Australia, a leading institution in low-FODMAP diet research, classifies mushrooms and certain vegetables as foods requiring attention for FODMAP intake. The FODMAP content varies by mushroom variety and by how they are prepared and how much is eaten, and individual tolerance levels also differ.

The effectiveness of this dietary approach has been confirmed in clinical trials.

A randomized clinical trial published in 2024 in The Lancet Gastroenterology & Hepatology compared the effects of dietary modification and drug treatment in 294 patients with irritable bowel syndrome.

Researchers at the University of Gothenburg in Sweden divided participants into three groups: one following a low-FODMAP diet combined with general dietary management guidelines, one reducing overall carbohydrate intake, and one receiving medication tailored to their symptoms.

After four weeks, the proportion of patients who showed a clinically meaningful improvement in irritable bowel syndrome symptom severity was 76 percent in the low-FODMAP group, 71 percent in the low-carbohydrate group, and 58 percent in the medication group.

The findings suggest that dietary modification can be an important treatment option for irritable bowel syndrome patients. However, because the study involved patients with a confirmed diagnosis, the same results cannot necessarily be expected in people who simply experience occasional post-meal bloating.

Do you have to cut out vegetables to reduce gas? How to find the right diet for you

Managing abdominal bloating requires identifying which foods trigger or worsen symptoms. Even the same food can produce different reactions depending on a person's digestive capacity, gut microbiome composition, and intestinal sensitivity.

The 2025 Seoul Consensus on Clinical Practice Guidelines for Irritable Bowel Syndrome also concluded that a low-FODMAP diet may help improve overall irritable bowel syndrome symptoms and reduce abdominal bloating.

The guidelines, however, emphasize identifying which specific foods trigger symptoms and adjusting the diet to suit the individual, rather than rigidly maintaining a FODMAP-restricted diet over the long term.

The low-FODMAP protocol recommended by Monash University follows three stages. In the first stage, lasting two to six weeks, high-FODMAP foods are replaced with alternatives to observe changes in symptoms. Foods that were restricted are then reintroduced one at a time to gauge the body's response, and finally the individual determines which foods and portion sizes they can personally tolerate.

Overly restricting FODMAP intake can reduce dietary variety and lead to shortfalls in certain nutrients and fiber, so seeking guidance from a specialist is advisable. Suddenly increasing fiber intake can also raise gas production, so gradual adjustment is recommended.

In everyday life, keeping a food and symptom diary can be a useful tool. Recording restaurant meals, portion sizes, types of drinks consumed, and the timing of post-meal bloating over several days can help identify recurring dietary habits that cause discomfort.

Eating smaller, more manageable portions rather than large amounts at once, and moderating intake of carbonated drinks and fatty foods, are also practical steps. If gas frequently follows meals containing vegetables or mushrooms, varying the types and amounts eaten and observing the body's response can help pinpoint individual triggers.

When abdominal bloating recurs frequently or is accompanied by abdominal pain, diarrhea, or constipation, it is worth checking for underlying digestive conditions. Unexplained weight loss, blood in the stool, or a sudden change in symptoms in particular warrant a visit to a medical professional.

When choosing a healthy meal at a restaurant, it is important to consider one's own digestive condition alongside nutritional balance. Because the same food can produce different digestive responses from person to person, identifying foods that regularly cause discomfort and choosing appropriate portion sizes are key steps toward reducing abdominal bloating.


rainbow@heraldcorp.com