How To Keep Stomach From Growling While Fasting

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Does your stomach lurch and groan at the worst possible moments? Uncomfortable and unflattering stomach noises can be an unfortunate consequence of many things. Fortunately, whether your talkative tummy is the fault of hunger or diet, preventing it is simple and easy to manage.

1
Eat a satisfying meal beforehand. If there's a particular time of day or a stretch of time where you know you'd like to avoid any and all awkward stomach noises, be sure to eat a filling meal roughly an hour before. The most common cause of stomach grumbles will be your stomach attempting to clear itself when already empty. Making sure it's not empty when it counts is the simplest step to stopping pesky stomach noise.^[1]
- Be sure not to make your satisfying meal too satisfying--avoid over-eating. An overly full stomach will take to grumbling as it struggles to digest; keep the portion size comfortable to prevent causing the problem you hoped to avoid.
- Be sure to make this satisfying meal one that is thoroughly stomach-friendly, or else you may not be preventing anything.
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Drink plenty of water. Beyond simply making sure you've had enough to eat, stopping disruptive stomach noises will be a matter of ensuring that your digestion is working as well as possible. Staying hydrated is critical to healthy, efficient digestion. One of the many things water does for your body is ease the work of digestion.^[2]
- Water won't be a substitute for food, however. Don't fill up on water to try and satiate an empty stomach. A belly full of only water is likely to grumble even more.
- If possible, drink bottled water when looking to avoid stomach grumbles. Tap water sometimes includes some fluoride or chlorine which, while harmless, may upset your stomach just enough to cause some rumbling.
- Be sure to stay hydrated regularly. It won't do to drink a bunch of water right beforehand; you'll need to keep hydrated so that your digestion can always work as well as it should.
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Eat digestive-friendly foods. In addition to staying hydrated, you'll want to be sure to choose foods that will ease digestion as well. Eating the wrong foods to keep hunger at bay won't help if what you've eaten only upsets your stomach. Being sure to eat right will leave you with a stomach both satisfied and silent.^[3]
- Try plain rice. Use basmati rice or wild rice, which contain less fiber than other varieties; too much fiber may make the digestion too quick and disruptive, which you'll want to avoid.
- Use mint. If you're someone who drinks smoothies or tea, consider throwing a few mint leaves in your next cup or mix. Mint calms the muscles of the digestive tract, making those grumbles much less likely.
- Include potatoes in your diet. Specifically sweet or white potatoes, these contain filling starch which helps to settle the stomach. Be sure not to include too much spice or butter to keep from upsetting the stomach.
- Eat non-dairy yogurt. Most commonly bought as Greek yogurt, yogurts made with soy or almond milk without sweeteners are excellent digestive aids. The bacteria which comprise yogurt have a calming effect on the stomach.
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Keep snacks on hand. Even with the best of preparation and planning, hunger may still sneak up on you when you least expect it. Make sure this hunger doesn't turn into stomach grumbles by keeping some stomach-friendly snacks with you throughout the day. Even if it's just something small before that next class or meeting, the right snack will be enough to ensure those belly grumbles will be put to rest.^[4]
- Pre-packaged nuts are a healthy and calorie-rich way to fill a rumbling stomach. Be sure to keep nuts that aren't salted, as they may upset your stomach more than raw or plain roasted nuts would.
- Fruits and vegetables that package well like bell peppers, apples and carrots make great snacks. Healthy and refreshing, fruits and vegetables also contain plenty of the vitamins which aid digestion.
- For a mix of both of the above, look out for fruit and nut bars which have become popular in recent years. Be sure to finds ones low in fat and sugar, without too many additions (like chocolate) to the fruit and nuts.
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Avoid coffee. Unfortunately for those relying on coffee for an early morning jolt, many things about the caffeinated beverage spell dread for the digestive system. The most relevant here is the increase in acidity it promotes in your stomach; all the extra acid causes gas which will only add to the embarrassment of stomach grumbles. A slight laxative effect also disrupts digestion and makes stomach noise more likely.^[5]
- If you've got the taste for it, certain teas can make great alternatives to coffee. You can even keep the caffeinated kind on account of many of the other metabolic benefits tea provides.
- At the very least you can cut down on your intake. If you're a heavy coffee drinker, try to bring it down a couple of cups a day and see if it helps.
2
Stay away from gassy foods. While it's important to keep hunger at bay, taking in the wrong foods may end up causing the problem you were hoping to avoid. You're probably already well aware of food that makes your stomach upset. It's important to limit these foods to those moments where stomach noises aren't a concern.^[6]
- Foods which lead to flatulence like beans, broccoli, and asparagus (among others) will upset the stomach when you're trying to calm it. Hopefully you'll have a good understanding of what foods affect you in order to stay away.
- Don't chow down on anything too greasy or fatty. While not themselves a guarantor of stomach grumbles, they tax the process of digestion which might worsen other factors at work. Keep the hamburgers for those moments when you can afford the noise.
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Avoid certain sugars. Two common sugars, fructose and sorbitol, can contribute to stomach distress. In order to cover all of your culinary bases, you'll want to look out for certain foods which contain either. Beyond only fructose and sorbitol, cutting down on sugary foods period is a step in a healthy direction, which can only help to cut down on stomach noise.^[7]
- Fructose is usually used as a sweetener in soda and fruit drinks. It occurs naturally, however, in foods such as onions, pears, and wheat.
- Sorbitol is included as artificial sweetener in many diet foods and snacks labelled "sugar-free." Like fructose, it does exist naturally in foods such as apples, peaches, and many other fruits.
4
Know how existing conditions affect your stomach. Anyone and everyone can (and almost certainly will) suffer from some stomach grumbles in their life. Unfortunately for some, many medical conditions may exacerbate the problem. Consider consulting with a physician if you think your stomach noises may be the fault of something medical.
- Certain food intolerances, especially lactose intolerance, may be to blame for stomach troubles. Be extra diligent for foods your stomach can't handle when eating for a quiet belly.
- Any conditions affecting digestion, from irritable bowel syndrome to celiac disease or Crohn's, will have an affect on when and why your stomach growls. Try to bring up stomach grumbles at your next doctor's visit.
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1
Eat regularly. The best thing you can do if you'd like to stop worrying about stomach grumbles is to eat so that you avoid hunger as best as possible. Whether it's three sizable meals a day or six small ones, eating regularly makes sure your stomach is never so empty that it makes noise.
- Regular meals unfortunately aren't a catch-all prevention, you'll still need to watch what you eat and keep snacks around just in case.
- Regular here means regular not just in terms of time, but portions as well. Don't have a nibble for breakfast with a large lunch planned and expect to be grumble-free in the AM.
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Press on your stomach. One thing you can try when stomach noise comes on despite all your prevention is to push on your stomach. Providing the stomach less space to move and contract will mean less room to do the things which make for stomach grumbles.^[8]
- Using a pencil (eraser-end first) or pen, press into your stomach with some force (don't hurt yourself) when you feel your stomach begin to churn.
- Be sure to target your stomach (near your navel, but not on it) and not higher up for best results.
3

Take a deep breath. Filling your lungs with air will require some room in your torso, and in growing your lungs push down on your stomach, giving it less room for grumbles (as with the previous step). When you feel your stomach become upset and about to make noise, take a deep breath and hold it until the sensation passes.

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Question

I push on my stomach really hard to stop it from growling, now my stomach has a little bruise on it. Is what I do even safe?

Priyasantho

Community Answer

Its not safe. Be careful, you've got a bruise already. It might lead to other problems if you keep doing it.
Question

How do I stop my stomach from growling in the middle of class?

Try breathing deeply and regularly or shifting your posture. Also, make sure to eat a nutritious breakfast before school. You can also bring a snack, such as a granola bar, to eat between classes.
Question

Is popcorn okay to eat?

Yeah, I would stay away from buttery types, but if it's just normal plain popcorn, you should be good. Buttered popcorn might upset your stomach. Be sure to drink some water after eating the popcorn.
Question

How do I stop sudden growling in the examination hall?

Try to eat something beforehand. Our stomach and bowels make noise all the time, but if you haven't eaten in a while the sound can get louder. Also, remember everybody makes that noise sometimes, so you shouldn't worry too much about it.
Question

I squeeze and punch my stomach when I either hear it or feel a growl. Is that safe?

Tom De Backer

Top Answerer

No. You can do some serious harm to yourself if you punch yourself hard enough. If you squeeze, you might cut of some blood vessels near your skin, or even some that lie deeper down, you might rupture them, causing internal bleeding. Same for punching. Granted, you'd have to squeeze and punch really hard to do any real damage, but it also doesn't work, it doesn't do you any good whatsoever, and it doesn't stop the growling. Eat a snack, drink some water, treat your body like a work of art.
Question

If I am hungry and never want to eat, how can I stop my stomach from making noise without food?

You really can't. The best thing to do would be to eat a little. You can eat a piece of bread, or some ice cream. But if you never want to eat, you might want to go see a doctor and find out why. Loss of appetite could be a sign of a medical condition, and not eating is very bad for your health.
Question

Is there something I can cover my stomach with to help lessen or diminish the growling or gurgling sounds?

No. Covering it won't help. Also, don't wear a tight belt or force your hands onto your stomach. This will only squeeze it and worsen the gurgling.
Question

Can I make some kind of weird noise so that no one can hear the growl and not alert the teacher?

No. You should just let your stomach growl. It will not help if you make strange noises, and people will probably think you are special if you do. People will probably just chuckle a little if you let your stomach growl, however.
Question

Is there not some sort of natural remedy?

If the noise is caused by hunger, then it usually involves eating a small portion of food before you leave the house in the morning or before hunger sets in during the day. If the noise is caused by feeling unwell, ginger or mint teas can sometimes help.
Question

I need to eat less because of a diet, and even though I am not hungry my stomach keeps gurgling. What do I do?

That may be due to the change, it will most likely go away with time. However, if it worsens or has been going on for a long amount of time, consult a doctor.

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Article Summary X

It can be a bit awkward when your stomach won't keep quiet in public, but there are ways you can stop your stomach from making loud noises. Try pressing lightly on your stomach to restrict the air inside. You can also take a deep breath whenever you feel your stomach get upset and hold the breath until the sensation passes. Remember to eat regularly and drink plenty of water throughout the day, since hunger and thirst are common causes of a noisy stomach. If you get a noisy stomach often, avoid coffee, beans, and greasy foods, which can make you gassy and upset your stomach. For more tips, including how to help your digestion with healthy foods, read on!

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