How to Keep Your Stomach Quiet in Public

Co-authored by Muhammad Khan, MD, MPH

Last Updated: May 27, 2022 References

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.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Eating for a Quiet Stomach

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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]
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- 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.
2
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]
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- 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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3
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]
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- 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.
4
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]
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- 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.

Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Avoiding Disruptive Foods

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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]
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- 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]
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- 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.
3
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]
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- 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.

Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Building Habits for a Quieter Stomach

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 slowly and regularly makes sure your stomach is never so empty that it makes noise.^{[8]
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- 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.
2
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.^{[9]
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- 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.

Community Q&A

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?

Community Answer

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?

Community Answer

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.