What are the worst foods for flatulence?

Some blame it on beans and others on dairy. Regardless of what you consider to be the worst foods for flatulence, passing gas is inevitable. Gas or flatulence can be caused by a few factors. It occurs when you pass a combination of different gases out of your rear end. While it is usually not dangerous, excessive flatulence or emitting gas with stronger odors can be a sign of digestive problems. If you fart more than 20 times a day or your gas consistently smells stronger than usual, it might be time to improve your diet.

What causes flatulence?

Gas is the product of digestion. It comes out of your body the same way that feces does except instead of digested food, a mixture of hydrogen, carbon dioxide, nitrogen and methane is expelled. The simplest cause of flatulence is the swallowing of air. Just as we ingest food, we also “eat” air and instead of burping or hiccupping, the air passes through the digestive tract, mixes with other gases and is passed out of the buttocks. The noise gas makes when it exits is a result of a vibrating anal sphincter, a muscle responsible for pushing waste out of the body.

Another popular cause is eating the worst foods for flatulence. Different foods affect people in different ways. Even the medication and supplements you take can lead to unusual flatulence. Constipation is also a diet-related cause. The buildup of undigested food in the stomach can influence the odor of gas.

Excessive or abnormal flatulence is common among people with digestive conditions such as Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Chrohn’s disease and bowel construction. Women with PMS can also experience bloating and superfluous flatulence.

What are the worst foods for flatulence?

As mentioned earlier, certain foods can increase unhealthy flatulence in some and not others. There are however, some foods that are frequently accused of causing gas. Packaged, processed and fried foods are on the top of this list. They are the worst foods for flatulence because they contain saturated fats, trans fats and carbohydrates that are difficult for your body to process. They can lead to a range of digestive complications like constipation and bowel disease.

Carbonated drinks have been reported to cause similar effects. Their sugar content is high which disturbs digestion and causes harmful gases to enter your tract. Other beverages to limit are beer, wine and ciders.

Lactose-intolerant people have to be careful of milk, cheese and other dairy products. Look for products that contain higher levels of lactose because it helps to digest the sugar into carbohydrates that can be processed more easily.

Many have reported experiencing increased flatulence after eating beans, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, onions, cabbage, asparagus, cauliflower, artichokes and foods made with wheat flour. To find out which foods cause you to pass gas more frequently, keep a food journal to record what you eat. These foods are very healthy and should not be eliminated from your diet until you are absolutely sure they are to blame for excessive flatulence.