5 Foods That Could Be Making You Gassy, According to a Dietitian
Key points
Everyone experiences gas. Experts even state that farting up to 25 times a day can be normal.1 Though it's mostly harmless, loud sounds and lingering smells can be embarrassing. There can be many reasons for gas, but toots may result from behaviors that can be changed, including swallowing too much air from drinking carbonated drinks, chewing gum or even drinking too fast.1 And while gas and bloating can be totally normal, certain foods and drinks can also stimulate those familiar tummy gurgles.
Many foods and beverages provide macronutrients, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants essential for good health. And though they play significant roles in our bodies, some nutrients may be more challenging to digest, causing stomach upset and gas. If gas has you in pain or sneaking off to the other room to release pressure, it may help to learn possible culprits of your tummy troubles. By tweaking your cooking habits or swapping to less gas-prone foods, you may be on your way to fewer bottom burps.
Here are five foods that may be making you gassy.
1. Legumes
Beans and lentils are heralded for their fiber, a key nutrient in healthy digestion and constipation relief. But for some people, legumes, such as black beans, lentils and chickpeas, may deliver more than fiber, and cause pent-up gas, too.
Legumes are rich in oligosaccharides, a carbohydrate that the small intestine can't digest. Specifically, they're are abundant in raffinose, a type of oligosaccharide. Raffinose must be broken down through fermentation by the bacteria in the colon. This fermentation produces hydrogen, carbon dioxide and methane—large components of gas and flatulence.2
Many people keep their distance from the magical fruit, but if you regularly eat a small amount of beans and ease your body into it, you might be able to enjoy them without the excessive gas as your body adjusts to their fiber and other nutrients. You can also make beans less gas-provoking by soaking dry beans overnight or rinsing canned beans well before using.
2. Cruciferous Vegetables
Cruciferous vegetables are a class of plants belonging to the Brassica genus. Brussels sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage and kale are a few members of this family with a gassy reputation. All of the foods on this list, including cruciferous veggies, are high in FODMAPs, which stands for fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides and polyols. FODMAPs are a group of small nondigestible carbohydrates that trigger abdominal symptoms in many people, especially those with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).3 Like beans, some cruciferous veggies contain raffinose and fructans, two types of oligosaccharides or FODMAPs.
Health care professionals, including registered dietitians, broadly encourage eating more cruciferous veggies for their health benefits, so before shying away from the group, you might try cooking them in a few different ways first. Cooking cruciferous veggies before eating could help your body better digest them, leading to fewer farts. Not feeling it? You can switch to other nutrient-dense vegetables that are lower in FODMAPs and less likely to stimulate gas. Bok choy, eggplant, lettuce, cucumbers, zucchini and bell peppers are a few examples.
3. Dairy
Milk and ice cream are high in natural milk sugar, known as lactose. For your body to digest lactose, it needs a special enzyme called lactase to break it down. Lactase levels are low in people with lactose intolerance or sensitivity, leading to diarrhea, stomach cramps and gas symptoms after eating dairy. You aren't alone if you get gassy after eating or drinking dairy products. Almost 70% of the world is lactose intolerant, plus lactase enzymes decrease as we age.4 Switching to lactose-free dairy products or dairy-free products fortified with nutrients such as calcium and vitamins D and B12 may help do away with gas if you're sensitive to lactose.
4. Sugar-Free Chewing Gum
Many of us opt for a stick of chewing gum to freshen breath, reduce stress or help keep from smoking. Whether minty or fruity, many brands sweeten their chewing gum products with a group of sugar alcohols called polyols—also FODMAPs. Two types of polyols—xylitol and sorbitol—may lead to intestinal discomfort due to increased gas production during fermentation by gut bacteria.5
A small randomized control trial found that xylitol chewing gum caused gas to occur significantly more quickly in patients after surgery than in post-surgical non-gum chewing patients.6 If chewing gum is linked to your gas, stopping altogether may not be worth it to you. A more realistic option could be to switch to gum sweetened with erythritol, as it may be better absorbed in the small intestine and may lead to less gas.7 With that said, erythritol does come with some precautions, as it's been linked with a higher risk of blood clots and heart attacks.89
The sweetener might not be the only issue as far as gum is concerned. Just the act of chewing gum draws more air into the digestive tract, which may make farts more frequent.
5. Carbonated Beverages
Sometimes you just want something bubbly. Unfortunately, fizzy drinks may be contributing to your gassy woes. Carbonated sodas, sparkling water or bubbly energy drinks can cause you to swallow more air, especially when using a straw. With that said, everyone has different food and beverage triggers when it comes to breaking wind, and you may find that fizzy beverages don't cause gas for you. If you do suspect carbonated beverages give you gas, it can help to cut back on your intake and trade your drink for more regular water. Jazz up plain water with rosemary, thyme, citrus fruit and cucumber slices. Stir up a pitcher of our Lemon, Cucumber & Mint Infused Water to get started.
Our Expert Take
While gas happens to everyone, it can be painful, embarrassing and downright annoying. But, the truth is, gas is a normal part of life. Swallowing air and eating certain foods can be why you're so gassy. Foods triggering flatulence will vary from person to person, but legumes, cruciferous vegetables, dairy, chewing gum and carbonated beverages are common offenders. A hasty remedy for gassiness is simply adjusting your eating habits. But, if your gas persists, it may be time to talk to a health care practitioner to find some relief.