We all pass gas, whether we like to talk about it or not. Gas is caused by swallowed air, after eating or drinking, coupled with digestion in your gut. This leads to burping, passing out gas or feeling bloated.
Most people pass out gas up to 14 times a day, some more than others, which can be embarrassing. If you experience gas often, you’ll be glad to know that changing your diet can help a little. Here are the top five foods that you should avoid for less gas.
1. Beans
Beans are the probably the food most known to cause gas. They contain a substance called raffinose, a complex sugar that is difficult to digest. As such, it releases a lot of gas when it gets broken down by bacteria in the large intestines.
2. Dairy
Most dairy products contain a sugar called lactose. Many people who have increased gas due to dairy suffer from lactose intolerance. People with this condition lack the enzyme that’s meant to digest lactose, and experience symptoms such as excessive gas, bloating, abdominal pain and diarrhoea when they consume dairy products.
3. Fruits
Lots of sweet fruits contain many natural sugars which is hard to digest. Soluble fibres are also present in many fruits, and together with sugars, these fibres gets broken down by bacteria in the large intestine to produce gas.
4. Soda
Carbonated drinks contribute to the amount of swallowed air, which has to pass through your gut. This can cause you to burp and pass gas more frequently. Swap gassy drinks for juice or water, and it may reduce the amount of gas you produce.
5. Processed foods
Processed goods include breast, cereals, sauces and dressings and most of these products contain sugars such as fructose and lactose. As mentioned above, a combination of these sugars can cause you to pass out gas more frequently.
