Why do Some Foods Give Me Gas?

Many people have noticed that eating certain foods appears to lead to an elevation in intestinal gas. In fact, people generate gas all the time, but sometimes the levels are noticeably higher, depending on the person and his or her diet. Several foods can give you gas, depending on your intestinal flora. Someone with a major flatulence problem may pursue medical attention and a gas eliminating diet to see if the amount of flatulence can be reduced. For the most part, if foods give you gas, you should not be unduly concerned.

Certain foods cause gas because they contain large amounts of indigestible material that is processed by bacteria in your gut. Bacteria in the intestines help humans to digest and process the food they eat. Much of the food eaten by humans contains carbohydrates and sugars that the human body cannot actually process. Bacteria in the colon take over the task, eating the food themselves and emitting byproducts just like humans do. When foods give you gas, they have a higher concentration of indigestible compounds.


Some of the bacteria in the colon are known as “gas formers,” because they produce an assortment of gases as part of their digestive process. Most flatulence is caused by these creatures, which appear to favor some foods more than others. These foods give you gas because they nourish gas-forming bacteria, which multiply in the gut and produce more gas as a result. The foods that will give you gas vary from person to person, which can complicate matters when trying to figure out what is causing the problem.

One of the most common culprits behind gassiness is beans of all forms. Other foods that are often implicated include dairy, onions, wheat, some fresh fruits, dried fruit, artichokes, sprouts, and cauliflower. These foods give you gas, but they are not generally harmful. In fact, many of them are very healthy, and they should play an important role in your diet. People who experience excessive gas or gastrointestinal discomfort may want to work with modifying the amounts of these foods, after consulting with a doctor.

If you know which foods give you gas, you may want to consider avoiding them in certain situations. Otherwise, gas can usually be dismissed as a harmless byproduct of food consumption. There are also some products which can be consumed, such as charcoal tablets, that appear to reduce the amount of gas produced. Many of these products are available over the counter, although someone who is experiencing extreme symptoms should check with a medical professional to make sure that they are not being caused by an underlying medical problem.


You might also Like


Discuss this Article

Post 7

This is a very good site for my dad because he is suffering from gastric problems.

Post 6

I am lucky that I am not a gassy person. Beans, dairy, broccoli, eggs, etc., don't give me a problem. Oddly enough, cake and jerky are the only things that flare me up.

Post 5

I'm wondering what it is about Christmas lunch that causes the problem. Every year without fail, turkey, spuds, vegetables, gravy, stuffing, Christmas pud, wine, and I've problems rarely experienced, and never to the same extent, the rest of the year. No sprouts or any of the other things listed above. So unless I blame the dried fruit in the Christmas pud, it's a mystery! Must be Christmas magic.

Post 4

I am in great shape, work out 4-5 times a week, eat healthy foods. First it started with eggs that gave me gas, then red meat, now any kind of veggies. I don't want to give up these foods, and I always eat them in small portions.

What to do, my poor husband, I"m surprised he hasn't tossed me out of the bedroom. Help!

Post 3

@extrordinary-- Well, as far as I know trying to avoid the food you know gives you gas is always a good gas remedy. If you are not sure what gives you gas, try keeping a food diary to keep track of what you eat and how it affects you.

You could also try some of the over the counter herbal teas that soothe the stomach like ginger, or peppermint. They not only work well, but they're yummy too!

Post 2

So is there anything that I can try besides charcoal tablets to relieve gas? I try to eat healthily most of the time, but I still have annoying gas...what can I do?

Post 1

Foods that are rich in sulfur, like eggs and cauliflower not only release gas when being digested, but also unpleasant gas to that.

It is not necessary to give up those foods, but eating them in smaller amounts will help.

Post your comments

Post Anonymously


forgot password?