What foods get rid of gas

Natalie Egan, MS, RD, LDN
Brigham and Women's Hospital
Previously published on Intelihealth.com

Table of Contents Show

The Passing Of Gas
Bacterial Fermentation
Behaviors, Food Choices And Activity
Behaviors And Food Choices That Can Lead To Gas
Beat The Bloat
Natural And Other Remedies For Gas
When To Be Concerned

We all have gas. Yet, we're embarrassed to mention it to health-care providers and friends in social conversation. Ten percent to 20 percent of adults have the digestive complaints of belching or flatulence. Here's the good news: bloating or gas doesn't necessarily mean there is something wrong with digestion. But to minimize gas and its embarrassment, the first areas to focus on are diet and eating habits.

The Passing Of Gas

The three most common ways of expelling gas are burping, abdominal bloating, and flatus. Swallowed air, which may stay in the stomach for a period of time, is released by belching. Bloating typically occurs with air that is trapped in the colon or small bowel. Air passed through the bowel is typically passed as flatus. A normal individual emits flatus from 12 to 25 times per day, with more gas in the intestine later in the day than earlier.

Intestinal gas is made up of oxygen, nitrogen, carbon dioxide, hydrogen and methane. The composition varies depending on the type of intestinal gas. Gas is caused by various factors, the most common of which are eating behaviors and the bacterial fermentation of certain foods.

Bacterial Fermentation

The colon is filled with bacteria, yeasts and fungi, which break down the foods not digested by the small intestine, mostly different forms of carbohydrates. These bacteria particularly enjoy undigested carbohydrates, and the fermentation leads to gas production, hydrogen and methane expelled as flatus. Lactose is one of the most common sources of gas-causing carbohydrate, affecting people who are "lactose intolerant," meaning they do not have the enzyme lactase needed to digest the carbohydrate. Typically, lactose is found in dairy products. Beans are the second most common carbohydrate implicated in gas production. The indigestible carbohydrate in beans that typically causes flatus is raffinose.

Behaviors, Food Choices And Activity

Eating behaviors and other habits such as gum chewing, gulping foods and drinking with eating can cause us to swallow air. Bulky foods such as lettuce, cabbage, and dense breads not chewed into small enough pieces increase swallowed air.

Typically, swallowed air contains oxygen, nitrogen and carbon dioxide. It tends to not have a foul smell, but it does contribute to the discomfort associated with gas.

People vary widely in how sensitive they are to gas production. Keeping a food record to document incidences of gas in relation to foods eaten can shed light on whether food or behavior may be aggravating the situation.

Behaviors And Food Choices That Can Lead To Gas

Behaviors

Talking while eating
Eating when upset
Smoking or chewing tobacco
Using a straw or sports bottle
Overloading your stomach
Deep sighing
Drinking very hot or cold beverages
Chewing gum or eating hard candy
Drinking from a water fountain
Tight-fitting garments
Long-term use of medications for relief of cold symptoms

Foods

Carbonated beverages
Spicy, fried or fatty foods
Broccoli, cabbage, onions
Beans
Apple or prune juice
Dried fruits
Anything containing sorbitol, mannitol or maltitol, found in many low-carb or sugar-free foods

Beat The Bloat

Bloating is a sensation that makes the abdomen feel larger than normal. The abdomen doesn't get physically bigger until its volume increases by one quart, so the bloated feeling may occur, but the abdomen is not distended. Intestinal gas may cause the feeling of bloating.

Here are additional suggestions to decrease bloating:

Eat slowly, and consume smaller, more frequent meals
Chew your foods well
Drink beverages at room temperature
Have your dentures checked for a good fit
Increase physical activity during the day
Sit up straight after eating
Take a stroll after eating

It is important not to completely omit foods from the diet that may cause gas. As we know, a high-fiber diet is important for bowel regularity and colon health, so it is well worth the patience it may take to slowly build up tolerance to these types of carbohydrates. Start by adding the offending high-fiber food in smaller quantities, such as a half cup or less. Be sure that fluid intake and activity levels are adequate, as they help to move foods through the digestive tract.

Natural And Other Remedies For Gas

Many advertisements tout medications or remedies that reduce gas and bloating. Some have been shown to be of value in clinical studies, others have not yet been proven scientifically but are anecdotally helpful. Before trying anything, you may want to consult with your physician.

Two products on the market can help with food-related gas and bloating. Both products are packaged forms of the enzymes needed to break down the problematic carbohydrates. Lactase, found in products such as Dairy Ease and Lactaid, can be taken with dairy foods to help break down lactose and lessen gas. Beano helps digest the indigestible carbohydrate in beans and other gas-producing vegetables.

Natural remedies for gas include:

Peppermint tea
Chamomile tea
Anise
Caraway
Coriander
Fennel
Turmeric

Over-the-counter gas remedies include:

Pepto-Bismol
Activated charcoal
Simethicone
Lactase enzyme (Lactaid or Dairy Ease)
Beano

When To Be Concerned

In most situations, occasional gas and abdominal discomfort does not require medical attention. Over- the-counter products, or a self-assessment of habits and changes in eating behaviors can help remedy the situation. However, you should seek medical attention when there is an increase in frequency, location or severity of the symptoms, or if they are accompanied by weight loss, diarrhea, vomiting or heartburn.

Medically Reviewed by Carol DerSarkissian, MD on February 20, 2022

The average person passes gas 14 to 23 times a day. Knowing it’s healthy and normal doesn’t always keep it from being embarrassing. If you’re tired of silly jokes and occasional upset, a few simple tips may help you take charge of bloating and gassiness.

The friendly bacteria in our guts help digest foods that our bodies have trouble breaking down. These bacteria also produce gas, usually as they digest food in the large intestines. Foods most often linked to intestinal gas include:

Beans and lentils
Asparagus, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, and other vegetables
Fructose, a natural sugar found in artichokes, onions, pears, wheat, and some soft drinks
Lactose, the natural sugar found in milk
Fruits, oat bran, peas, and other foods high in soluble fiber, which gets digested in your large intestine
Corn, pasta, potatoes, and other foods rich in starch
Sorbitol, the artificial sweetener
Whole grains, such as brown rice, oatmeal, and whole wheat

That list covers a whole lot of healthy food, but you don’t have to severely restrict your diet. Most likely just a few give you gas. "Some people have problems digesting milk. Others don’t," says Lawrence R. Kosinski, MD, MBA, a spokesman for the American Gastroenterological Association. "And food sensitivities may change with age. Many people develop problems digesting milk products as they get older, for instance."

Two simple steps can help you discover your problem foods.

Keep a food diary. When you have bloating or gas, look back over the foods you’ve eaten within the last few hours – that’s typically when gas occurs.
Experiment, one by one, with the foods you suspect. Eat one of the foods by itself. Does it give you gas? If not, wait a day, then experiment with another of your suspect foods. Keep going through the list on different days until you find the food that gives you gas.

The best way to reduce gassiness is to avoid foods that cause problems. If a healthy food gives you gas – such as whole grains and vegetables -- reduce the amount you eat. Then, gradually start eating more of the food – increasing the amount bit by bit over weeks – to give your digestive system time to adjust.

Some supplements contain digestive enzymes that break down hard-to-digest foods. You can buy the enzyme lactase over the counter if dairy products give you gas. A product called Beano helps break down gas-producing sugars in beans.

We all swallow small amounts of air. That’s normal. When we swallow too much air – called aerophagia -- it causes abdominal bloating, gas, or belching. Pay attention to things you do that may make you swallow more air than you need, such as:

Chewing gum
Drinking carbonated sodas
Eating too quickly
Smoking
Wearing loose dentures

Stress can also make you swallow too much air. "Often people aren’t even aware that they’re gulping down air," Kosinski says. "If you’re feeling anxious or [are] under a lot of stress, look for ways to relax. Or talk to your doctor about stress reduction techniques."

Walking, bicycling, running, and other forms of exercise can help move gas through your digestive tract, easing bloating.

If lifestyle changes don’t help, and you’re bloated or gassy often, talk to your doctor.

"Bloating or abnormal amounts of intestinal gas can be a symptom of celiac disease, irritable bowel syndrome, bacterial overgrowth, or problems associated with the pancreas," Kosinski says. "Certain medications can also cause intestinal gas. So it’s definitely important to mention it to your doctor if you’re worried."

Your doctor may suggest tests to rule out underlying problems. If the culprit is simply the foods you love, your doctor can also prescribe medicine -- a gastrointestinal stimulant -- that moves gas through your intestines more quickly.