Gas, or flatulence, is often caused by the foods and beverages you consume, according to the Mayo Clinic website. That's why making dietary changes can sometimes help reduce gas and bloating. A low-gas diet eliminates or limits common gas-producing foods, notes the North American Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, or NASPGHAN. Trial and error is often needed to identify the main causes of dietary gas.
Gas-Producing Vegetables
While the amount of gas foods produce can vary from person to person, fiber-rich foods including vegetables are common culprits, reports MayoClinic.com. Examples include beans, peas, broccoli, onions, cabbage, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, artichokes and asparagus. Temporarily cutting back on these food items can be part of an effective anti-flatulence diet.
Taking the digestive aid Beano with meals can also reduce the amount of gas produced by high-fiber veggies. Pre-soaking and cooking vegetables can also diminish their ability to form gas, notes the NASPGHAN.
Fruits to Avoid
The fiber and a simple sugar called frutose contained in many fruits can promote excess gas. Fruits that may provoke gas include apples, bananas, dates, figs, grapes, peaches, pears and prunes. Eliminating these fruits from your diet or eating them only occasionally may decrease the amount of gas your body produces.
The only way to determine which foods are causing problems is to take note of what you eat and how much gas it produces, advises the National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse, or NDDIC.
Limit Fatty Foods
Reducing your consumption of high foods such as beef, butter, oils and nuts, may help reduce excess gas. Fatty foods tend make digestion sluggish, allowing more time for food to ferment and cause gastrointestinal upset, according to MayoClinic.com.
Additional Culprits
High-fiber foods like whole grains and oat bran may promote gas in some people and should be eliminated or restricted. Sodas, fruit drinks and milk and other dairy products like cheese and yogurt can also cause a surplus of gas, notes the NDDIC. You may want to try substituting dairy food items with lactose-free varieties.
Drinking out of a bottle or drinking carbonated beverages can increase the amount of air you swallow and the gas you produce, reports the Mayo Clinic website.
Keep in mind that eating too quickly or while you are stressed can disrupt digestion and cause gas and bloating. Talk to your health care provider if dietary changes fail to reduce gas.
