Flatulence naturally occurs when intestinal gases build up in the digestive system. The average person passes just over a liter of gas every day. As natural and normal as flatulence can be, it is frowned upon to loudly expel intestinal gases in public. While it is difficult to avoid flatulence entirely, you can be aware of certain foods that cause painful bubbling in the belly.
Beans, Beans
"Toot" foods include the classics: beans and legumes, onions, broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables. Beans are notorious gas producers, because they pass undigested through the small intestine into the large intestine. They also have a large amount of indigestible carbohydrates, as well as raffinose, which is a sugar that the human body is unable to process. Therefore, it also winds up undigested in the large intestine. Onions are a triple threat, full of benzyl isothiocyanate, xylitol and fructose -- three ingredients known to cause flatulence, according to NexiumResearch. Cruciferous vegetables also contain benzyl isothiocyanate, but the anti-cancer properties of broccoli, cauliflower and members of the cabbage family may make eating these vegetables worth the gassiness.
Dairy Dilemmas
Lactose is the culprit in dairy foods such as milk, cheese and ice cream, which explains the "Who cut the cheese?" inquiries. What you may not know is that lactose is present in salad dressings and processed foods such as bread and cereal. Lactose intolerance, or the inability to digest the natural sugar lactose, may develop or increase as you age, since enzyme levels in your body diminish over time.
Fiber Foibles
Fiber is a good thing, right? The health benefits of fiber are numerous, but soluble fiber does not break down until it arrives in the large intestine, and flatulence is a byproduct of this digestive process. Soluble fiber foods include oat bran, peas and fruit. On the other hand, insoluble fiber -- or roughage -- sails through your intestines without producing much gas. Insoluble fiber may be found in wheat bran and vegetables. Increasing your water intake and drinking plenty of water with soluble fiber foods may ease flatulence.
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