Flatulence, also known as flatus or intestinal gas, can occur due to difficulty digesting certain foods. Most people will pass gas rectally up to 20 times each day, but if you experience flatulence more often, it can indicate a digestive order, according to MayoClinic.com. Talk with your doctor if you are concerned about flatulence.
Legumes
Legumes are a notorious gas-causing food. Dried beans including kidney, pinto, garbanzo, lima and navy beans should all be avoided. You should also stay away from dried peas such as split peas and lentils and refrain from consuming soybeans and baked beans as well.
Vegetables
Do not consume vegetables such as broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, corn, cucumbers, green peppers, kohlrabi, onions, leeks, radishes, rutabagas or turnips. These particular vegetables all cause gas. Carrots and squash do not tend to cause much gas and might be a good option for you.
Fruits
Avoid high-fiber fruits such as apples, avocados, bananas, melons, prunes and raisins. Instead, consume canned fruits without peels like applesauce and fruit cocktail, and low-fiber fruits like grapes, plums and nectarines, which generally cause less gas.
Starches and Grains
Stay away from foods that contain bran and large amounts of wheat, which increase gas. Many types of cereal and bread contain these so make sure to read food labels carefully. Grains and starches producing less gas include breads made with white flour, mashed potatoes without skins, white rice, and cereals such as cream of wheat or rice.
Dairy Products
Avoid full-fat dairy products, which produce gas. In some people, low-fat and fat-free dairy can be consumed without gas problems. If you are not able to eat any type of dairy products, you should contact your doctor. This could indicate lactose intolerance, a condition caused by the inability to digest milk sugars, and your doctor may need to prescribe medication.
Miscellaneous
High-fat foods that cause gas are pastries, fried foods, gravies, rich cream sauces and fatty meats. Trim meats of all fat prior to cooking and consider roasting, baking or broiling meat to cut down on fat. Also, avoid foods that contain artificial sweeteners such as mannitol and sorbitol, which also increase gas.
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