Bubbles belong in soda, not in your stomach. If your belly has turned into a sustainable source of natural gas -- with flatulence, belching and bloating ruling the day -- you may want to examine what you eat and drink. The average person produces 1 to 4 pts. of gas per day and is flatulent about 14 to 18 times daily. Exceeding those numbers could be attributed to dietary habits.
Eyeball Those Beverages
Soft drinks, sparkling water and fruit juice, champagne and beer -- these light and fizzy beverages can lay heavy on the stomach. The carbonation process that produces the distinctive effervescence of these drinks also generates intestinal gas. Bloating and flatulence after consuming milk could signal lactose intolerance; in such cases, the digestive system cannot break down the enzyme lactase found in milk and other dairy products. Alternate still, or non-carbonated, beverages throughout the day and switch to lactose-free milk or take over-the-counter lactose supplements to reduce uncomfortable symptoms.
"Ze Mean Bean"
Beans and other high-fiber foods often work the same way milk products do in certain digestive tracts. The stomach cannot easily break down the high fiber in beans and legumes, so the food travels down to the large intestine where bacteria take over. This usually results in intestinal gas, as bacteria in the large intestine tries to process the digestion-resistant substance in beans called oligosaccharides. You have no need to give up healthy bean cuisine entirely. Soak beans in water and a little baking soda to help cut down oligosaccharide levels. Rinsing canned beans before cooking is another remedy. Over-the-counter remedies contain sugar-digesting enzymes that improve processing of beans and problematic vegetables.
Sugar Free...and Flatulent
Sugar-free foods may be a dieter's dream, but they are also sometimes a digestive disaster. Chewing too much sugar-free gum and ingesting large quantities of sugar-free candies and treats containing sorbitol and maltitol are notorious causers of bloating, intestinal gas and, in some cases, explosive diarrhea. Check the labels on diet foods and drinks to see if they list sorbitol and maltitol; if so, proceed with caution and do not go overboard.
Carb and Fat Faux Pas
A diet resplendent in fatty and greasy foods can get the stomach rumbling. Fat and grease delay stomach emptying, which results in foods taking longer to digest and having more opportunity to mingle with gas-causing bacteria in the intestines. Eat fatty foods occasionally and moderate the intake of fast-food grease and dishes dripping in oil -- even healthy fruit and vegetable oils.
References
- National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse; Gas in the Digestive Tract; January 2008
- MayoClinic.com; Bloating, Belching and Intestinal Gas: How to Avoid Them; April 2011
- University of Iowa Health Care; Intestinal Gas; September 2008
- The World's Healthiest Foods: Why Do Some Foods (Like Beans) Give You Intestinal Gas?
