Bacteria in your large intestine help your body digest food. They release many types of gases during the digestion process, including nitrogen, oxygen, carbon dioxide, methane, hydrogen and hydrogen sulfide. These gases might attempt to exit your body through your mouth, which is known as belching, or through your rectum, which is known as flatulence. Eating high-fiber products might increase flatulence or gas.
Types
Soluble fiber comes from such foods as oat bran, nuts, barley, beans, seeds, peas, lentils and some fruits and vegetables. Soluble fiber slows your digestion because it becomes gel-like when it mixes with water in your digestive tract, but it also can help lower your cholesterol. Insoluble fiber comes from vegetables, wheat bran and whole-grain foods. It adds bulk to your stool and speeds up the passage of foods through the stomach and intestines.
Effect
Both types of fiber can cause flatulence, especially if you eat them in large amounts. Accompanying side effects can include bloating and abdominal cramps. In some people, the bacteria that aid digestion might not be able to handle a sudden increase of fiber in your diet. This is why people who don't normally eat fiber sometimes experience a temporary increase in flatulence and gas. Typically, however, the negative side effects will subside as the intestinal bacteria adjust to the increase in fiber.
Prevention
Fiber is good for you, so it's important to make it part of your regular diet. If you have problems with increased flatulence every time you eat fiber, there are steps you can take to minimize the negative side effects. Eat smaller portions so your body can digest the meal easily, and take a walk after you finish to help promote digestion. Reduce the amount of air you take in during your meal; chew with your mouth closed, avoid using drinking straws, skip carbonated beverages, chew your food thoroughly and eat slowly.
Considerations
If you have constipation or diarrhea, or if you are taking antibiotics, laxatives, diarrhea medications or certain pain medications, such as naproxen or ibuprofen, you might have an increased risk of flatulence. The safest approach is to talk to your doctor to see if your flatulence is due to your increased fiber intake or to a medical complication. Typically, you can minimize the negative effects of fiber intake by gradually increasing the amount of fiber in your diet so that your intestinal bacteria have time to adjust.
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