As with any fruit or vegetable, the fiber -- as well as fructose -- found in strawberries can increase the amount of gas within your digestive tract, which inevitably leads to flatulence. But not everyone's body reacts the same way to food. Some people may experience more gas as a result of strawberries, whereas others may not have any problems at all.
Fiber
While not as high in fiber as other fruits, strawberries contain about 3 g of fiber per cup. Fiber moves through the digestive tract relatively intact until it reaches your large intestines, explains the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. Once in the colon, bacteria help the fiber in strawberries ferment. A by-product of fermentation is gas.
Fructose
Along with fiber, strawberries contain fructose. Fructose is a form of sugar naturally occurring in most fruits as well as some vegetables. For most people, the upper portion of the digestive tract absorbs this monosaccharide. But in some people, the fructose passes into the large intestines somewhat whole. Like fiber, bacteria must ferment this sugar to fully digest it, leading to intestinal gas.
Symptoms
Gas from strawberries -- or any other food, for that matter -- can come in many forms. Typically, gas in the upper portion of your digestive tract leads to belching, while that in the lower portion leads to flatulence. Gas may also cause abdominal bloating, abdominal pain and even abdominal cramping.
Treatment
One of the most effective forms of treatment is to avoid those foods that give you the most gas. If strawberries are problematic, choose other fruits to include in your diet. You may find that raspberries, blackberries, blueberries or cherries aren't as gas-forming as strawberries. You may also find that eating more slowly can reduce the amount of swallowed air, which may help lessen intestinal gas.
If you'd rather not skip eating strawberries, over-the-counter medications can often reduce the amount of gas in your digestive tract. Antacids won't do much since the problem doesn't lie within too much acid in the stomach, but you may see an improvement with simethicone, which breaks up the bubbles in the gas. You may also benefit from Beano or activated charcoal, both of which should be taken prior to meals for best results.
