Though you naturally pas gas about 14 times per day through your digestive tract, gas can become trapped in your stomach. This can cause symptoms like bloating, abdominal pain or general discomfort. The breakdown of foods and excessive swallowing of air can lead to a gassy stomach. Avoiding foods likely to cause gas can help to relieve a gassy stomach.
Avoid High-Sugar Foods
Carbohydrates are more likely to cause a gassy stomach than fats and proteins are. These foods are broken down into sugars that release gas as a by-product. Foods that contain carbohydrates include grains, vegetables, fruits, milk and many baked goods. While foods can affect people in different ways, generally people should avoid sugar-containing foods like beans, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, broccoli and asparagus Lactose, the natural sugar in milk, also can cause gas if your stomach lacks the enzymes needed to break down the dairy products.
Avoid Starchy and Soluble-Fiber Foods
Other food types that can contribute to a gassy stomach include starchy and fibrous foods. Starchy foods, such as potatoes, corn, pasta and wheat, can give off gas when broken down in the intestines. Foods that contain soluble fiber -- including beans, oat bran, beans and fruit -- are broken down slowly in the body and can give off gas when your body breaks down the components contained within them. If you are prone to experiencing a gassy stomach, refrain from eating these foods to reduce your symptoms.
Healthy Fat Sources
Although foods that contain fats are not as likely to cause gas to the extent carbohydrate-containing ones can, high-fat foods are linked with causing abdominal bloating and discomfort that can worsen your gas symptoms. Instead of eating high-fat foods like fatty cuts of meat and convenience foods, try healthy fat sources like smooth peanut butter, avocado, olive oil and canola oil. These fats are less likely to cause a gassy stomach.
Lean Proteins
Lean proteins are another dietary source that are not connected with causing a gassy stomach. Lean meats like fish and poultry are less likely to contribute to gas than fatty cuts of meat like a porterhouse steak or prime rib. You also can eat eggs that are scrambled, poached or boiled -- just avoid frying the eggs.
Tips
The way you eat also can help minimize a gassy stomach. Eat your foods slowly and avoid chewing with your mouth open because this can make you swallow excess amounts of air. Drinking plenty of water can help your stool move through your digestive tract. You also should avoid drinking with a straw or consuming carbonated beverages, which are more likely to cause gas in your stomach.
References
- National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse; Gas in the Digestive Tract; January 2008
- Mayo Clinic; Bloating, Belching and Intestinal Gas: How to Avoid Them; April 2011
- University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics; Intestinal Gas; 2005
- Brigham and Women's Hospital; Gas: Beat the Bloat; Natalie Egan, M.S., R.D., L.D.N.; October 2009
- Drugs.com: Gassy Foods Diet
