Well be reassured that everyone has gas in their gut – it’s normal. And even though is can be embarrassing and/or uncomfortable, the good news is that it’s rarely the sign of a serious problem. You can’t stop your body from making gas, but there are a few things you can do to cut down on how much gas you make and ease the discomfort.
Swallowed air makes up 90% of the gas in our digestive tract and bacteria, from our large intestine, makes the rest of the gas. These bacteria feed on the undigested starches and fibre from the foods we eat and produce the hydrogen and methane gases.
You can swallow less air by doing the following:
Eat food slowly and try to relax while you eat. Avoid eating in the car or while watching television, because you are then not eating slowly or relaxing.
Don’t talk while eating. Seems your mother was right all along…
Try to always drink from a glass, since drinking from a bottle or with a straw increases the amount of air you are swallowing. Same thing happens when your beverage is too hot – so next time leave your coffee to cool before you drink it.
Avoid chewing gum or sucking hard on candy.
Avoid fizzy cold drinks – all those gasses and sugar will leave you feeling gassy…
Which foods cause gas and what can you do about it?
Any food that contains carbohydrate (sugars, starches and fibres) can cause gas. This includes foods such as fruits, vegetables, grains and dried beans, peas and lentils as well as chocolate bars, chips and candy.
Foods that have carbohydrates that we can’t fully digest produce more gas (like baked beans, cabbage, brussels sprouts and cauliflower).
Sugar-free foods and candies (containing sugar alcohols like sorbitol, mannitol and xylitol) also cause gas. Sugar alcohols are not digested in the small intestine and become food for the bacteria in the large intestine. Fructose is a natural sugar found in fruit, but these naturally occurring amounts do not cause problems. Problems with gas arise when large amounts of high fructose corn syrup are added to our food/drinks because it feeds the bacteria in our gut.
Avoid foods with sugar alcohols or high fructose corn syrup – check the food label if you are unsure.
Eat fresh/dried fruit rather than drinking fruit juice (which may contain high fructose corn syrup) – water is still the best choice when thirsty.
If you are avoiding many nutritious foods because they cause you gas, talk with a registered dietitian to help you find a way to make your diet balanced (go to www.adsa.org.za to find a registered dietitian near you). Gas can be uncomfortable and embarrassing; however it is usually a sign of a healthy digestive tract.
