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What Foods to Avoid If You Have Severe Gas?

The amount and frequency of gas we pass can be greatly affected by the foods we eat. However, many people erroneously believe that their body passes an abnormal amount of gas.

  1. Misconceptions

    • Everybody passes gas on a daily basis, reports the National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse. The average person burps or passes 1 to 4 pints of gas per day.

    Considerations

    • Since everyone has a different body chemistry, a food that causes gas in one person may not cause gas in another. However, foods high in carbohydrates tend to increase gas, reports the NDDIC.

    Function

    • Gas is usually caused by foods that the body cannot digest due to a lack of a specific enzyme. Bacteria in the large intestine break down most undigested food into hydrogen, carbon monoxide and sometimes methane, which can produce an unpleasant odor.

    Foods to Avoid

    • Starches, except for rice, generally result in an increase in gas, reports NDDIC. Soluble fiber found in fruits and oats may also increase gas. The sugars raffinose, lactose, fructose, and sorbitol should be avoided by those with gas problems.

    Prevention/Solution

    • The variability in the reaction to foods means that a person suffering from severe gas can either go to the doctor for medication, or change how they eat. You should note on the kind and amount of foods that cause you to have increased gas.

    Warning

    • Severe gas may be a sign of more serious health problems.

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