We spend our childhood laughing at farts and our older years trying to ignore them -particularly if they are our own. But with a little study and a little planning, we might be able to manage the amount of gas we share with those around us. Registered Dietician Nutritionist Angela Kuhn talks about what causes gas and what we can do about it.
There is an entire category called “gas-producing foods,” which includes things like beans and cruciferous veggies (brussel sprouts, cabbage, broccoli, and cauliflower). Plus, different people have intolerances to various foods. Lactose intolerance is a common one. Lactose is the sugar in milk most adults find difficult to break down as we get older. As these foods move along our digestive tract, the bacteria in our gut digests them and produces gas at the same time. Some particles move down to the lower intestines and are not as broken down as they should be, which is what causes intestinal gas and extra fermentation to happen.
Read more down-to-earth advice about flatulence from Kuhn at Inside Hook. She even suggests specific meals you should eat before a flight, before exercise, and before a job interview if you want to minimize farts. -via Real Clear Science
(Image credit: Flickr user A Kingdom for a Donkey)