Let’s Talk about Gas

Everybody Has It. What Foods Cause It?

According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, most foods that contain carbohydrates can cause gas. Foods that most often cause gas include:

• Raffinose. A complex sugar found in beans, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, asparagus, other vegetables and whole grains.
• Lactose. A natural sugar found in milk and milk products, such as cheese and ice cream; and in processed foods such as bread, cereal and salad dressing.
• Fructose. A sugar found in onions, artichokes, pears and wheat. Fructose is also used as a sweetener in some soft drinks and fruit drinks.
• Sorbitol. A sugar found naturally in fruits including apples, pears, peaches and prunes. Sorbitol is also used as an artificial sweetener in many dietetic foods and sugar-free candies and gums.
• Starches. Most starches, including potatoes, corn, noodles and wheat produce gas as they are broken down in the large intestine. (Rice is the only starch that does not cause gas.)
• Soluble fiber. Fiber that dissolves easily in water, and takes on a soft, gel-like texture in the intestines, is found in oat bran, beans, peas and most fruits.

There are treatments that can help prevent gas if taken before the meal (e.g., Beano), and those that can help with gas once you have it (simethicone), so you can continue to enjoy these healthy foods.