You Asked: Is It Bad To Eat Foods That Give You Gas?

Maybe it’s the hummus platter at your favorite Mediterranean restaurant, or the cauliflower-and-broccoli side at your supermarket. Most of us are aware of our problem foods—stuff we’d eat all the time if it didn’t make us so gassy. If you’ve ever wondered where that gas comes from and whether it’s bad for you, the answers may surprise you. “Gas is the byproduct of the activity of the gut microbiota that live in our large bowel,” says Jane Muir, an associate professor of gastroenterology and head of translational nutrition science at Monash University in Australia. The human gut is packed with trillions of bacteria, which are known collectively as the microbiome. Without these bacteria, your body couldn’t adequately break down and absorb all the nutrients you need to survive. But while these bacteria are located throughout your gastrointestinal tract, their numbers increase exponentially in your large intestine, Muir says. Stuff that you can’t easily digest—mostly fiber-rich plant compounds—tend to slide through your GI tract until they reach your large intestine. Once there, your bacteria chow down on these indigestibles and produce gas (along with nutrients your body can access). “This is natural and normal part of bowel function,” Muir says. Foods that commonly cause gas contain compounds called fructans—found in wheat, onion, artichokes and rye, to name a few—and also the gala...
Source: TIME: Health - Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Tags: Uncategorized Diet/Nutrition healthytime Source Type: news