8 Reasons Your Farts Smell So Bad - Article Health

What makes farts stinky?
To fart is human. People break wind an average of 14 times a day, emitting anywhere from half a liter to more than 2 liters of gas over a 24-hour period. And, believe it or not, 99% of gas is odor-free. But sometimes your farts are just downright funky.

The bugs in your gut
During digestion, gut bacteria produce sulfur-containing compounds like hydrogen sulfide that create a stench in your gas, Dr. Raymond notes. The foods you eat can influence the population of bacteria that live in your colon, and that can affect your farts, explains Frederick Gandolfo, MD, a gastroenterologist at Precision Digestive Care in Huntington, New York.

Sulfur-rich foods
Foods high in sulfur can make your farts reek of rotten eggs. Cruciferous veggies like broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, and cabbage are often to blame. Other sulfur-rich foods include garlic, onions, legumes, cheddar cheese, dried fruit, nuts, beer, and wine. Even animal proteins, like eggs, meat, and fish–all high in sulfur–may be problematic.

Lactose intolerance
Some people blame milk, ice cream, and cheese for stinking things up, and rightly so. An estimated 30 to 50 million Americans are deficient in the enzyme (lactase) needed to digest lactose, the natural sugar found in dairy products.

Raffinose
Beans, beans. They’re a rich source of protein, antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. But, whoa, they get a bad rap for making you fart.

Beans contain raffinose family oligosaccharides (RFOs), a group of sugars that are at least partially responsible for the bloating and gas that can occur after a beany meal. So do lentils, legumes, and cruciferous veggies. The human GI tract lacks an important enzyme needed to break down and digest these sugars.

Constipation
Bagels, rice, and pasta aren’t necessarily gas-producing carbs. But load up on these low-fiber picks, and you may have difficulty moving your bowels. That’s when things get smelly.


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