Colon Gas and Flatus
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Foods
beans and legumes – Most vegetables in this category contain
certain types of carbohydrates that are not digested in the small bowel
but, again, are fermented in the colon.
- cruciferous vegetables – Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, and broccoli are noted by some to cause excess gas. This is an interesting group as these vegetables also contain large amounts of an anti-cancerous substance called sulforaphane. You should eat as much of these vegetables as you can tolerate.
- carbonated beverages – These contain carbon dioxide, most of which is belched back up or absorbed. Very little reaches the colon.
- fiber – Fiber is a critically important part of the diet. Almost all plant food contains both insoluble (no gas) and soluble fiber (may form gas). We all know that increased fiber is a very important part of the diet. If we get too much of the soluble type, then the colon bacteria can manufacture excessive gas. A newly discovered form of fiber is prebiotics. These soluble plant fibers have been found to allow many health benefits to occur in the colon.
