Digestive Health - Discover the Causes of Gas in Your System and the Foods to Avoid

Ever wonder why you have gas after eating your meals? Burping is actually a normal experience and is caused from undigested foods. The body releases certain amounts of gas several times a day which is a normal response. However, if there is excessive gas or if it becomes uncomfortable or painful
then it is time to find the cause and make some changes.

What causes my episodes of burping?
There are several foods that can potentially be the cause of gas. Other factors like chewing gum, eating too quickly, adding extra fiber foods to your diet, and smoking can all cause bloating and burping. There are drugstore remedies to help with excessive gas issues but eliminating the main food culprits may also work just as well. Eating extra fiber in your diet is a healthy choice but when high fiber foods are added to your daily intake they will probably cause gas for a while until your body adjusts to digesting these foods. Other activities that you do like smoking and chewing gum can cause you to swallow air which means burping episodes.

Why does my body create gas?
A normal side effect of undigested foods is gas which is released from the body either as burping or belching. Soluble fiber and certain sugars like lactose, fructose, sorbitol and raffinose are all materials that cannot be processed by the stomach so they gravitate to the intestines where a bacterium there attempts to process them. This is why the release of gas occurs.

What foods create gas?
There is actually a long list of foods in all categories; fruits, vegetables, grains, dairy and beverages that have the potential to create excessive gas in the system. Everyone has a little different digestive capability and the foods that will be a problem for you will probably not be a problem for someone else. In general terms any beverages that have fructose to sweeten them are potential problems like fruit juices and colas. Dairy products are notorious problem makers especially milk products or processed foods containing milk products. Artificial sweeteners are big culprits for creating gas. The digestive system always struggles to process 'non-food' substances especially chemicals like artificial flavorings and sweeteners. Processed foods are just trouble makers in general. Legumes like beans are responsible for many individuals having excessive gas as well as foods like pasta and potatoes that contain a lot of starch. Some individuals are allergic to oat bran and wheat with the result being excessive gas.

Do I need to stop eating foods that make me really gassy?
Eliminating foods from your diet that make you really gassy might be a good idea if it is causing you too much discomfort or pain. However, as you can see by checking out the complete list of foods that could be problematic, most of them are actually really healthy food choices full of essential nutrients. Before you decide to eliminate these valuable food sources try giving your body a little time to see if it can adjust to the foods and successfully process them without discomfort to you. You might consider trying an herbal product that aids digestion. If the things that are causing you the most problems are empty calorie type of foods or foods with preservatives and chemicals then eliminate them quickly.