The Foods Most Likely to Cause Gas

Gassiest Vegetables and Legumes

The following vegetables are those most likely to give you gas due to the fact that they contain the sugars raffinose and/or fructose. Remember these vegetables are actually very good for you, so just avoid them on those occasions when you absolutely need to be gas-free:

• Artichokes
• Asparagus
• Broccoli
• Brussel sprouts
• Cabbage
• Cauliflower
• Celery
• Onions
• Peas
• Sweet potatoes

Among the legumes, these are the gassiest:

• Baked beans
• Black beans
• Black-eyed peas
• Butter beans
• Cannellini (white) beans
• Kidney beans
• Lima beans
• Navy beans

Gassiest Fruits

The following fruits have a reputation for being gas-producing as they contain fructose, sorbitol, and/or soluble fiber. Again, these fruits are good for you, so try to eat them on days when it is OK if you are a little gassier than usual:

• Apples
• Apricots
• Mango
• Oranges
• Peaches
• Pears
• Plums
• Watermelon

These dried fruits are the gassiest:

• Apricots
• Prunes
• Raisins

Gassiest Dairy Products

Even if you have not been diagnosed with lactose intolerance, you may find that eating dairy products results in unwanted gas. As our bodies age, we tend to produce less of the enzyme lactase that is necessary for digesting lactose (the sugar found in milk and other dairy products), and thus gassiness resulting from dairy foods may become a problem.

Here are some dairy products to skip to avoid having gas:

• Buttermilk
• Cream cheese
• Heavy cream
• Ice cream
• Milk
• Processed foods containing milk products
• Ricotta

Gassiest Whole Grains

Although whole grains contain some helpful vitamins and are a source of dietary fiber, the soluble fiber content of some, as well as the presence of raffinose, a type of sugar, can create intestinal gas. Here are those to avoid when if you don't want to experience unwanted gassiness:

• Barley
• Flaxseed
• Rye
• Wheat

Gassiest Drinks

The following beverages may contain fructose, sorbitol, or carbonation, all of which can contribute to intestinal gas:

• Beer
• Fruit juices
• Soda (regular and diet) 

Sugar-Free Foods

Sometimes the thing that is giving us gas is something we have not paid any attention to. Many people do not know that a big gas producer is sugar-free gum. Many sugar-free food products contain sorbitol, which can be fermented by gut bacteria, resulting in unwanted gas.

Other Causes of Intestinal Gas

It is also important to keep in mind that food is not the only cause of intestinal gas. The following habits can cause air to be swallowed which can contribute to belching, bloating, and excessive gassiness:

• Chewing gum
• Eating too quickly
• Drinking carbonated beverages
• Sucking on hard candies
• Dentures that don't fit well.
• Smoking

Chronic Problems With Gas?

Avoiding food is also not the only way to reduce intestinal gas. There are many effective over-the-counter treatment options that help your body to digest the offending sugars so that you can eat these gassy foods without having a gas problem.

You will see that many of the foods on the above list are those that are quite good for you. That is, they offer significant nutritional benefit. Thus, it is important to accurately pinpoint which foods are specifically a problem for your body, rather than to unnecessarily put yourself on a restricted diet.

The use of a food diary will help you to accomplish this. Once you have identified a problem food, try to see if your body can tolerate smaller amounts of that food, so that you can still benefit from its nutritional components.

You may also want to speak to your doctor about possibly going on the low-FODMAP diet. This diet was designed as a dietary treatment for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

It calls for a short-term restriction of FODMAPs, which are carbohydrates found in common foods that have been found to contribute to IBS symptoms, including those of gas and bloating.

After the restriction (or elimination) phase, you would slowly start to introduce high-FODMAP foods back in your diet to find out which FODMAP type is still problematic for you.