Digestive Health Bloating & Gas Choosing the Best Non-Gassy Foods By Barbara Bolen, PhD Barbara Bolen, PhD Twitter Barbara Bolen, PhD, is a licensed clinical psychologist and health coach. She has written multiple books focused on living with irritable bowel syndrome. Learn about our editorial process Updated on October 07, 2022 Medically reviewed Verywell Health articles are reviewed by board-certified physicians and healthcare professionals. These medical reviewers confirm the content is thorough and accurate, reflecting the latest evidence-based research. Content is reviewed before publication and upon substantial updates. Learn more. by Robert Burakoff, MD, MPH Medically reviewed by Robert Burakoff, MD, MPH LinkedIn Robert Burakoff, MD, MPH, is board-certified in gastroentrology. He is the vice chair for ambulatory services for the department of medicine at Weill Cornell Medical College in New York, where he is also a professor. He was the founding editor and co-editor in chief of Inflammatory Bowel Diseases. Learn about our Medical Expert Board Print What you eat can absolutely have an effect on the amount of gas you produce. If you're trying to reduce bloating and farting, consider opting for foods that don't cause gas as much as some others do, including: Red meat, poultry, or fishNon-starchy vegetables, such as leafy greens and bell peppersFermented foods, such as kefir Fruits, such as berries, in moderation Rice, quinoa, or oats Gluten-free bread or rice bread This article discusses why some foods make you more gassy than others. It also covers the best foods to eat to avoid becoming gassy and bloated. Verywell / Cindy Chung Why Some Foods Cause Gas As a general rule of thumb, gassy foods are those that contain certain types of carbohydrates, soluble fiber (fiber that dissolves in water), or both. These substances are not fully absorbed in the small intestine and instead make their way down to the large intestine where they are broken down by gut bacteria. The product of this process is gas. You can avoid gas by eating less carbohydrates and soluble fiber. It is important to know that some gas is normal and that many gassy foods, like beans and broccoli, are good for you. Try to limit your diet to the non-gassy foods only when you absolutely must remain gas-free. Animal Proteins Protein sources that come from animals do not contain carbohydrates that are taken up by gut bacteria. So, choosing to eat animal proteins is a safe bet when you want to avoid gas or bloat. Glazes and gravy may contain added sugar, garlic, or onions, all of which can produce gas, so be sure to eat these items plain: BeefChickenEggsFishTurkey If you choose not to eat animal products, there are plenty of other foods for you to enjoy. Vegetables Plenty of vegetables are low in carbohydrates and unlikely to cause gas. These are all good for you, so feel free to pile them onto your plate. You might even consider making a simple salad out of them and turning that into your big meal. Bell peppersBok choyCucumberFennelGreens, such as kale or spinachGreen beansLettuceSpinachTomatoesZucchini Fruits A number of fruits are known for producing less gas. Still, it's a good idea to eat them in moderation. Your body can only absorb so many fruit-based carbohydrates at a time. The more fruit you eat—even of these less gassy options—the higher your chances are of having unwanted gas: BlueberriesCantaloupeClementineGrapesHoneydewKiwiPineappleRaspberriesStrawberries Fermented Foods Bacteria found in fermented foods like yogurt have already taken care of the carbohydrates your gut would otherwise have to ferment. This frees your intestines from having to do all that work, which lowers the chance of gas. Bacteria from fermented foods are great for your gut's overall health. You really cannot go wrong with one of these choices:Fermented vegetablesKefirKombuchaYogurt (without added sugars) Grains You may be surprised to learn that there are certain carbohydrates in wheat products that can lead to gas. The following choices are better options for the times when you just do not want to deal with gas: Gluten-free breadRice breadOatsRice, brown or whiteQuinoa Snack Options Along with the non-gassy vegetables and fruits, there are other good snack choices you can enjoy for a quick bite. Among those are nuts, but not every nut is reliable. Try to limit yourself to macadamia, pecans, and walnuts. You're also going to be pretty safe if you nibble on some cheese. For this, stick with cheddar, mozzarella, or Swiss. Summary Foods that are higher in carbohydrates and soluble fiber are more likely to be fermented by gut bacteria and give you gas. You don't want to avoid these foods completely, though, since many foods with carbohydrates and soluble fiber are healthy. To avoid gas and bloating, choose animal proteins, leafy greens like spinach, fermented foods like kefir, and oats. Many fruits are good options too, but you should still eat them in moderation. A Word From Verywell As you can see, the safe food list is a little limited. That makes it less than ideal as a daily meal plan, so these suggestions should be used only when it's most important to be gas-free. If you tend to deal with intestinal gas and bloating on a regular basis, you may want to look into the low FODMAPs diet. It has scientific backing for helping prevent these specific problems. How to Relieve Gas 3 Sources Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Manichanh C, Eck A, Varela E, et al. Anal gas evacuation and colonic microbiota in patients with flatulence: effect of diet. Gut. 2014;63(3):401-8. doi:10.1136/gutjnl-2012-303013 Bell V, Ferrão J, Pimentel L, Pintado M, Fernandes T. One health, fermented foods, and gut microbiota. Foods. 2018 Dec;7(12). doi:10.3390/foods7120195 Barrett JS, Gearry RB, Muir JG, et al. Dietary poorly absorbed, short-chain carbohydrates increase delivery of water and fermentable substrates to the proximal colon. Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 2010;31(8):874-82. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2036.2010.04237.x By Barbara Bolen, PhD Barbara Bolen, PhD, is a licensed clinical psychologist and health coach. She has written multiple books focused on living with irritable bowel syndrome. See Our Editorial Process Meet Our Medical Expert Board Share Feedback Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! What is your feedback? Other Helpful Report an Error Submit