When you are suffering from bloating and awful flatulence, you can be downright miserable. So can everyone around you! But if you know the foods that make you fart, you can avoid them and save yourself a lot of grief. Start by figuring out which foods upset your stomach and then figure out how to prevent the gas from foods that you just can’t avoid.

Foods that Make You Fart

1. Cruciferous Vegetables

Certain vegetables are tougher than others to digest, which means they stay in your system longer, leading to gas. These include asparagus, broccoli, Brussels sprouts and cabbage. Sometimes foods like peas can cause bloating, too.

2. Fruits with Sorbitol

Sorbitol is a type of sugar that wrecks havoc with some people. Foods that contain sorbitol include plums, apples, peaches and pears. Some sugarless gums also have sorbitol in them.

3. Oat Bran

Oats are great for your diet, but not so hot for your intestines. Many people who suffer from flatulence and bloating after eating oats will simply reduce the amount they eat, so they still get the good fiber without the pain.

4. Beans

This classic gas-producer has high raffinose content, which is tough for the body to digest. It also has a lot of soluble fiber. Avoiding gas from beans can be almost impossible, so you might want to try medications when you reach for those pintos or navy beans.

5. Fizzy Drinks

For some, carbonation in drinks goes right to their intestine and seems to blow it up like a balloon. The acid and fructose contribute to the problem. To avoid this, look for natural drinks, such as pineapple or orange juice.

6. Corn Syrup with High Fructose

This is a kind of sweetener that can cause problems. Unfortunately this is found in a wide variety of foods such as candy bars, breads, breakfast cereals, cookies and cakes, meaning that almost anything can become foods that make you fart. The good news is that most homemade cooking doesn’t contain the sweetener.

7. Meat

Protein-rich foods sit in your stomach for a longer period of time, which allows sugars and bacteria to build up. This can lead to bloating and gas. Always chew your food very well and eat red meat and other proteins in small portions.

8. Dairy Products

The lactose in milk can lead to serious flatulence and even severe pain for those who are allergic to it. Buttermilk, cream cheese, heavy cream and ice cream are a few of the major culprits you might want to avoid.

Strategies to Tame Fart

1. Don’t Hold Back

Feel like you need to let go? Do it! Holding back, especially after eating foods that make you fart, can actually make the pain and bloating worse. If your farts really smell, consider underwear that contains charcoal in the fabric.

2. Do Light Exercise

Moving things along can help you alleviate the farting and bloating. Gentle exercise is known for helping your digestive system and it can also help force out the air that is building up in your intestines.

3. Avoid Swallowing Air

Chew food slowly, don’t drink from straws and always eat with your mouth closed. These can all help keep you from gulping down air, which can make your gas much worse.

4. Mealtime Strategies

Make sure you choose the right portion sizes of the foods that make you fart, such as smaller portions of broccoli or cabbage. Cook these foods thoroughly! The same is very true for beans, which need a lot of preparation to avoid the bloating.

5. Keep a Low FODMAP Diet

FODMAP means “Fermentable Oligosaccharides, Disaccharides, Monosaccharides and Polyols.” These carbohydrates are poorly absorbed in the small intestine. Therefore, maintaining a diet low in FODMAP can avoid building up gas in your body.

6. Restore a Balance of Bacteria

The right microbes can help you avoid gas and bloating altogether. Look for probiotics, as well as foods like kimchi or kefir to help you avoid the problems of bacteria imbalance.

7. Try OTC Medicines

If you really want to enjoy your foods that make you fart, go with over the counter remedies that allow you to do so. For instance, if you know beans will make you want to explore, go with Beano or another medication. If you are allergic to lactose, something like Lactaid can help eliminate the gas.

When to See a Doctor

If you are having problems with gas and bloating, it is actually quite common and usually there is no need for concern. But if it continues no matter what you eat, or if there are other symptoms, it’s time to see the doctor. Be on the lookout for these problems:

• Unexplained weight loss
• Diarrhea or constipation that won’t go away
• Abdominal pain and bloating that continues no matter what you do
• Bowel incontinence
• Blood in the stool
• High temperature, vomiting, chills, muscle pain and other signs of an infection

If you are dealing with these in addition to gas and bloating, it’s time to talk to a doctor about what might be causing your discomfort.