By Thomas Wong
Farting. We all do it. Yes, even the rich, gorgeous and famous are not immune to this simple but sometimes embarrassing act. But what causes this to happen? The answer is that gases build up from a number of sources in our large intestine and are eventually pushed and forced out.
Kitty: “And what happens when you eat fast?” Bob: “I get gassy”
SNIFFING IT OUT
The gases that we expel come from two main sources. The first is related to the amount of air that we swallow. People who eat very fast and with their mouths open tend to swallow more air. They also tend to be gassier – another reason why you should listen when you’re told to eat with your mouth closed! The second source is related to the type of bacteria living in our large intestines and the type of food that we eat. These bacteria are usually referred to as “good” bacteria because they help break down food for us.
FLAMMABLE?
Usually, the food we eat is broken down in the digestive tract and absorbed into the blood. However, certain types of sugars, carbohydrates and fibers are hard for our digestive system to break down. These items are not absorbed and instead, remain in the digestive tract. When these sugars, carbohydrates and fibers reach our large intestine, the “good” bacteria have a feeding frenzy and in the process, produce a large amount of gas. The gases produced are mainly carbon dioxide, hydrogen and in some people, methane. The combination of hydrogen and methane is the reason why some people claim that farts are flammable.
THE WORST OFFENDERS
Beans are the classic gassy food. They contain such hard to digest sugars as raffinose and stachiose. Other foods that are notorious for making people gassy are cauliflower, cabbage, milk and eggs. Mixing all of these would be nothing short of a very stinky “atomic” bomb.