The Science of Farts
Veggie Chic has missed you. With so many big things happening—all at once, isn’t that the way it always is—I’ve been so overwhelmed I’ve sort of just curled up and wallowed.
But it’s time to get back out there!
Originally I was going to write a serious essay looking at life and the way we live it and how we should all live it better, but I’m a bit worn out with serious, so I decided to look at some fun science instead.
A lot of the emails I get concern the same subject: farts. Call it what you will—passing gas, breaking wind, cutting the cheese, tushy trumpeting—you mean one thing: farts.
Many readers ask things like, But Veggie Chic, if I go veggie I’ll fart a lot, right? Don’t vegetables and beans make you fart a lot?
Well, yes, they do. At first. Eventually your tummy gets used to producing the proper bacteria to break down roughage, and you’ll have a quieter kiester.
And even if it didn’t, so what? Would you really avoid the best diet possible because of gas? It’s not like farting is serious as, say, heart disease. And it’s not a true bummer like, say, death.
But anyway, the worst fart makers are as follows:
1. Dairy
2. Meat
3. Beans
4. Vegetables
See, you’re already eating farty foods anyway.
When food travels into your tummy, it must be broken down so you can digest it, soak up the vitamins and fiber (or grease and fat) and then pass it on through. And what breaks things down? Bacteria.
Obviously, you produce more of the bacteria you need to break down the things you eat most often. So even serious offenders like dairy, will be easier to digest the more you eat it. For most of us, the fiber in vegetables and beans is an alien invader, because we don’t eat them.
So when they first come down your gullet, your digestive system is thrown into a frenzy trying to break them down, and produces a surge of bacteria, which breeds excess gas that needs to get out.
Now, here’s what makes it interesting. When you start a veggie diet, your farts (at first) may be more plentiful and louder, but they won’t be nearly as stinky! That’s because you need sulfur to make a smelly one, and plants contain only miniscule amounts of sulfur, unlike animal products, which contain a TON.
(Not only where flatulence is concerned, either…but basic body odor. Once you become a vegetarian, you’ll be surprised at how you can ‘smell’ a meat-eater.)
I’ll take loud over stinky any day. But never fear: your tushy will quiet down in about two weeks after starting a veggie diet. And your cholesterol will have already lowered, too.
Here’s a great article from Veggie Guru Dr. John McDougal. Read it, grab some broccoli, and fart proudly. It just means you’re healthy.
Related Stories
POSTED IN: Veg Health and Science
5 opinions for The Science of Farts
Patrick
Mar 11, 2006 at 9:18 pm
Dear Rhys:
Greeting!!
My name is Patrick Shih, editor of a Chinese Vegetarian Website, VegTomato, http://www.vegtomato.org/, dedicating to advocate vegetarianism among Chinese community.
I happened to see the link of your Veggie Chi from other vegetarian website, and found your blog is inspiring and interesting. I am thinking if I can have your permission to quote or use some of your contents and photos in my website and translate them into Chinese as an important resource for the people who visit our web-page.
My e-mail is: information@vegtomato.org
And, following is a brief introduce of VegTomato. Hope to hear from you soon. Thank you!!
Patrick
VegTomao
The VegTomao was founded by several vegetarians in May, 2004, which is a non-profit vegetarian website, and all of the people who work for it are vegetarian and volunteer. We publish a web-based vegetarian magazine monthly for free access hoping to inspire people go vegetarianism. To make it catching and interesting, we change the skin every month. Some of interesting contents we have before:
Issues from May 2004 to Feb. 2006
http://www.vegtomato.org/catalog/traditional/totalindex.htm
Veggie Greeting Cards:
http://www.vegtomato.org/issue08/traditional/veg%20diy08.htm
Veggie Cartoon from Ashy:
http://www.vegtomato.org/issue08/traditional/veg%20cartoon08.htm
Veggie Wall Paper:
http://www.vegtomato.org/issue05/traditional/veg%20activity05.htm
Kayll
Mar 17, 2006 at 5:08 am
Not to gross people out, but I find when I eat veggie chili, I could propell myself along all day. However, there is no odor. Also, the next day, if I still have the chili, there’s no gas whatsoever.
And I love Dr. McDougall. His Quick and Easy Cookbook is a must have for all vegans. And his informative DVDs are very helpful and more enjoyable than reading his books (or any book on the veganism for that matter).
On one of his DVDs, he goes over the digestive system and shows how countries where people have large bowel moments have smaller hosipitals. Whereas in the US, most people eat so little fiber, they have very small stool, and thus we have huge hospitals.
It was also interesting to learn that in Europe, appendicitis is treated with anti-biotics, where as in the US, we cut it out. Very interesting DVDs though not cheap.
Lyric
Mar 17, 2006 at 11:25 am
You’ve been High 5′d!
The trackback link for this post didn’t work.
Rhys
Mar 28, 2006 at 5:48 pm
Thanks, Kayll! I love veggie chili too! :)
Thanks for all the great info…it really does give you pause when you think about the way we ‘treat’ illnesses.
Veggie Chic » Rhysipe: Falummus Sandwich
Apr 12, 2006 at 7:02 am
[...] One small caveat: if you’re not used to falafel, which is after all, simply ground beans and spices you may encounter an increased noise level coming from your tushy for a while. But no worry; just consult this highly scientific article for assurance. [...]
Have an opinion? Leave a comment: