Which Fruits & Vegetables Are Gassy?

If you're experiencing gas, bloating, and related discomfort, then it could be because of something you're eating. Certain foods are known to cause gas, like dairy, fatty foods and fried foods. In addition, certain fruits and vegetables can also cause gas. Avoiding these gassy fruits and vegetables could go a long way toward alleviating any gas, belching or bloating problem you may have.

Legumes

Dried peas (such as lentils and split peas) and dried beans (like garbanzo, pinto, kidney, navy and lima) can all cause gas, especially when under or overcooked. To minimize gas from legumes, soak thoroughly overnight before cooking, drain out the water used for soaking and use fresh water for cooking, cook according to directions and rinse with clean water after cooking and before adding seasoning, sauce or other ingredients. Canned baked beans can also be gassy, as can soybeans in any form (including tofu).

Sugary, High-Fiber Fruits

Fruits all contain sugars to some degree, as do all fruits contain fiber. The degree of fructose in that sugar compared to glucose (or the fructose-glucose ratio) and the amount of soluble fiber determine how gassy those fruits may be. High-glucose, soluble-fiber fruits cause gas because the sugars they contain are not easily absorbed into the bloodstream and therefore ferment in the digestive system. It is that fermentation which causes a build-up of gas in the intestines, which in turn causes flatulence. These high-glucose, soluble-fiber fruits include apricots, bananas, melons, oranges, raisins and sweet cherries. Certain of these fruits, like apples, peaches, pears and prunes, also contain sorbitol, which is another sugar the human body has difficulty digesting. Avocados, though more often considered a vegetable rather than a fruit, also falls under this heading. Fruits consumed in the form of fruit juices, regardless of the kind of fruit, can cause gas as well.

Starches

A starch is a complex carbohydrate, and the more complex the carbohydrate the higher its propensity for causing gas. Potatoes, corn and most other starches are broken down mostly in the large intestine, where they produce gas in the process. The exception to this is rice, which is the one non-gassy starch.

Vegetables Containing Raffinose

Raffinose is another type of sugar which, similar to fructose without sufficient glucose to help break it down, commonly causes gas because the human body is lacking in the enzyme needed to break it down. As such it winds up undigested in the colon. Many vegetables contain raffinose, including artichokes, asparagus, broccoli, brussel sprouts, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celery, cucumbers, green peppers, leeks, mushrooms, onions, radishes, rutabaga and turnips.