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The most common gas-producing foods, including beans, cabbage, onions and dairy, why they cause bloating, and gentler alternatives with a simple low-FODMAP overview.
By Editorial Team · Updated · 3 min read
This article is awaiting review by a qualified medical professional.
Quick answer
Foods that most often cause gas and bloating include beans and lentils, cabbage, broccoli, onions, garlic, wheat, dairy, fizzy drinks, and products with sugar alcohols such as sorbitol. They contain carbohydrates that gut bacteria ferment. Lower-gas swaps include rice, oats, carrots, spinach, firm tofu, lactose-free dairy, bananas and blueberries, but tolerance varies, so a food diary helps.
Gas is a natural by-product of digestion. Bacteria in your large intestine ferment carbohydrates that were not absorbed earlier, releasing gas. Some foods produce far more gas than others, and sensitivity varies from person to person. For the full picture, read our guide to gas and bloating.
Foods high in fibre, certain sugars and starches, and sugar alcohols pass through the small intestine undigested. When they reach the colon, bacteria ferment them, causing gas, bloating and sometimes cramps. The specific carbohydrates are known as FODMAPs (fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides and polyols).
Beans, lentils, chickpeas and peas contain oligosaccharides that are hard to digest.
Cabbage, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower, onions, garlic, leeks, asparagus, artichokes and mushrooms.
Apples, pears, peaches, plums, cherries, watermelon and mango, which contain fructose or sorbitol.
Wheat, rye and barley contain fructans, and high-fibre bran cereals can add to gas when increased suddenly.
Milk, soft cheese, ice cream and yogurt contain lactose, which many adults digest poorly.
Sorbitol, mannitol, xylitol and maltitol, found in sugar-free gum, sweets and some diet products, can cause gas and loose stools.
Carbonated water and soft drinks add gas directly, as does gum and drinking through straws.
These slow stomach emptying, which can increase fullness and discomfort.
| Instead of | Try |
|---|---|
| Onion and garlic | Chives, spring onion tops, garlic-infused oil, herbs |
| Cabbage and cauliflower | Carrots, spinach, zucchini, bok choy, potatoes |
| Beans and lentils | Well-rinsed canned lentils in small amounts, firm tofu, eggs, fish |
| Wheat bread and pasta | Sourdough spelt, rice, oats, quinoa, gluten-free options if advised |
| Milk | Lactose-free milk, hard cheese, plant milks such as almond |
| Apples and pears | Bananas, blueberries, strawberries, oranges, kiwi, grapes |
| Sugar-free sweets | Small amounts of sugar or a tolerated sweetener |
| Fizzy drinks | Still water, herbal tea, peppermint or ginger tea |
It is not intended to be lifelong, and it can reduce fibre and affect gut bacteria, so work with a dietitian.
Some foods that help GERD, such as oats and vegetables, are fine, while others such as onion and garlic can trigger both reflux and gas. See our GERD diet guide.
If diet changes do not help, or you have weight loss, blood in the stool, persistent vomiting, severe pain, anemia or persistent bloating (especially in women over 50), see a doctor rather than continuing to restrict foods. Diet restrictions should not replace medical assessment for celiac disease, IBS or other conditions.
Beans, lentils, cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, onions, garlic, artichokes, wheat, rye, dairy, apples, pears, and sugar-free sweets containing sorbitol, mannitol or xylitol are among the biggest contributors.
Beans contain sugars called oligosaccharides that humans cannot fully digest. They reach the large intestine, where bacteria ferment them and release gas. Soaking and rinsing beans, cooking them well, and building up portions slowly can help.
Not in general, and they are important for health. Some, such as apples, pears, mango, onions and cauliflower, are high in fermentable carbohydrates, while others such as carrots, spinach, oranges, kiwi and blueberries are usually better tolerated.
It is a short-term elimination diet that reduces certain fermentable carbohydrates to see which ones trigger symptoms, followed by reintroduction. It is best done with a dietitian, because it is restrictive.
This article is for educational purposes only and does not replace advice from a doctor or other qualified health professional. See our medical disclaimer.
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