Not all farts are created equal. Some go thankfully undetected… then there are others that make you want to die from the shameful odor you brought into this world. Fortunately, there are ways to pinpoint what exactly you’re eating that caused such an offensive smell, and hopefully, save you from a world of embarrassment.
What is a fart?
According to Dr. Shawn Khodadadian, the Director of Clinical Nutrition in the Gastroenterology Division at Lenox Hill Hospital, “The production of intestinal gas is a normal part of digestion and commonly, intestinal gas is odorless, as it is usually composed of methane, hydrogen and carbon dioxide. Certain foods however, have a high sulfur composition and these tend be the ones that produce the odor. Foods with sulfur get broken down by large intestinal bacteria to hydrogen sulfide which is the culprit for the bad odor that we usually associate with rotten eggs,” Some of the worst offenders, the Mayo Clinic claims, are healthy, high-fiber foods. Not that you should stop eating that stuff, but maybe take it to the patio.
