Gas and flatulence

Reviewed by Dr. Nikita Dinger, Founder & CEO, BioMeBar. Last reviewed 7 October 2026.

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What it is

Everyone makes gas. Healthy adults pass wind somewhere between ten and twenty times a day, which surprises most people when they hear it. Gas comes from swallowed air and from bacteria fermenting food in the colon. It becomes a problem when it is painful, embarrassing, or noticeably more than your usual.

Excess gas is a symptom, not a disease. It often overlaps with bloating, though the two are not identical: you can have a great deal of gas without feeling swollen, and feel swollen without passing much at all.

Common symptoms

• Frequent burping, especially after eating or drinking quickly
• Passing wind often, sometimes with a strong smell
• Gurgling or rumbling noises from the abdomen
• Sharp, crampy pains that move around and ease after wind passes
• Pressure under the ribs, on either side

Pain from trapped gas can be sharp enough to be mistaken for gallbladder, heart or appendix problems, which is a reminder to take sudden, severe or one-sided pain seriously as a medical question first. Gas pain that comes and goes, moves around and eases after wind is more often benign.

How gut bacteria may be involved

Most intestinal gas is produced by bacteria. Hydrogen and carbon dioxide come from fermenting carbohydrates, and some microbes also make methane or hydrogen sulphide. Smell comes mostly from sulphur-containing compounds, which are made when bacteria break down protein and sulphur-rich foods like eggs, onions, garlic and cruciferous vegetables.

Different bacterial communities produce different gases, and gas that gets used up by other microbes does not reach you. That is one reason two people eating the same rajma can have very different evenings. Many Indian guts are used to high pulse and fibre intake, which can make fermentation steady and well-balanced, but a sudden jump in fibre can overwhelm even a well-adapted community for a few weeks.

Lactose that is not digested, fructose, sugar alcohols and certain fibres are the usual fuel. If a lot of gas comes with diarrhoea, weight loss or pain, look to a medical cause such as coeliac disease or bacterial overgrowth.

If a product such as a prebiotic fibre increases gas for the first couple of weeks, this usually reflects bacteria adapting to a new fuel. Starting low and going slowly is a better approach than starting at the full dose.

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Diet and everyday habits

• Cook pulses thoroughly. Soaking and discarding water, adding hing, ajwain, jeera or a piece of kokum or ginger to the pot is a long-standing kitchen habit that many find useful
• Build up beans and cabbage gradually, with small portions several times a week, so your gut community adapts
• Try a fortnight without milk if you suspect lactose, and see if curd or chaas sits better, since fermentation lowers lactose
• Watch for sugar-free mints and protein bars containing sorbitol, mannitol or xylitol
• Reduce fizzy drinks, chewing gum and drinking through straws
• Take a ten-minute walk after meals. Movement helps gas move along
• Peppermint tea or fennel seeds after meals are popular, though evidence for them is limited

Keep a note of the foods that tend to come before your worst evenings. For many people it is one or two repeat offenders, such as a particular dal, large servings of cauliflower or a daily glass of milk, and not the whole menu.

When to see a doctor first

• Gas with blood in the stool, black stools or persistent diarrhoea
• Unplanned weight loss, anaemia or fever
• Severe or worsening abdominal pain, or vomiting
• Gas that began recently and keeps getting worse, especially after age 50
• Gas after gluten-containing meals with long-standing tiredness, mouth ulcers or itchy rashes, which may call for a coeliac test

How BioMeBar approaches it

We look at when your gas appears, what you eat and how your bowels behave, and then use your gut profile to match a personalised synbiotic. Food and lifestyle guidance sits alongside it, and regular check-ins show whether anything is changing.

We do not diagnose, treat or cure any cause of gas. A synbiotic can sometimes cause a little extra gas in the first week or two, and we tell clients to expect that.

Common questions

Is it unhealthy to hold in wind?

Occasionally holding it in is harmless, but doing so regularly can lead to discomfort and bloating. Passing it in private is the sensible option.

Why does my wind smell so strongly?

The smell comes from trace sulphur compounds and is not a reliable sign of illness. Foods like eggs, onion and broccoli are common contributors.

Should I cut out dal altogether?

Usually not. Pulses are valuable sources of protein, fibre and minerals, and changing portion, type and preparation tends to work better than removing them.

Can swallowing air really cause that much gas?

Yes, for some people. Talking while eating, gulping drinks, smoking, loose dentures and chewing gum all increase swallowed air, which comes back up as belching or travels down as wind. Slowing down is a cheap first test.

Sources

• Rome IV criteria for functional gastrointestinal disorders (Rome Foundation)
• ACG Clinical Guideline: Management of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (2021)
• ACG Clinical Guideline: Diagnosis and Management of Celiac Disease (2023)
• ICMR-NIN Dietary Guidelines for Indians

Talk to us

If you would like to know whether BioMeBar can support you, message us on WhatsApp. Tell us your symptoms and your pincode and we will take it from there. Not sure where to start? Take the free gut assessment, which takes about three minutes.

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BioMeBar provides nutrition and gut health guidance and does not replace medical care. See a doctor for severe, persistent or worrying symptoms.