It’s seemingly that the kind of protein you’re selecting could possibly be contributing to your exercise farts—and to the gorgeous pungent odor of them, too. That’s as a result of some widespread high-protein meals (like meat and eggs) are wealthy in sulfur, which might flip into pungent gasses when it ferments within the intestine. Or, you might be consuming one other ingredient alongside along with your protein supply that your physique has hassle absolutely digesting, resulting in additional fermentation and particularly rancid rips. Listed below are some frequent ones to bear in mind.
Lactose
Lots of people flip to dairy merchandise—whether or not we’re speaking whey or casein powders or complete meals like cottage cheese—as a handy approach to absorb extra protein. However they’re additionally among the extra frequent causes of room-clearing farts, because of the sugar lactose.
That’s why lots of people equate ingesting protein shakes with intestinal fuel, Dr. Applegate says: “Some whey protein incorporates lactose, and that may be troublesome to digest for somebody who’s illiberal.” If that’s you, the milk sugar can sit in your intestine the place micro organism feast on it, inflicting extra, smelly fuel and bloating. And relying on the model and the way it’s made, some whey protein powders could find yourself with extra lactose than others.
Lots of people have hassle digesting and absorbing lactose; some estimates counsel as much as 68% of the world’s inhabitants. And whereas lactose intolerance may cause a number of digestive points in some folks, others could not even notice they’ve an issue absorbing it—till, say, they begin slugging again extra whey shakes and spot they’re bloated, farty, and gassy extra usually than earlier than, sports activities nutritionist Marie Spano, MS, RD, CSCS, tells SELF.
Sugar alcohols
Sugar alcohols—chemical substances which might be added to meals to make them style candy with out including as many energy as precise sugar or resulting in blood sugar spikes—are a standard ingredient in loads of protein bars, Spano says. The issue is that our our bodies aren’t capable of absolutely digest and take up them, Cummings explains: They find yourself sitting round in your intestine, feeding micro organism and producing extra fuel and bloating (and probably even triggering diarrhea).
“Maltitol, sorbitol, mannitol, and xylitol are sugar alcohols that may enhance fuel and bloating, and a few individuals are extra delicate to it than others,” Spano says. Even comparatively small quantities—like only one protein bar—may cause issues for some folks, she says.
Fiber
Lots of people flip to fiber-rich grains and legumes nearly as good sources of plant-based protein, however they arrive with a probably farty draw back: An excessive amount of fiber may cause fuel, Cummings says. This may be very true for those who’re delicate to FODMAPs, a kind of carbohydrate that tends to linger undigested within the intestine, the place it ferments and results in fuel and bloating. Beans and lentils, frequent in some vegan protein bars, usually comprise these extremely fermentable carbs.
Some protein bars additionally comprise added fiber—usually listed as inulin or chicory root within the ingredient listing—that may trigger abdomen points for some folks. That is truly thought of a prebiotic, which suggests it ferments within the intestine and feeds wholesome intestine micro organism. However an excessive amount of in a single sitting could be a downside. “The micro organism in our intestine munch on it, and as soon as they break it down, the byproduct is fuel,” Spano says. Some protein bars comprise almost half the really useful quantity of each day fiber in only one serving, so it may be straightforward to eat an excessive amount of with out even realizing it. (Quite a bit additionally comprise each added fiber and sugar alcohols, making for a very putrid one-two punch.)
