Farting occurs naturally. An average individual farts around 12 times in a day. However, bad odor from fart can be embarrassing for both the individual farting and those nearby. Why are farts smelly? The fart is made up of gases oxygen, nitrogen, hydrogen, carbon dioxide and methane. All these gases are without odor; however, addition of sulfates to fart makes it smelly. Sulfates are the reason behind rotten egg smell of gas. Sulfates are added to the fart in 2 ways. First, sulfate is added by the bacteria present in the intestines and second, an individual eats foods high in sulfur. Now the question is how to make gas smell better?

How to Make Farts Smell Better

1. Avoid Foods Rich in Sulfide

Avoiding foods rich in sulfur is the best way to make your farts smell better. Sulfur imparts rotten egg smell to farts. Foods that you should avoid include broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, bok choy, eggs, meat, whole cow’s milk, cheese, garlic, horseradish, onions and foods in which sulfite is used as a preservative such as dried fruits and wine. High sulfite meats that should be avoided include pork and beef; you can substitute them with chicken and fish. Substitute onions and garlic with chili peppers and ginger.

2. Eat More Fresh Vegetables and Fruits

If the stool stays in the intestine for a long time, the intestinal bacteria get time to act on the stool and produce smelly farts. Eating more fresh fruits and vegetables ensures that you have bowel movements regularly. This reduces the amount of time the stool remains in the intestine, thereby preventing the exposure of stool to bacteria. Your diet should be rich in natural fiber. Eat lots of vegetables that have low sulfur content such as eggplant, avocados, carrots and spinach.

3. Reduce the Dairy Products

Excessive use of milk and milk products in diet can lead to smelly farts. If you produce excess gas while consuming dairy products such as cheese, milk and yogurt, you may be intolerant to lactose. In such case you should avoid milk and dairy products including cottage cheese and ice cream. You can consume lactose free products, which is an effective way about "how to make farts smell better".

4. Avoid Fatty Foods and Artificial Sweetening Agents

You should avoid eating fried, oily and fatty foods. They not only increase the intestinal gas but also make you prone to many diseases. You should also stop using artificial sweetening agents as most of them contain sorbitol which produces digestion problems and also increases the risk of smelly farts.

5. Change Your Eating Habits

It is reported that 50% of rectal gas comes from air that is swallowed while eating and drinking. While eating, chew your food slowly. Avoid gulping of liquids while drinking. Say no to carbonated drinks such as beer and soda. Do not drink using straws. Stop chewing gums and smoking cigarettes as both of these habits increase the amount of swallowed air.

6. Use Herbs

You can also use certain herbs to decrease the smell in your fart. Few herbal remedies are known to be extremely effective in decreasing bloating of stomach and smelly fart. You can make a tea of carminative herbs which works well when you wonder how to make farts smell better. To prepare this tea, mix equal quantities of chamomile, peppermint and balm in a jar. Take a teaspoon of the mixture and add it to a half cup of boiling water. Steep it for a couple of minutes. Herbal remedies should not be used during pregnancy to reduce smelly farts; instead a doctor must be consulted.

7. Change Your Lifestyle

It is important that you drink more water even more than the recommended amount of 8 glasses of water each day. Water helps to flush out the toxins that cause odor from the body. Drink warm water mixed with lemon juice before every meal as it helps in reducing flatulence. Walking is also helpful in reducing flatulence. You should also form a regular routine for your bowel movements. Delaying or controlling a bowel movement may aggravate the problem of smelly flatulence. While majority of the options mentioned above to reduce smelly flatulence are relatively safe, it is still recommended to discuss with a healthcare provider before adding any of them to your daily routine.

8. Seek Medical Care

You can consider taking the over-the-counter medicines such as activated charcoal, beano and simethicone. These products are available at most grocery stores or pharmacies. You should seek medical help if a change in your diet or eating habits does not reduce the flatulence. You should understand that your increased flatulence may be due to an underlying medical illness of the intestines.

Do Smelly Farts Mean Health Problems?

After discussing how to make farts smell better, let us discuss if they mean health problems. Smelly farts can be rarely unhealthy. However, as already mentioned if you have changed your dietary habits and have regular bowel movements while still having smelly and increased flatulence, you may be having a medical condition of the digestive tract. If smelly farts are also associated with symptoms of nausea, vomiting, weight loss or abdominal pain, seek immediate medical help. Some of the medical conditions that can lead to smelly farts include:

• Carbohydrate Malabsorption: Mild carbohydrate malabsorption may lead to pain in abdomen and bloating. The severe form of carbohydrate malabsorption is referred to as celiac disease which can lead to severe pain in abdomen and vitamin deficiency. Both of these types are caused by gluten. Gluten is present in barley, wheat and rye products. Avoiding gluten containing products reduces the symptoms along with a reduction in smelly farts.
• Lactose Intolerance: Lactose is the sugar that is present in dairy products. The enzyme lactase that digests lactose is absent in some individuals, making them intolerant to lactose which then stays in the intestine for the odor-causing bacteria to feed on it. Eliminating dairy products is the best solution to decrease smelly fart in such cases.
• Digestive Tract Infections: Digestive tract infections could also lead to production of excessive gas that is smelly. These infections are also associated with other symptoms such as fever, diarrhea and pain in abdomen.