A new study found that while farting often creates a bad impression, it is actually a sign of good health.
Frequent passing of air may be an indication that one is eating the right kind of foods, says experts. Particularly, scientists are crediting whole grains for increased flatulence and most possibly, good health.
"We saw that those who ate whole grains were more flatulent and had several departures of air during the day," said Stine Vuholm, the study lead author from the University of Copenhagen. She added, however, that those who did not eat whole grains felt increased bloatedness and feelings of tiredness during the same length of time.
Whole grain vs. non-whole grain
Whole grain food includes items that contain all the vital components and natural nutrients that can be found in an entire grain seed.
Non-whole grain foods are stripped off of some grain parts such as the husk, which actually contains healthy fiber and vitamins.
The study
In the new research, the authors enrolled 75 study subjects to investigate the impacts of whole grains on the gastrointestinal tract.
Some participants were asked to eat whole grain food, while others were asked to eat non-whole grain items.
The researchers then compared the effects of specific food intake on the subjects.
The findings
The authors found that the group who ate whole grains noticed that it took a longer time for food to pass through the intestine, compared to those who ate wheat only.
Vuholm also observed that participants who ate whole grain food increased their toilet trips moderately. Specifically, they went to the bathroom to pass stools twice as much as they would normally do.
The other group (control group), who did not eat whole grains reported feeling bloated and tired, which Vuholm thinks is psychological. Although lack of whole grains can decrease blood sugar, it is also possible that the report is a perceptive thing.
Psychologically associating non-whole grains with poor health outcomes may be acceptable, but with the significantly higher amount of nutrients found in whole grain, it is not surprising to see that the control group felt much worse.
"It may be socially inconvenient, but it's good to get rid of this air," said Vuholm. "If you can't get rid of gas in the intestine it can cause abdominal pain and make you feel bloated."
Photo: Matti Mattila | Flickr
