Q. What kinds of foods can one eat to have very odoriferous flatulence and bowel movements?

Doctor Answer is medically reviewed by SecondMedic medical review team.

Answered by Secondmedic Expert

Flatulence, or passing gas, and bowel movements are both normal bodily functions. However, there are foods that can make them more odiferous than others.

Onions and garlic contain sulfur compounds that contribute to the odor of flatulence and bowel movements. Legumes (beans) are also high in fiber, which makes them difficult to digest and can lead to smelly flatulence or stool. Cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage also produce strong smelling flatulence due to their sulfur-containing compounds. Other foods such as artichokes, asparagus, Brussels sprouts, leeks and radishes may all cause odorous gas when they’re consumed in large amounts.

Foods high in sugar alcohols like sorbitol or xylitol (found in many sugar-free products) can create excessive gas that smells worse than usual. High-protein diets have been found to increase the production of sulfides in your body – sulfides which lead to a very smelly type of flatulence! Eating a lot of red meat is particularly associated with this kind of smell since it contains higher levels of proteins rich in amino acids containing sulfur groups (methionine).

Finally fatty food slows down digestion causing increased passage through the intestinal tract which leads to an increase pungent odors from the bacteria present there at fermenting these fats thus making them even more potent smelling! All these types of foods should be avoided if you'd like less odoriferous flatulence or BM’s though not everyone has reactions like these so testing would be needed before completely avoiding certain items from one’s diet!