What is fart? Why do we fart?

Why do we fart?

Fart as popularly we know is also known as flatulence. It is intestinal gas that we pas every day almost 10- 20 times to be more specific.  it can be found throughout the digestive system, including stomach, small intestine, colon, and rectum. 

Farting is a usual process which happens in our body's digestive system but not socially accepted.  No wonder when someone storms into a room, they try to look at each other as the person sitting next to them. 

The word “Fart” was coined in the year1632 and comes from the Old English word Feortan meaning to break wind. The most prolific farters in the animal kingdom are termites due to a heavy diet of wood. Termites eject ungodly volumes of gas. It is projected that they are responsible for 11% of universal methane emissions that’s more than every car on the planet.

Where does fart come from?

There are multiple sources of it. A tiny proportion comes from swallowing air while we are sleeping whereas some portion enters our body when we eat. When we eat, we are not only consuming food but also giving gas like nitrogen and oxygen a free pass to enter our body and into our stomach. These gases form there and ultimately have to find a way to get out. So, some of them go upward and comes out in the form of a burp whereas the mischievous ones go down and comes out in the form of fart.

Why does fart smell so bad?

You can blame the bacteria for that. Our intestines are home to trillions of bacteria. But they are essential as they help us to break down our food. This process release gases such as nitrogen, carbon dioxide, hydrogen and methane. But all of them are odorless. It’s the sulphur compounds such as hydrogen sulfide, methanethiol and ammonia that gives the gas stinky smell. 

Why are some silent and some loud?

It depends on how relaxed your muscles are. In a relaxed condition, you are most likely to pass the silent fart that often stinks pretty badly but also saves you from the embarrassment. But, at times when you try to hold the gas for a long time the gas builds up and the sudden shooting causes vibration that makes it sound really loud which usually do not smell as bas as the silent one.

What do you have to do be less farty and stinky?

One way is to try cutting down on foods like beans, onions and fried foods as these items release massive amount of gas during the process of breaking down the food. And if it is found to be farting more than usual after you consume dairy products, it is more likely that your body may have a difficult time digesting the natural gas called lactose which is found in dairy foods. So, it is better to visit a doctor.

When is gas a problem?

The average person farts about 15 times per day, although you can pass the gas much more or less often. You may not be aware of much of this activity because you sleep or release gas so minor. But if you experience excessive flatulence, you should visit a doctor. This could mean that you have a problem of gastrointestinal. You should not definitely hesitate if you experience painful cramps, swelling or other symptoms. Conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome, Crohn's disease, celiac disease, lactose intolerance, and peptic ulcer are all associated with excessive gas.