Going on a date – have an important meeting? Skip these foods that cause gas… and they’re not the usual suspects like broccoli and beans.

First, be careful with sugar-free gum. Not only are you taking in more air when you chomp gum, which can cause gas and burping. The ingredient in sugar-free gum – sorbitol – takes a relatively long time to digest, and undigested sorbitol in your small intestine acts as a hothouse, fermenting bacteria, which can cause flatulence.

Also, skip protein bars that contain soy. The processed “soy isolate” contains sugar molecules that the body can’t break down entirely. So they hang out in the gut, ferment, and cause gas and bloating.

One more gas-inducing food: Almond milk! Dairy doesn’t have the lock on stomach distress. Almond milk can contain a thickening agent called carrageenan. It’s made from seaweed, and it’s been linked to ulcers, inflammation, and other gastrointestinal problems.

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