Is it true that farting is a way to burn calories? There are some who believe in losing extra flab through farting. There are of course a few people who do not believe in it. Truth seems to be resting somewhere in between.
It is said that letting gas leave your body can help you shed weight. Some claim that farting more than 50 times can help lose a pound of body weight. Some clinical studies have claimed that the opposite is true i.e., farting can in no way help you lose body mass.
First, let us get the facts right. Farting means that your gut is in fine health. Further, it denotes that the microbial organisms are doing their work well. When you suffer from flatulence, letting gas leave your body, it results in reducing the bloated tummy as well as minimizing the discomforts associated with bloating.
Gas gets formed inside your intestines and traverse all through to get released. The average quantity of gas released is estimated to be 200 ml of gas. This is calculated by assuming that a person may be farting, say 12 – 16 times a day. One clinical study claimed that nearly 70 calories are burnt each time you fart and a person who farts 50 times can lose upto 1 pound of weight. But, this is a false claim.
Why? This is because farting is not an activity that needs you to expend your energy. It is a passive function your body does to release gas. All these may indicate that there is no relationship between burning calories in your body and farting.
But, what really happens while you fart? The pressure built-up in your intestines gets released. In the process, your muscles may get relaxed. The fundamental premise for burning calories is you need to work your muscles, and not relax them.
So, does it mean that in no way can farting burn calories? There is a way in which calories may be burnt while you fart. It is when you work and strain a lot to fart. But, it is not a natural thing to do. While you strain a lot to fart, you may be burning some calories. But, that is not much. The count may amount to 1 or 2 calories getting burnt in the process.
Do you know when would you lose weight? It is when the calories you consume are less than calories you burn. So, farting – a passive activity wherein your muscle relaxes – can never be helping you to lose weight.
Flatulence is formed when you consume carbonated drinks. Such foods make gas while they settle inside your stomach. Bloated stomach may also result from eating cabbage, beans, very fatty cuisine, etc. It may be surprising to know that chewing a gum, consuming fluids through a straw and consuming food in haste may lead to bloating of your stomach. Some lifestyle habits like leading a stressful life, constantly worrying and anxieties also may form gas in your body. Certain medical conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), lactose intolerance, GERD or other intestinal disorders too can lead to flatulence.
So, the ways to avoid gas formation are- staying away from carbonated beverages, consuming food very slowly (by which you intake lesser air), making changes to your lifestyle habits such as discontinuing to smoke, consuming shorter portions of food (so that it becomes easy to digest food, leading to a lesser quantity of gas) and working out regularly.
So, farting is a normal and passive activity. Every time you fart, you are making it easy for your stomach by releasing the gas inside and thus relaxing your muscles in the intestinal tract. But, farting does not lead to loss of body weight. That’s because it is not done through any physical movement or activity. On the contrary, it is a very passive activity.
So, if you are interested in losing your body weight, what to do? The trick behind losing weight is consuming foods that are low on calorie count but has sizeable nutritive properties. These include foods such as dairy products, grains, proteins (of the lean category), etc. As you consume such foods, make sure you do not consume high-density (calorie-wise) foods such as white bread, oily foods, sugar-filled foods, etc.
Regular exercises can also help you burn calories. Perform activities such as swimming, biking, jogging, walking, etc can help a lot. Apart from these, you may choose to remain active by performing chores at home such as gardening, cleaning, etc.
To sum, losing weight needs physical activity and better control on your intake of calories. Develop habits such as ensuring to take a healthy diet and having a regular plan for working out. These habits will help you shed flab and those extra pounds. Hence, farting is not an activity to be counted upon for losing your body weight.