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Ask A Nice Vegan
I Went Vegan And I Can’t Stop Farting
Turns out when you suddenly add a ton of natural fiber to your diet, there are some side effects…
Dear Nice Vegan,
This is incredibly embarrassing, but here goes: ever since I went vegan a few weeks ago, I have been farting like five times more than I ever was before. WTF?!? I feel great — both physically and mentally — but I’m tired of escaping to the bathroom at work to let some air out. My boyfriend has been incredibly cool about it but the other day I literally woke him up with the world’s loudest fart. I think I eat a pretty normal vegan diet — lots of veggies, fruit smoothies, rice bowls with tofu, and sweet overnight oats — is it something I’m eating? Is there anything I can do? Will I ever stop farting?
Please, help!
— Fart Garfunkel
Dear Ms. Garfunkel,
Oh, dear. Let me start out by saying: I’ve been there. And most vegans have too. When I first went vegan, I had a very similar experience to yours. This happens to most folks when they first transition to a plant-based diet. Why? Because you’re almost definitely eating a lot more fiber than you ever were before. What’s high in fiber? Oh, just — leafy greens, veggies — especially…