Farts are funny and sometimes stinky. Even King Charles and Cyril Ramaphosa fart. But what is really happening inside our body? And more importantly, why do farts stink?

Let us explain the logical, biological process behind farting:

What causes farts?

Farts, or flatulance, is caused by bacterial fermentation. When undigested food such as sugar, fibre or starch reaches the colon, it is broken down by bacteria, which then produces gas.

Aerophagia, or swallowed air, also causes farts. This can happen when you eat or drink quickly, chew gum or drink fizzy drinks.

Another factor is your diet. Foods containing high amounts of fibre and sugar – such as beans, broccoli or dairy – are guilty as charged.

Smell and sound

Most farts are odourless. But they can become smelly when containing sulfur, or smelly eggs, which in actual fact is hydrogen sulfide.

Loud farts, of course, can be embarrassing. The loudness of a fart is caused by the vibration of your butt-hole (anal sphincter). The gas or speed of the expulsion determines the loudness of the fart.

Soft farts are often smellier than loud ones. Why? Farts that are smelly are low in pressure and volume. Louder, less smelly farts are just large amounts of gas from fermented carbohydrates.

Reason for farting

The three most important reasons for farting are:

• Digestion byproduct: Gut microbiome (community of micro-organisms found on or inside human bodies) processing food, causing a natural byproduct known as farts.
• Safety mechanism: Your butt (anus) is smart too. The nerve endings in your butt distinguish between solid and liquid, allowing for safe release and sparing you from an unexpected visit to the loo.
• Health indicator: Farting, whether stinky or not, is a good indicator of the condition your gut’s microbiome is in. If your farts are loud and proud, you are healthy; if your farts are soft and potent, you might have a problem.

Now you know why you fart. Laughing at farting is just the brain’s way to engage in healthy human interaction.

Butt remember (pun intended), farting has its place too.

So happy farting (and laughing) on Wacky Wednesday!

The news provided to you in this link has been investigated and compiled by the editorial staff of the Newcastle Advertiser, a sold newspaper distributed in the Newcastle area. Please follow us on Youtube and feel free to like, comment, and subscribe. For more local news, visit our webpage, follow us on Facebook and Twitter, and follow us on our WhatsApp Channel