Whether it’s broccoli or Brussels sprouts, cruciferous vegetables can cause some discomfort. According to registered dietitian Jessica Cording, M.S., R.D., CDN, this is in part because cruciferous vegetables contain glucosinolates, or sulfur-containing chemicals. “As glucosinolates break down in the intestines, they form other compounds like hydrogen sulfide, which is why gas passed after eating these foods smells like sulfur,” Cording previously wrote for mindbodygreen.
She adds that cruciferous vegetables contain raffinose as well, an oligosaccharide that we can’t digest as humans. “This means that, since it didn’t get digested in the small intestines, when it enters the large intestine undigested, that’s where you’re likely to experience gas and bloating as bacteria in the intestines start to ferment that undigested food,” she explains.
Some common cruciferous culprits include (but aren’t limited to) broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, kale, arugula, bok choy, and collard greens.
