What to do about gas caused by a lowfat high fiber diet ^

Ingredients

Directions

Thanks to a new product, yo uno longer have to give up beans, broccoli, bran and other vegetables and grains that are staples in a healthy, lowfat, highfiber diet. There is a new product on the market called BEANO. It is actually a fod additive, not a drug. It eliminates intestional gas associated with a hig fiber diet. BEANO comes in an eyedropper-like container and looks and tastes like soy sauce. At mealtime, you add a few drops to your first bite of the culprit food. Since heat deactivates the enzyme in BEANO, the food can't be too hot and you can't cook with it. Intestional gas usually occurs when you have undigested sugars in your bowel. All foods contain sugars. Two examples would be the fructose in fruit and the lactose in milk. Many of these are easily broken down, but certain others, especially olligosaccharides found in beans, bran and some vegetables, pass through undigested because we lack enough of the enzymes needed to break them down. Once in the bowel, intestional bacteria metabolize the sugar and release the hydrogen and carbon dioxide. Although the gasses are oderless, they pick up odors from fats and protiens in the bowel. BEANO contains a;pha-galactosidase, an enzyme that breaks apart the troublesome suars. However, BEANO doesn't work on all foods. For instance, it's ineffictive on milk and dairy products. People who have problems with these foods must use the enzyme called lactase, found in LACTAID and similar products.

BEANO is available in the antacid section of your supermarket or drugstore. If you cna't find it, ask the paharmacist. A 75-serving size costs about $8.95. Butter Busters by Pam Mycoskie ISBN 0-466-67040-5 Entered by Carolyn Shaw 2-95.

Submitted By CAROLYN SHAW On 02-21-95