12 Facts About Farting You May Not Know.
Of all the bodily quirks, farting takes the crown. While it often makes people laugh, feel embarrassed, or get annoyed, passing gas (especially during sleep) is quite common.
But how much do we really know about farts, beyond their sound, smell, and the fact that they come from your backside?
Here are some surprising facts:
Men tend to fart more than women.
The word ‘fart’ originally meant ‘to send forth wind from the anus’ and was first coined back in 1962.
An average person farts around 14 times a day. Believe it or not, that’s enough to fill up a balloon! I myself am very much above average and could probably fill a hot air balloon on an hourly basis.
Farting is a sign of a healthy digestive tract. So, there’s no need to be embarrassed. If you notice you’re not farting at all, it might be worth consulting a doctor.
Farts contain hydrogen sulphide, which may actually benefit your health by reducing mitochondrial damage. This means that, technically, smelling farts in small doses can be good for you. Next time, maybe take a deep breath and thank the source!
Female farts tend to have a stronger odour, as they contain higher concentrations of hydrogen sulphide. So, in theory, women’s farts are ‘healthier’ to sniff (Disclaimer: this does not hold up as a reasonable defence in court).
Farts travel at a speed of up to 10 feet per second.
A tighter sphincter produces louder farts, as gas is forced through a smaller space (my sphincter must be miniscule).
Gum and soda can make you fart more, so if someone you know has a frequent farting problem, try cutting back on these, as well as the 12 pints of Guinness followed by a Chicken Vindaloo.
Most of our farting happens at night while we’re asleep (Sorry, Mrs Moose).
Termites are the biggest farters in the animal kingdom, followed by moose, camels, zebras, sheep, cows, elephants, and dogs.
Hopefully, you have learned something new about this everyday bodily function. Farting might make us laugh, but it’s a healthy part of life that everyone experiences.
Moose Almighty signing off and ‘Cop a load of that one’. I’m off to check my pants.
