Have you ever experienced the ‘rotten egg’ (Sulphur) burp? That burp that smells worse than really bad smelly fart? If you haven’t, you’re in luck! 😀 If you have, I’m about to tell you why it happens!
Most burps are due to swallowed air. We are more likely to swallow air when we eat very fast, when we chew gum, drink through a straw or suck on hard candies. ‘Excess gas’ can also be produced as a result of what we have eaten. Sulfur-containing vegetables and foods like avocado, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, nuts, green leafy veggies, cabbage, onions, runner beans etc. typically cause smelly burps. Other culprits include, proteins and beer (yes, beer!) Now these are mainly healthy foods and so we are not about to ask you to stop eating them 😀 Well, just the beer! You can stop that one! 😀
The rotten egg smell of Sulphur burps is hydrogen sulfide gas from eating one of these Sulphur-containing foods or drinks. When you eat Sulphur-containing veggies, the stomach bacteria that works to digest these veggies produce hydrogen sulphide. However, that smelly burp could also be from a stomach infection like Helicobacter pylori or giardiasis. Giardiasis can lead to situation in which parasitic infestation of the small intestine leads to diarrhea, poor appetite, weight loss and smelly burps. Giardia is a serious infection, and if you observe these symptoms, please see your doctor right away.
Treatment is dependent on the cause. If you eat very fast, try slowing down a bit. If you love chewing gum and candies, you may have to give these up for a fresher breath 😀 Try keeping a food diary to identify the specific foods that cause this problem for you and then, reduce those. If it’s due to an infection, your doctor will prescribe the right anti-infective agent. S/he may also prescribe meds that help with digesting veggies and relive bloating
So, there you go!