Dietitians Explain What ‘Fart Salad’ Really Does to Your Gut

Despite it being a taboo topic, research shows that the average person farts about 32 times a day. Unfortunately, when you’re focused on ramping up the amount of fiber in your diet, an increase in gas tends to come with it.

That’s led to a rise in so-called “fart salad” recipes on TikTok. Each is slightly different, but one of the most popular recipes is similar to an antipasto pasta salad with a key fiber-enhancing ingredient.

The current recommended fiber intake is 14 grams for every 1,000 calories consumed, which ends up being about 25 grams for women and 38 grams for men, per the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Still, research finds that most adults get far less than that—just 17 grams of fiber a day.

Is fart salad a helpful way to increase your intake of the nutrient, or should you look elsewhere? We tapped dietitians for more.

Meet the experts: Sandra Zhang, R.D.N., L.D.N., registered dietitian nutritionist at the Frances Stern Nutrition Center at Tufts Medical Center; Jessica Cording, R.D., C.D.N., author of The Little Book of Game-Changers; Sonya Angelone, Ph.D., R.D.N., a nutritionist and registered dietitian based in San Francisco.

What is fart salad?

The term “fart salad” is used to describe a high-fiber salad. As the name implies, it may make you gassy, although that’s not a guarantee.

This salad typically includes cruciferous vegetables, like broccoli, cabbage, or Brussels sprouts. Fart salad was recently popularized by social media influencer Morgan Coulter, who shared her recipe on TikTok.

“You need fiber. Fiber helps you poop and fiber helps you fart,” she says in her post. “So, we’re going to be pooping. We’re going to be farting. We’re making fart salad.”

Since then, people have put their own spin on her dish.

What goes in fart salad?

Every recipe is slightly different, but Coulter’s viral recipe contains these ingredients:

· Protein pasta

· Pepperoni

· Cheese

· Red onions

· Garlic parmesan seasoning

· Packaged coleslaw mix (green and red cabbage, carrots)

· Salad dressing

The packaged coleslaw mix is the biggest source of fiber and “secret ingredient” of this fart salad, per Coulter.

Is fart salad healthy?

Coulter admits in her post that this may not be the healthiest thing you eat all day. “I didn’t say this is good for you. I said it’s high in fiber,” she says. But dietitians say there are a few things to like about this dish.

“It’s got a variety of whole food ingredients which bring in lots of different nutrients,” says Sandra Zhang, R.D.N., L.D.N., registered dietitian nutritionist at the Frances Stern Nutrition Center at Tufts Medical Center.

While the cabbage in the coleslaw mix comes in at the end of the recipe, this is “way more nutrient-dense than people realize,” says Jessica Cording, R.D., C.D.N., author of The Little Book of Game-Changers.

But this recipe isn’t perfect if you’re interested in creating a healthy, high-fiber dish. “This is a good idea, but not done well,” says Sonya Angelone, Ph.D., R.D.N., a nutritionist and registered dietitian based in San Francisco, noting that the recipe combines refined pasta, processed meats, jarred salad dressing, and cheese. “The amount of sodium and saturated fat isn’t worth the limited fiber content,” she says.

How to make fart salad even healthier

While fart salad isn’t perfect, Cording says this recipe can be a “great vehicle” for other vegetables that you like. “You can add more arugula, shredded kale, or Brussels sprouts if you want to lean into the name of the salad,” she says. But Cording says you can toss in whatever vegetables and beans you want to increase the fiber content.

Zhang also suggests replacing the processed pepperoni with a lean meat like chicken or tuna to lower the amount of sodium in the dish.

High-fiber, nutrient-dense foods like sweet potatoes, avocado, kale, broccoli, beans, and edamame can also be good choices when making fart salad, per Zhang. (She recommends considering a different whole grain base, like farro, quinoa, barley, or wild rice, instead of the pasta, too.)

How to add more fiber to your diet

The best way to get more fiber in your diet is to try to have one to two high-fiber foods per meal, like a vegetable and a whole grain or beans, Zhang says.

Angelone just recommends increasing your fiber intake slowly based on the amount you’re currently eating. “You have to give your body and gut microbiome time to adjust—diversify and increase in numbers—to new foods and fiber content,” she says. “This should lead to better tolerance and less discomfort.” While farting is normal, Angelone stresses that having gas isn’t necessarily a good thing—it can be a sign that you increased your fiber intake too fast.

When ramping up your fiber intake, Angelone recommends spreading the nutrient throughout the day and drinking plenty of water. “Too much fiber intake without adequate hydration may make the stool too hard and lead to constipation,” Zhang explains.

Ultimately, Cording suggests incorporating fiber at every meal, whether you want to try fart salad or not. “Add little amounts wherever you can during the day,” she says.