Does gas "weigh" more?

sp1219
sp1219 Posts: 5 Member
edited November 15 in Health and Weight Loss
I eat a fair amount of lentils and beans because I am a pescetarian However, it has the unpleasant side effect of making me gassy :o Can gas make the number on the scales go up?

For the record, I get protein from a variety of sources, and drink tons of water and herbal tea. But I like beans, lentils, broccoli, etc!
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Replies

  • Theo166
    Theo166 Posts: 2,564 Member
    Nope, and all the fiber should keep you regular, which makes the scales go down.
  • lemonychild
    lemonychild Posts: 654 Member
    Yes, you're probably bloated
  • CafeRacer808
    CafeRacer808 Posts: 2,396 Member
    rebeccamorgan58152 wrote: »
    We'll call a noticeable scale difference approximately 1/4 lb - 115g. The molecular weight of methane is 16.04g/mol, so you're looking at about 360 litres in volume.
    I really, really hope it's not due to gas.

    I like your style. B)
  • courtneyfabulous
    courtneyfabulous Posts: 1,863 Member
    Gas doesn't weigh anything- it's just air.
  • TimothyFish
    TimothyFish Posts: 4,925 Member
    Gas has a weight, but it isn't so much that you will notice it on most scales.
  • livingleanlivingclean
    livingleanlivingclean Posts: 11,751 Member
    Theo166 wrote: »
    Nope, and all the fiber should keep you regular, which makes the scales go down.

    Unless too much fibre blocks you up....
  • leejoyce31
    leejoyce31 Posts: 794 Member
    courtneyfabulous wrote: »
    But if you are bloated that doesn't usually mean just gas, it also means retained water or constipation, which DOES add weight on the scale.

    Agree
  • leejoyce31
    leejoyce31 Posts: 794 Member
    StealthHealth wrote: »
    Intestinal gas is typically:

    59 percent nitrogen, 21 percent hydrogen, 9 percent carbon dioxide, 7 percent methane and 4 percent oxygen. It has less O2 than air which would make it heavier but has more methane, which it lighter than air. So, it's probably about the same weight per volume as air. So, no, you're not changing you weight by farting.

    Lol
  • TimothyFish
    TimothyFish Posts: 4,925 Member
    StealthHealth wrote: »
    Intestinal gas is typically:

    59 percent nitrogen, 21 percent hydrogen, 9 percent carbon dioxide, 7 percent methane and 4 percent oxygen. It has less O2 than air which would make it heavier but has more methane, which it lighter than air. So, it's probably about the same weight per volume as air. So, no, you're not changing you weight by farting.

    But it is pressurized. If it weren't then you wouldn't be able to fart.
  • cerise_noir
    cerise_noir Posts: 5,468 Member
    CattOfTheGarage wrote: »
    Tacklewasher wrote: »
    rebeccamorgan58152 wrote: »
    We'll call a noticeable scale difference approximately 1/4 lb - 115g. The molecular weight of methane is 16.04g/mol, so you're looking at about 360 litres in volume.
    I really, really hope it's not due to gas.

    What if the gas is compressed?

    The human body can't compress gas to the extent of noticeably increasing its density. You need something like a steel canister to do that, not soft squashy organic tissue.

    To answer your question, imagine farting into a balloon. Would it weigh any more than the empty balloon did already? No.

    Thank you for that great mental image! I'm obviously still 12.. :laugh:
  • cerise_noir
    cerise_noir Posts: 5,468 Member
    CafeRacer808 wrote: »
    KatieJane83 wrote: »
    I'm sitting at my desk at work desperately trying not to burst out laughing and look like a crazed person

    qgometnoi90j.jpg

    I'm so with you. Thankfully, I work from home, which means I'm actually laughing out loud like a crazy person. My dog's giving me the side eye, but he's always been the judgemental type, so I've learned to ignore it.

    That's stink-eye. ;)
  • KickassAmazon76
    KickassAmazon76 Posts: 4,678 Member
    edited February 2017
    bagge72 wrote: »
    This is pretty awesome. I would suggest waiting until you have a big toot, and then go stand on the scale right before you let it out, and then see if the scale changes once you do!

    works for poops.



    um... or so I've heard.

    yeah. that's what I've heard. I've never tried it.
    eta... and CERTAINLY not yesterday, when I lost two pounds.
  • StealthHealth
    StealthHealth Posts: 2,417 Member
    TimothyFish wrote: »
    StealthHealth wrote: »
    Intestinal gas is typically:

    59 percent nitrogen, 21 percent hydrogen, 9 percent carbon dioxide, 7 percent methane and 4 percent oxygen. It has less O2 than air which would make it heavier but has more methane, which it lighter than air. So, it's probably about the same weight per volume as air. So, no, you're not changing you weight by farting.

    But it is pressurized. If it weren't then you wouldn't be able to fart.

    I guess that is going to depend on how good the sphincter muscles are - a muscle group which is sadly often neglected by fitness enthusiasts ;)
  • StealthHealth
    StealthHealth Posts: 2,417 Member
    Stella3838 wrote: »
    StealthHealth wrote: »
    Intestinal gas is typically:

    59 percent nitrogen, 21 percent hydrogen, 9 percent carbon dioxide, 7 percent methane and 4 percent oxygen. It has less O2 than air which would make it heavier but has more methane, which it lighter than air. So, it's probably about the same weight per volume as air. So, no, you're not changing you weight by farting.

    But it feels like you do sometimes, amiright?!

    <fist bump>
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