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Tips to Reduce Burping

8. April 2025 Mayfair (0)

Eat slowly to reduce the amount of air you swallow. Avoid eating on the go. Try sitting down at a table for your main meals and avoid eating while watching TV or on your computer. Distraction tends to make us eat faster.

  1. Drink slowly. Avoid gulping a large volume of liquid.
  2. Avoid fizzy drinks which contain a large amount of carbon dioxide gas that will quickly expand your stomach. Beer has a similar effect.
  3. Avoid chewing gum. This increases the amount of air swallowed, particularly when you chew with your mouth open.
  4. Limit fatty foods. These slow down the emptying of your stomach which leads to an overly full and bloated stomach. Burping helps to release some of the gas and often makes us feel better.
  5. Limit spicy foods. Spicy foods often cause reflux accompanied by burping. They also increase the amount of swallowing (of both food and air).
  6. Cut down on caffeine because it can increase stomach acid production which leads to burping.
  7. Exercise regularly to help with emptying of the stomach. Try a short walk after dinner.
  8. Stress often exacerbates other gut problems (IBS, bloating and reflux) which are often the trigger for burping.
  9. Keep a food diary to see if your burping is linked to any specific foods.

Some people burp 10-20 times a day and usually there is nothing to worry about provided your burps are just burps – no discomfort, no reflux, no bloating or other symptoms (and you are not embarrassed by your burps).

Every day our body produces 25 litres of gas in the intestine. Thankfully most of this is re-absorbed and only about one to two litres is expelled from the body by either burping or flatulence. Burping is how our body gets rid of excessive gas from the stomach. Gas further down the intestine will be released as flatulence.

Most of the time our burps are caused by simply swallowing too much air while we are eating or drinking. Certain foods or food intolerances may result in burping and occasionally a medical condition requiring investigation and treatment is the cause of burping.

 

Swallowing too much air

It is normal to swallow some air when we eat and drink, however when we eat quickly and drink large volumes of liquid, this increases the amount of air that we swallow. Excessive air in the stomach causes it to stretch and burping is the easiest way to get rid of the excess air. Other causes of excessive air in the stomach include chewing gum, sucking on hard lollies, talking while eating and smoking.

 

Foods that cause too much gas

Certain foods are known to cause excessive gas in the stomach because they produce gas during the digestive process. Cabbage, onions, broccoli, cauliflower and lentils are often the culprits.

Food intolerances are another reason for excessive burping. If your body has trouble digesting foods, you may get an increase in gas. Common examples are lactose intolerance or gluten intolerance. If you suspect your burping is linked to certain foods, keep a food diary and then discuss your symptoms with your doctor or a dietitian before eliminating foods.

 

Medical conditions that cause burping

While most of the time our burping is harmless, there are several medical conditions to look out for. Refluxing food from the stomach back up into the oesophagus is a common cause of burping. Other conditions include a hiatus hernia – when part of the stomach has moved up into the chest cavity. Stomach ulcers and bacterial infections of gut can also be the underlying cause of your burping.

 

When to see your doctor

If you are worried or embarrassed by your burping, have a talk with your GP. Symptoms that should be investigated include: abdominal or chest discomfort, nausea, bloating, unexplained weight loss, vomiting, difficulty swallowing or feeling overly full after eating.

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