What causes you to Fart?

Summary

Episode Summary: "What Causes You to Fart?"

Who Smarted? Episode Released on April 28, 2025

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Introduction

In this uproarious and enlightening episode of Who Smarted?, titled "What Causes You to Fart?", hosts Trusty Narrator and Smarty Pants delve deep into the often-taboo yet universally relatable topic of flatulence. Joined by their hilarious guest, Poo Moji, the episode seamlessly blends humor with scientific insights to educate young listeners about why farts happen, their frequency, variations in smell and sound, and the health implications of holding them in.

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The Science Behind Farts

The episode kicks off with Trusty Narrator humorously pondering, “[00:02] Trusty Narrator: To bean or not to bean? That is the question,” setting the stage for an exploration of how certain foods, especially beans, contribute to gas production. Trusty explains, “beans contain raffinose, a type of carbohydrate that your body doesn't digest easily. Bacteria in your large intestine breaks down raffinose, resulting in…” leading into the reasons behind farting.

Poo Moji, the animated expert, elaborates on the origins of intestinal gas: “[05:25] Poo Moji: The reason you or me or Trusty narrator fart is due to a buildup of gas in the body.” This gas primarily enters the body through swallowed air, as Poo Moji explains, “[05:54] Poo Moji: You swallow air throughout the day. Sometimes from carbonated beverages, other times from inhaling air or even when you chew and swallow…”

Composition of Flatulence

Delving deeper, Poo Moji breaks down the composition of farts: “[06:15] Poo Moji: Intestinal gas is made up of various amounts of oxygen, nitrogen, carbon dioxide, hydrogen and methane.” This comprehensive explanation demystifies the often-misunderstood nature of flatulence, highlighting that it is a natural byproduct of the digestive process.

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Frequency and Variations in Farts

Exploring how often people fart, the hosts present a multiple-choice question: “How often do people fart? Is it A, once a day, B, 100 times a day, or C?” After Smarty Pants chooses, Poo Moji reveals the average: “[07:06] Poo Moji: Doctors say the average person farts anywhere from five to 15 times per day.” This surprising statistic underscores the normalcy of farting.

When addressing why some farts are smellier than others, Poo Moji enlightens listeners: “[08:11] Poo Moji: The odor comes from intestinal bacteria that produces compounds containing sulfur.” He lists foods that contribute to more pungent farts, such as “cruciferous veggies like broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, and cabbage” and “sulfur-rich foods include garlic, onions, cheddar cheese, dried fruits, nuts, beef, eggs, pork, fish, poultry, and legumes.”

Sound and Smell: The Dual Nature of Flatulence

The discussion also covers the relationship between the sound and smell of farts: “[09:14] Poo Moji: The sound of the fart depends on how open your sphincter muscle is at the time the gas escapes. The larger the opening, the louder the fart … the air farts tend to be louder, while quieter farts tend to be smellier.” This playful explanation demystifies the "silent but deadly" phenomenon, adding a layer of humor to the scientific facts.

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Social Implications and Handling Embarrassment

Addressing the social discomfort surrounding farting, Trusty Narrator humorously confesses, “[10:19] Trusty Narrator: I gotta fart right now. But we're in the middle of this crowded nightclub.” Poo Moji advises, “[10:25] Poo Moji: It can be embarrassing to fart in public, but there's no reason to be ashamed. It's only human. Everybody farts. Just be sure to say, excuse me.”

Should You Hold in Your Farts?

A pivotal moment in the episode tackles whether holding in farts is advisable: “[13:27] Poo Moji: There is limited scientific evidence that holding in a fart could cause severe health issues.” He explains the potential consequences: “[14:00] Poo Moji: Holding in your farts can cause pain and discomfort in the abdomen, bloating, indigestion, even heartburn.” Trusty Narrator reinforces the message, “[14:39] Trusty Narrator: Just keep telling yourself, farting is healthy.”

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Health Implications of Holding in Farts

Poo Moji emphasizes the importance of allowing the body to expel gas naturally: “[14:13] Poo Moji: When you hold in a fart, you're not releasing gas that your body is trying to expel. That gas has to go somewhere.” This segment serves as an educational reminder that natural bodily functions should not be suppressed, promoting better digestive health and overall well-being.

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Conclusion

Wrapping up the episode, Trusty Narrator and Poo Moji reiterate the key takeaways: farting is a normal, healthy part of the digestive process, and there's no need to feel embarrassed about it. The episode concludes with a lighthearted note, “[14:43] Poo Moji: Healthy and hilarious,” leaving listeners both amused and informed.

Who Smarted? successfully transforms a potentially awkward topic into an engaging and educational experience, reinforcing the podcast’s mission to blend humor with learning. This episode not only answers common questions about flatulence but also encourages kids to embrace their natural bodily functions without shame.

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Notable Quotes:

• “[00:02] Trusty Narrator: To bean or not to bean? That is the question.”
• “[05:25] Poo Moji: The reason you or me or Trusty narrator fart is due to a buildup of gas in the body.”
• “[07:06] Poo Moji: Doctors say the average person farts anywhere from five to 15 times per day.”
• “[08:11] Poo Moji: The odor comes from intestinal bacteria that produces compounds containing sulfur.”
• “[09:14] Poo Moji: The sound of the fart depends on how open your sphincter muscle is at the time the gas escapes.”
• “[14:00] Poo Moji: Holding in your farts can cause pain and discomfort in the abdomen, bloating, indigestion, even heartburn.”
• “[14:43] Poo Moji: Healthy and hilarious.”

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Who Smarted? continues to stand out as a premier educational podcast for kids, making learning fun and accessible. This episode on farts exemplifies its unique ability to tackle everyday topics with humor and scientific rigor, ensuring that young listeners are both entertained and educated.

Transcript

[Trusty Narrator]

Psst. Hey, smarty pants. Are you familiar with Shakespeare's Hamlet? In it, he says, to be or not to be. That is the question. Well, I have a similar phrase. Mine goes like this. To bean or not to bean? That is the question. Huh? I can explain. I love beans. I love bean salad, bean pie, fried beans, refried beans, black beans, kidney beans, cannellini beans, lima beans, pinto beans, red beans, navy beans.

[Smarty Pants]

Oh, and fava beans.

[Trusty Narrator]

Oh, and of course, baked beans from a can.

[Sound Guy]

Yum.

[Trusty Narrator]

Beans are healthy, beans are tasty. And beans make you. I was gonna say smart. After all, studies show that black and kidney beans increase dopamine production and make you smarter, but they also make you a lot. Which is why, whenever it's lunch or dinner time, I have to ask myself, to bean or not to bean. After all, there are certain times when you don't want to risk having to because it could be embarrassing. Like when you're recording an episode of who Farted? I mean, who Smarted? And just for the record, beans contain raffinose, a type of carbohydrate that your body doesn't digest easily. Bacteria in your large intestine breaks down raffinose, resulting in. Resulting in. Wake up, sound guy.

[Smarty Pants]

Resulting in.

[Trusty Narrator]

Huh?

[Sound Guy]

Oh, whoops. Sorry.

[Trusty Narrator]

There you go. But while you might understand how beans make you fart, why do people and animals fart in the first place? How often do people fart? Why are some farts loud and some farts quiet? Or even silent? And why do some farts smell worse than others?

[Ew]

Ew.

[Trusty Narrator]

And should you hold in your farts, it's time for another whiff of. No, not that.

[Sound Guy]

Whoops. Sorry.

[Trusty Narrator]

It's time for a whiff of science and history on who smarted.

[Poo Moji]

Who's smarted?

[Sound Guy]

Who's smart? Is it you? Is it me?

[Trusty Narrator]

Is it science or history?

[Sound Guy]

Listen up, everyone. We make smarting lots of fun. But who's smartand?

[Trusty Narrator]

Hey, Smartypants Trusty here with a special mission for all the smarty pants listening. But unlike a top secret mission, this.

[Smarty Pants]

Mission requires you to tell everyone.

[Trusty Narrator]

That's right.

[Smarty Pants]

Your job is to spread the word.

[Trusty Narrator]

About who's smarted so we can keep growing and bringing you awesome new episodes. To qualify for this mission, let's play a little game. Who do you know that would love who smarted but doesn't listen to the show? Is it A, a friend? B, a teacher? C, a relative, like your favorite cousin? Or D, a neighbor who loves fun facts? Got someone in mind?

[Smarty Pants]

Great.

[Trusty Narrator]

Question 2. Where and when will you tell this Person about who's smarted. Is it A, on a play date, B, at school, C, in the car, or D, on the phone? Pick one, make a plan, stick to it, and best of all, complete this not so top secret mission. I'm counting on you, Smartypants.

[Smarty Pants]

The more people you tell, the bigger we grow.

[Trusty Narrator]

Which means a lot more smarting for you. Okay, Smarty pants. I can't believe it's taken us this long, but we're finally doing an episode.

[Smarty Pants]

To learn all about farts.

[Trusty Narrator]

And to help us out, I brought back an old friend of the show, who also happens to be an expert author of Art of the Fart and star of the emoji movie.

[Smarty Pants]

And the what does your poo say.

[Trusty Narrator]

About you who smarted episode. Why, it's Poo Moji.

[Poo Moji]

Why, yes, it's me, Pumoji. Good to see you again, Trusty narrator. Always a pleasure, never a chore. And thanks for agreeing to interview me at my place of choosing, of course, Pumoji.

[Trusty Narrator]

So where are we exactly?

[Poo Moji]

We are at the hottest nightclub in the human body, the Swollen Colon. Come inside. I'm on the list.

[Trusty Narrator]

Wow, it's super crowded in here, Pumoji.

[Poo Moji]

I know. Luckily, you're with me. I missed vip, A very important poop. So, what exactly did you want to talk to me about?

[Trusty Narrator]

Well, Smarty Pants and I were smarting about farts, and I figured you'd have the inside scoop, seeing as you originate from the same place.

[Poo Moji]

Ah, yes. Good thinking, Trusty. I hate to toot my own horn, but thanks anyway.

[Trusty Narrator]

The first question is, why do people fart Smartypants before Pumoji answers, See if you can guess the answer. Is it A, because your body likes making funny noises to amuse people? B, it's a defense mechanism to keep people away, like a skunk's spray? Or C, it's due to a buildup of gas in your body. So, Poo Moji, which answer is right?

[Poo Moji]

Farty Pants? If you said C, you're right. The reason you or me or Trusty narrator fart is due to a buildup of gas in the body.

[Trusty Narrator]

Great job if you got that right. Oh, and it's Smarty Pants, not Farty pants.

[Poo Moji]

Hey, you put on a smarty pant and a farty pant the same way, one leg at a time, right?

[Trusty Narrator]

Next question. How does the fart producing gas get in our bodies in the first place?

[Poo Moji]

Excellent question. Here is an equally excellent answer. You swallow air throughout the day. Sometimes from carbonated beverages, other times from inhaling air or even when you chew and swallow, all that swallowed trapped air turns into a gas inside your intestines.

[Trusty Narrator]

I see. But what exactly is this gas?

[Poo Moji]

Intestinal gas is made up of various amounts of oxygen, nitrogen, carbon dioxide, hydrogen and methane. Whoa.

[Trusty Narrator]

Yikes. Is it dangerous having all these gases inside your body?

[Poo Moji]

Nope. The gas is a byproduct of your digestive system at work. In fact, farting is healthy and good for your body. Your body produces gas as part of breaking down and processing food.

[Trusty Narrator]

That's great to hear. Sorry, I had a three bean salad for lunch.

[Poo Moji]

Me too. Okay, no more farting around. Narrator. Ask me a tough question.

[Trusty Narrator]

Okay. How often do people fart? And why are some farts smelly and others are not?

[Poo Moji]

Ah, a two parter. Now we're talking. Let's start with part one. How often do people fart?

[Trusty Narrator]

What do you think, smarty pants? Is it A, once a day, B.

[Smarty Pants]

100 times a day, or C?

[Trusty Narrator]

It varies from day to day. Did you guess C again? Well, then you're right again.

[Poo Moji]

Oh, yeah. The amount of gas you pass varies from day to day, depending on many factors. However, doctors say the average person farts anywhere from five to 15 times per day.

[Trusty Narrator]

That's a ton of farts.

[Poo Moji]

It's nowhere near my record. But don't worry. Like I said, farting is a normal part of digestion that reflects the activity of the air and bacteria in your gut. You might also notice you fart more when you eat certain foods that are more difficult to digest, such as beans.

[Trusty Narrator]

To bean or not to bean? That is the question.

[Poo Moji]

Yeah, there's no. No question that beans make you fart.

[Trusty Narrator]

And what about the second part? How come flatulence? That's a fancy pants way of saying fart. Smarty pants, how come flatulence is sometimes.

[Smarty Pants]

Smellier than other times?

[Poo Moji]

Well, the smell of your fart has a lot to do with what you put in your body. The odor comes from intestinal bacteria that produces compounds containing the gas sulfur. Foods high in sulfur can make your farts wreak like rotten eggs or poop.

[Ew]

Ew.

[Poo Moji]

This includes cruciferous veggies like broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, and cabbage. Other sulfur rich foods include garlic, onions, cheddar cheese, dried fruits, nuts, beef, eggs, pork, fish, poultry, and legumes, also known as beans. And it's not just food that can stink up your farts. Certain prescription medications, vitamins and supplement also do a number on your gut, resulting in some really smelly stink bombs.

[Trusty Narrator]

Ew. It smells like.

[Poo Moji]

But guess What? Did you know? 99 of farts are odorless?

[Trusty Narrator]

Really?

[Poo Moji]

It's true. Most farts are just air escaping, and those tend to be not very stinky. Also, the sound of the fart depends on how open your sphincter muscle is at the time the gas escapes. The larger the opening, the louder the fart. The funny thing is, the air farts tend to be louder, while quieter farts tend to be smellier.

[Trusty Narrator]

Ah, so silent but deadly is real.

[Poo Moji]

That it is. But the loud one is always funnier. Just remember, trusty narrator and smarty pants, everyone's body is different. Meaning everyone reacts to foods, medications, vitamins and supplements differently. If you feel like something is causing your body to fart more often than normal or results in a tummy ache, it may be something to mention to an adult or doctor.

[Trusty Narrator]

You know, all this fart talk has made me realize something, Pimoji.

[Poo Moji]

What? That there is more to farts than meets the nose.

[Trusty Narrator]

Well, that too. But more importantly, I gotta fart right now. But we're in the middle of this crowded nightclub.

[Poo Moji]

I suggest you head to the bathroom. It's the polite thing to do.

[Trusty Narrator]

But what if I can't make it in time?

[Poo Moji]

Hey, it happens. It can be embarrassing to fart in public, but there's no reason to be ashamed. It's only human. Everybody farts. Just be sure to say, excuse me.

[Trusty Narrator]

That's a great message, Pumoji. But what if you really, really don't want to fart in public? Is it safe to try and hold in a fart?

[Poo Moji]

Good question.

[Trusty Narrator]

And the answer right after this quick break.

[Smarty Pants]

Hey, everyone. Trusty here.

[Trusty Narrator]

One of the things I love about.

[Smarty Pants]

Hosting WhoSmarted is getting to answer all those amazing questions from curious smartypants. And that's why I'm excited to tell you about another show that does exactly that. Our friends podcast. But why a podcast for curious kids? Have you ever asked something like, why does the wind blow? Or does skyscrapers actually scrape the sky? And you weren't quite sure of the answer? Well, but why has you covered. They've answered questions from over 16,000 kids across 90 countries, and they're not afraid to tackle any topic. Even the gross ones that make grownups squirm. I mean, they have whole episodes about poop and making paint from spit and rocks. How cool is that? Their team gets real experts to answer real questions from real kids like you. So if your family loves learning interesting stuff on WhoSmarted, you'll definitely want to check out. But why? You can find but why? Wherever you get your podcasts.

[Joy Dolo]

Have you ever asked questions like I.

[Ew]

Wonder who invented toilets? Or why do dogs wag their tails?

[Joy Dolo]

Then have I got the thing for you. The Brains on Universe, a family of podcasts for kids and their adults. My name is Joy Dolo, and I host a funny and fabulous history show called Forever Ago. We explore the history of everything from bubble gum to how we sent messages before cell phones.

[Poo Moji]

I live in New Zealand, and the Mori people there use smoke signals to send me decisions.

[Joy Dolo]

There's also Brains on a science show where we answer kids questions like do plants sleep?

[Ew]

And why do some people have asthma?

[Joy Dolo]

And on the debate game show smashboom. Best you get to judge which is cooler, Chocolate versus Cheese or Spider man versus Batman?

[Sound Guy]

What is Batman's personality? He's a rich guy.

[Joy Dolo]

Find Forever Ago brains on and smashboom best wherever you get your podcasts or head to brainson.org to learn more.

[Smarty Pants]

Now back to who farted?

[Trusty Narrator]

I mean, who smarted? Okay, smarty pants, I'm still at the Swollen Colon nightclub with my special guest, the Poo Moji. Luckily, I was able to make it to the bathroom to pass some gas.

[Poo Moji]

It's the polite thing to do.

[Trusty Narrator]

But what if you can't make it to a bathroom and you really don't want to fart in a public place? Should people hold their farts in Pumoji?

[Poo Moji]

What do you think, Trusty narrator Hmm, I don't know.

[Trusty Narrator]

It would be nice not to let.

[Smarty Pants]

That that sound or smell out in.

[Trusty Narrator]

Math class, for instance. What do you think, smarty pants? Should you hold in your farts? I'm hearing a lot of no's. A few farts.

[Poo Moji]

I think your smarty pants are onto something, Trusty narrator. I for one, wouldn't advise holding in your farts, though. There's limited scientific evidence that holding in a fart could cause severe health issues. Holding in your farts can cause problems in the long term.

[Trusty Narrator]

Really? Like what?

[Poo Moji]

Well, pain and discomfort in the abdomen, for starters. It can also cause bloating, indigestion, even heartburn.

[Trusty Narrator]

Heartburn? Like in your chest and esophagus?

[Poo Moji]

That's right. When you hold in a fart, you're not releasing gas that your body is trying to expel. Well, that gas has to go somewhere. And whether you like it or not, that fart is going to get released out of your body one way or another. It may not happen when you hold it in, but when you stop focusing on holding it in or when you fall asleep, your body will expel the gas. It's all a way of your body keeping you healthy, right?

[Trusty Narrator]

Just keep telling yourself, farting is healthy. Farting is healthy.

[Poo Moji]

Healthy and hilarious. I said healthy and hilarious.

[Sound Guy]

Oh, whoops. Sorry.

[Poo Moji]

I see you laughing, farty pants.

[Trusty Narrator]

It's smarty pants.

[Poo Moji]

Whatever you say, musty narrator.

[Trusty Narrator]

Hey, excuse me. Yeah, I definitely shouldn't have beaned today. A big whiff of shout out to Landon in California. Maryland. We love knowing that you think who Smarted is funny and super interesting. Yep, it sounds like you totally get us. Keep on smarting, Landon. This episode, Farts was written by James Buttpuff Butler and voiced by Brandon who Beefed Bayless, Adam Toots Davis and Jerry Colbert. Technical direction and sound design by Josh Gassy Hahn who Smarted is recorded and mixed at the Relic Room Studios. Our associate producer is Max Cut the Cheese Kamasky. The theme song is by Brian Stinky Suarez with lyrics written and performed by Adam Toots Davis. Who Smarted was created and produced by Adam Tex Davis and Jerry Colbert. This has been an Atomic Entertainment production.