Some people take pride in it. Other people shudder at the thought of it. Some guys insist that girls don’t do it. Other guys even try to light it on fire.

Farting is a natural part of life. Although many people deny their tooting tendencies, the average person passes gas about 12 times a day, according to the Mayo Clinic. If your gas pains are leading to social anxiety, follow these tips to learn how certain foods affect your body and what you can do to reduce the risk of ripping a big one at the worst possible moment.

Body basics

If you want to point the finger of blame at a particular body part for flatulence, the colon is the culprit. According to Pete Beyer, associate professor of dietetics and nutrition at the University of Kansas Medical Center, the colon harbors more than 400 different species of bacteria that convert carbohydrates into gas. If carbs are not absorbed well by the body, or if you suffer from lactose intolerance, expect to pass some serious gas. The lactose-intolerant body has trouble breaking down the sugars and starches in dairy foods.

If you’ve ever tried to light a fart on fire (and succeeded), it’s because of the combinations of gases present in your expulsions—oxygen, nitrogen, hydrogen, carbon dioxide and methane all make up the sweet scent of human farts.

Musical foods

We all know the children’s rhyme about beans being the musical fruit, but what other offenders exist? Expect any kind of legume or flat bean to be flatulence inducing. This includes refried, pinto, black and white beans. These high-fiber beans are good for your digestive tract, though, so don’t avoid them completely.

Whole grains such as oatmeal and granola are also linked to high levels of gas formation because the soluble fiber in these foods is not easily broken down until it reaches the large intestine, according to the National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse (NDDIC).

Sorbitol, a naturally-occurring sugar in apples, pears and other fruits, is another substance that is not absorbed well in the digestive system, Beyer says. Sorbitol is also used as a sweetener in sugar-free candies and syrups.

Poot prevention

Don’t rule out healthy foods just because they are known to cause flatulence, Beyer says. The key to preventing unwanted gas in peak social settings (such as a first date or a job interview) is to know what foods affect your body and to cut back on the consumption of those foods. Try cutting back on fried and fatty foods, suggests the Mayo Clinic, because most bloating and stomach pains result from these unhealthy foods.

Consider reducing dairy intake and replace these foods with soy or other low-lactase foods, Beyer says. Several digestion aids, such as Lactaid, are available for those who have problems digesting lactose.

Don’t rush through your meals. Aside from preventing overeating, eating meals at a slower pace keeps you from swallowing unneccessary amounts of air, which leads to excess gas in your body, according to the NDDIC. This will lead to less burps and farts after meals.

Try popping a gas relief pill containing simethicone before meals. Simethicone works to reduce gas by breaking up the air bubbles during gas formation. Though these pills only work to a certain extent, Beyer says, some people find relief with this over-the-counter product.

Before you shun yourself from public after a taco-and-refried-bean feast, remember that everyone farts. Try to take a few steps to prevent a smelly one from creeping out of you. If worse comes to worse, you can always blame it on the dog.