Bizarre 'fart salad' trend comes with a huge warning

A slew of experts have issued warnings about bringing the viral ‘fart salad’ into your daily diet, claiming it could spell havoc for certain people with sensitive stomaches.

We’ve seen some of the kookiest and most bizarre TikTok food trends over the past year, including the rise of ‘boy kibble’, something known online as ‘stretchy yoghurt’, and the domination of ‘fibremaxxing’.

Last year, experts broke down the dark side of the so-called ‘chicken and chips’ trend and now they’re laying down the law when it comes to making and eating a social media-approved ‘fart salad’.

According to health professionals at Prevention, everyone boasting about ‘fart salad’ on TikTok is making it totally different. This makes it difficult to pin down a solid recipe.

However, most are apparently creating a slightly-altered version of antipasto pasta salad with a key fibre-enhancing ingredient for good measure.

The 'fart salad' includes elements of traditional antipasto (Deb Lindsey for The Washington Post via Getty Images)

Antipasto, which translates as ‘before the meal’ in English, is traditionally the first course of formal Italian feasts, as per Smithsonian Magazine.

It often consists of sliced meats, cheese, seafood, and vegetables, which are grilled or marinated, as per Barefoot Contessa, Ina Garten.

Morgan Coulter, whose viral ‘fart salad’ recipe has more than 6,000 saves, used antipasto elements such as pepperoni and cheese in her ‘fart salad’ bowl.

She also included cooked protein pasta, red onions, garlic parmesan seasoning and jarred salad dressing.

Her secret ingredient? Apparently packaged coleslaw mix made from carrots and green and red cabbage.

Jessica Cording, a registered dietitian and health coach, wrote that cabbage is ‘way more nutrient-dense than people realise’.

Cabbage, a crucial element in coleslaw, is a good source of fibre and Vitamin K (Getty Stock Image)

The Vogue vegetable of 2026 is packed with fibre, vitamin K and C, and may help keep inflammation in check alongside improving digestion, according to Healthline.

However, Sonya Angelone, a registered dietitian nutritionist and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, said that Coulter’s viral salad could be healthier, as per Prevention.

This is because the amount of sodium and saturated fat from the refined pasta, processed meats, jarred salad dressing, and cheese isn’t ‘worth the limited fiber content’, the expert reasoned.

Rob Hobson, a registered nutritionist and author of The Low Appetite Cookbook, has echoed Angelone, warning that the concoction may end up ‘packing in more fat and calories than a takeaway meal’.

Meanwhile, Katie Murray, a nutritional therapist at AltruVita, added to The Sun: “Whilst this salad packs in lots of fibre and will diversify the microbiome, it contains high salt content, is high in calories and saturated fat due to the cheese, pepperoni and salad dressing.

“Eating high levels of these processed foods regularly can actually increase LDL cholesterol levels (the bad cholesterol), blood pressure and cause the body to hold onto more fluid.”

Pasta salad with high levels of processed foods can increase bad cholesterol levels, as per experts (Getty Stock Image)

Murray also warned that fibre-rich ‘fart salads’ may cause gut discomfort in some individuals who are sensitive to FODMAP foods (highly fermentable fibres).

“In particular, raw cabbage from the coleslaw and raw onions can lead to symptoms like bloating, cramping, diarrhoea, constipation, and wind,” she cautioned.

She also said that people who do not eat much fibre should increase their levels over time, rather than gorging on one meal.

According to the NHS, dietary fibre intake should increase to 30g a day, as part of a healthy, balanced diet.

Pulses, such as beans, lentils and chickpeas, are favourable, as are rye crackers, oatcakes, unsalted nuts, and skin-on potatoes.

Other good fibre sources include porridge, wholemeal and granary breads.