Low-FODMAP Diet

Search the blog
Categories
Recent Posts
  1. Home-made healthy Fish & Chips!
  2. How to: Master the Art of Refusal
  3. Understanding Insulin Resistance: The Key to Unlocking Metabolic Health
  4. Spicy Edamame Hummus with Vegetable Sticks
  5. Unmasking the Imposter: Understanding and Overcoming Imposter Syndrome
Tags
20's 30s Adenosylcobalamin Adrenal Fatigue Alcohol Algae Algal Oil Allergic rhinitis Allergies Alzheimers amalgam Andropause Anti-Ageing Antioxidants Arthritis Artificial Sweeteners ATP Autism Autoimmune Ayurveda B12 baby Barley Grass Bed-wetting betaine hcl Biofilm Blood Pressure body building Bone Broth Bone Health Bowel Cleanse bpa brain Bread Breastfeeding breathing breathing problems breathing techniques Bronchitis buckwheat Buteyko Butter Caffeic acid phenethyl ester calories Cancer Candida Candida Albicans Candida Diet Candida Overgrowth Candidaisis Canned Food CAPE Carbohydrates Cardiovascular Health Child Children's Health Chinese Medicine Chloride Chlorophyll cholesterol Circulation Cleansing Coconut Cream coconut oil Coeliac Coffee Cold Sores Colds and Flu Constipation Curry Cyanocobalamin Cycling Dehydration Dental Deodorant Depression Detox Detoxification DHA Diabetes Diet Dietary Supplements Diffusers Digestion Digestive Enzymes DIM dirt Diseases Diuretic DNA Dopamine Dysbiosis ears electromagnetic fields emf Endocrine Endurance Energy Energy Drinks Energy Production enteric coating environment enzymes EPA Essential Fatty Acids Essential oils Excercise Exercise Eyes Candidiasis Face Fasting fat Fats Femented Foods Fermented Food Fertility fibre Fibrin Fibromyalgia fish oil fitbit fitness gadgets Fitness Trends Fizzy Drinks Flouride Flu Food Food Allergy Food Cravings Food Intolerance Food Labels Food Pyramid Food Safety Food Storage Fresh Food Friendly Bacteria Frozen food Fruit Juice Fungal Infections Gene Mutations gluten gluten free Glycaemic Index Glycaemic Load GMO Gout Grazing Green Barley Gum disease Gums Gut Health Hair HCL Headache Health Tips Healthy Oils & Omega3 Healthy Oils & Omega3 hearing Heart disease Heart Health Heartburn heavy metals Herbal Medicine Herbal Tea Histamine histamine Intolerance Histamine Lowering Foods Hydroxycobalamin Hyperthyroid Hypothyroid Hypothyroisism Ice Block immune system inflammation Insomnia Insulin Ionic Trace Minerals Ions Joint Health Junk Food Kidneys Krebs Cycle L-methylfolate Leaky Gut Syndrome Lectins Legumes Liver lungs Lymphatic Male Menopause Man Flu Manuka Health Manuka Honey Marathon Margarine Mattress Meals Melanoma Men's Health Menopause Metabolic Syndrome Methylation Methylcobalamin Methylgloxal Methylglyoxal MGO Microminerals Milk millet Minerals Mitochondria Mole Mapping Mood Motor Skills Mouth MTHFR Mucous Membranes muscles Mussel nails nanoparticles Natural Skincare Natural Sweeteners Nervous System Nutrients Nuts Obesity Omega3 organic organic food osteoporisis Oxygen Pain Pancreas Parabens Perfume pimples pizza PMS posture Prebiotics Preconception Pregnancy Proactive Patient Probiotics Propolis Prostate Protein Pumpkin Seeds Quinoa Recipes Recovery Renal Failure respiratory Rock Climbing Running Salt Saw Palmetto Scar Tissue Screen time Shift Working Sinusitis Skin Skincare Sleep Sleep Apnoea Snoring Soft Drinks Soy Spleen Sports Stevia Stomach Stomach Acid Strength Training Stress Sugar Sunscreen Super Foods supplements Sweeteners Swimming Systemic Enzymes Teeth Testosterone threelac threelac australia thrush Thyriod Thyroid toxic toxicity toxin trace Tramping tummy bugs Tv UMF UTI Vegan Vegetables Vegetarian visceral fat Vitamin D Vitamins Water Weight Loss Weight Management Wheat Whooping Cough women's health Yeast Infection Yoghurt Zinc zits ADHD Mental Health Amino Acids Mindfulness Dairy Anxiety smoothie collagen Urinary Processed Foods

Food in Map AU

Is this diet for you?



No we are not talking about a Food Map! The word FODMAP is an acronym which stands for Fermentable Oligosaccharides, Disaccharides, Monosaccharides And Polyols. Cool term huh? They’re basically short chain carbohydrates that share the common characteristic of being poorly absorbed in your intestinal tract. Some people have difficulty with FODMAP foods and may have symptoms suggestive of a FODMAP intolerance. Here are some examples of foods high in FODMAPs:

Carbohydrate Group Examples of Each Group Sources
Oligosaccharides

 Fructans – polymers of fructose
  1. Rye, barley, wheat (except spelt)
  2. Onion, garlic, artichoke, asparagus, chicory, dandelion leaves
  3. Broccoli, cabbage, brussels sprouts
  4. Yacon, agave
  5. Prebiotics in foods/supplements: e.g. Inulin, FOS (fructooligosaccharides)
Oligosaccharides

 Galactans – polymers of galactose
  1. Legumes and pulses (except tofu and tempeh)
Disaccharides

 Lactose

 Dairy products, particularly:
Cow’s milk, yoghurt, soft cheeses, cream, ice cream
Monosaccharides

 Fructose

 High fructose corn syrup, honey
Polyols

 Sugar alcohols:
Maltitol, xylitol, sorbitol, erythritol and mannitol

Other polyols

 Xylitol - naturally found in mushrooms, oats and berries

Sorbitol - naturally present in stone fruits e.g. peaches, cherries, nectarines, prunes, and apricots

Sugar alcohols are used in foods as low calorie sweeteners

Polyols are also in stone fruits, apples, pears, blackberries, watermelon and cauliflower
Copyright © Return2Health Limited. All Rights Reserved.


Note: If you have a sensitivity to FODMAPs, try to reduce your intake of the foods in the table above.

The Biochemistry and Physiology of FODMAPs in a Nutshell



FODMAP carbohydrates are generally poorly absorbed in our intestines, however not everyone experiences symptoms as a result of this. Any leftover FODMAPs from our small intestines pass into the large intestine where they’re fermented by our beneficial gut bacteria. In those who have a gut hypersensitivity or who have altered gut microflora, the large amount of gas produced leads to bloating, flatulence and discomfort.

Bloating and flatulence distend the lumen of your intestines. To some people, that distention can be quite uncomfortable and painful. In addition, distention decreases the motility of your intestines. Motility ensures that your food travels down and eventually out the other end. Too many FODMAPs in your diet increase your chances of poor bowel motility and constipation.

Low-FODMAP Excess Wind

Who is a Low-FODMAP diet for?



People who experience too much bloating and flatulence can get relief from a low-FODMAPs diet. If you’re diagnosed with a FODMAP intolerance by your healthcare practitioner, you will need to shift to a low-FODMAP diet. Additionally, those suffering from inflammatory bowel disease (IBD - such as Crohn’s Disease and Ulcerative Colitis), irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) or symptoms of bloating, excessive gas, diarrhoea or abdominal discomfort can also benefit from a diet low in FODMAP foods.

How do you know that you have a FODMAP intolerance or sensitivity?



You may have a FODMAP intolerance and not know it. Here are some symptoms which suggest a FODMAP intolerance:

  • constipation 1. Bloating, diarrhoea and constipation. When oligosaccharides aren’t absorbed in your small intestines, they proceed to your large intestines where they’re treated like aliens (foreign substances). The resident bacteria react by producing excessive gas. The result? A lot of bloating. Bloating is a feeling of being full which may be accompanied by abdominal pain. It’s an uncomfortable sensation which brings a lot of discomfort to your daily activities. At other times, bloating can also be accompanied by diarrhoea and/or constipation. Either you’re too familiar with your toilet seat or you miss it! Diarrhoea relieves your discomfort while constipation seems to prolong it.

  • 2. I’m already eating healthy food! You begin to wonder why you still suffer from the same symptoms over and over again, even though you’re already eating healthy food. What’s worse is that as time passes, the healthy food that you’re eating is worsening your symptoms. For most people in the western world, healthy food generally equates to vegetables, fruits, whole grains and beans. However if you have a FODMAP intolerance, many of these foods can be quite problematic for you.

  • 3. The trip to your healthcare practitioner didn’t help much. Many people afflicted with a FODMAP intolerance have visited their doctors and several other doctors for help with their medical problems that don’t seem to go away. Most of them are misdiagnosed as having irritable bowel syndrome and told to go on a high fibre, vegetable and fruit diet. FODMAP intolerance is not well recognised by most doctors.

  • 4. You begin to worship your digestive system. Thinking about what to eat all the time in order to avoid your symptoms can have a dominating effect on your life. You’re always wondering which foods might bring you discomfort. Some people have difficulty getting through each day just because of this.

Note: In order to establish whether you have a FODMAP intolerance, consult a healthcare practitioner who has a background in nutrition. A nutrition expert or dietitian can also be of great value to help you increase your list of low FODMAP foods.

What Foods to Eat



And now you want to know which foods you can eat? Here is our list of foods and food groups that are low in FODMAP’s.

Food Group

Specific examples with low FODMAPs
Nuts, legumes, dairy alternatives

nuts
  • Nut butters (except peanut which is a legume)
  • Nuts e.g. walnut, macadamia, pecan, pine, almond
  • Tempeh, Tofu
  • Milk alternatives e.g. coconut, rice, soy or almond milk
Meats, poultry, eggs, fish

egg-meat 		Turkey, chicken, beef, eggs, fish, pork, lamb, shellfish
Vegetables

Vegetables 		Tomatoes, turnips, water chestnuts, zucchini, bok choy, carrots, cucumbers, green beans, pumpkin, potatoes, alfalfa/bean sprouts, bamboo shoots, bell peppers, rutabaga, seaweed, spinach, squash
Fruits

fruit 		Tangerine, strawberries, raspberries, pineapple, passion fruit, orange, lime, mandarin, bananas, blueberries, rock melon, grapes, cranberries, honeydew, kiwifruit, lemon
Grains

Grains 		Spelt or gluten free grains e.g. rice, quinoa, corn, oats
Pasta, bread and cereal made from the above grains. Tapioca flour is another good wheat alternative.
Beverages, Desserts

tea 		Use the above permitted foods to make these
Copyright © Return2Health Limited. All Rights Reserved.


While a FODMAP diet is not fixing the underlying problem, it can help to resolve most digestive symptoms caused by poor digestion of these short chain carbohydrates. If you suspect you may have a sensitivity to one or more of the FODMAP foods, talk to your healthcare practitioner about modifying your diet to one low in FODMAP’s to improve your feeling of health and well-being.

Related Articles

Leaky Gut Syndrome
Leaky Gut Syndrome
Probiotics Are Our Friends
Probiotics Are Our Friends
The Important Role of Friendly Bacteria to a Healthy Immune System
The Important Role of Friendly Bacteria to a Healthy Immune System
Stevia Recipes
Stevia Recipes
health food floraphage-30ct-90ct-500x500
Health Food Probiotics
kh-digestiveaid-groupimage devigest-l
Digestion Digestive Enzymes


References

× Image Modal

This content will be overwritten when the modal opens