The Low-FODMAP Diet?
A lot of people have been asking me if I have heard about the low-FODMAP diet and how they can follow it due to its benefits. When designing the Metabolic365 program, I made sure to incorporate the low-FOODMAP diet into my meal plans unless requested other wise. I tend to advise people to stay away from red meats and of course all processed foods as well as anything that contains a high amount of sugar, while recommending organic, whole foods. If you have a sweet tooth, try sugar-free sweeteners like Stevia. First off, lets start out on what the low-FODMAP diet is.
The low-FODMAP diet has been found to be one of the more effective ways to relieve Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), but now studies have found that the benefits with the low-FODMAP diet go far beyond that.
What are FODMAPs?
FODMAPs are found in the foods we eat. FODMAPs is an acronym for
Fermentable
Oligosaccharides (eg. Fructans and Galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS))
Disaccharides (eg. Lactose)
Monosaccharides (eg. excess Fructose)
And
Polyols (eg. Sorbitol, Mannitol, Maltitol, Xylitol and Isomalt)
These are complex names for a collection of molecules found in food, that can be poorly absorbed by some people. When the molecules are poorly absorbed in the small intestine of the digestive tract, these molecules then continue along their journey along the digestive tract, arriving at the large intestine, where they act as a food source to the bacteria that live there normally. The bacteria then digest/ferment these FODMAPs and can cause symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). Symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome include abdominal bloating and distension, excess wind (flatulence), abdominal pain, nausea, changes in bowel habits (diarrhoea, constipation, or a combination of both), and other gastro-intestinal symptoms.
Where are FODMAPs found?
A few examples of food sources high in each of the FODMAPs are listed below. The list is not complete, and is subject to change as new data becomes available regarding the FODMAP content of foods.
Excess Fructose: Honey, Apples, Mango, Pear, Watermelon, High Fructose Corn Syrup
Fructans: Artichokes (Globe), Artichokes(Jerusalem), Garlic (in large amounts), Leek, Onion (brown, white, Spanish, onion powder), Spring Onion (white part), Shallots, Wheat (in large amounts), Rye (in large amounts), Barley (in large amounts), Inulin, Fructo-oligosaccharides.
Lactose: Milk, icecream, custard, dairy desserts, condensed and evaporated milk, milk powder, yoghurt, soft unripened cheeses (eg. ricotta, cottage, cream, marscarpone).
Galacto-Oligosaccharides (GOS): Legume beans (eg. baked beans, kidney beans, bortolotti beans), Lentils, Chickpeas
Polyols: Apples, Apricots, Nectarines, Pears, Plums, Prunes, Mushrooms, sorbitol (420), mannitol (421), xylitol (967), maltitol (965) and isomalt (953).
Below are low-FODMAP foods categorized by group according to the Monash University
Vegetables: alfalfa, bean sprouts, green beans, bok choy, capsicum (bell pepper), carrot, chives, fresh herbs, choy sum, cucumber, lettuce, tomato, zucchini
Fruits: orange, grapes, melon
Protein: meats, fish, chicken, tofu, tempeh
Dairy: lactose-free milk, lactose-free yoghurts, hard cheese
Breads and cereals: gluten-free bread and sourdough spelt bread, crisped rice, oats, gluten-free pasta, rice, quinoa
Biscuits (cookies) and snacks: gluten-free biscuits, rice cakes, corn thins
Nuts and seeds: almonds (no more than 10 nuts per serving), pumpkin seeds
Beverage options: water, coffee, tea
If you are interested in following a low-FODMAP like diet while boosting your metabolism and getting the results you want, I highly suggest trying my Metabolic365 program online program.
