FODMAPs
These posts help you solve the FODMAP mystery and give you the ins and outs of low-FODMAP eating, food sources of FODMAPs, and how to eliminate, reintroduce, and tailor them to you and your symptoms. Take back your life.
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10 Ways to get Enough Fibre on the Low-FODMAP Diet
Why am I not getting enough fibre? Getting enough of the right kind of fibre, or really enough fibre in general, can be tricky on the low-FODMAP diet. Because we are eating mostly gluten-free grain products and starches, the alternatives are often ultra-processed. The diet also limits the amount and variety of fruit and vegetables we can have, and reduces the amount (or cuts out) high-fibre pulses like chickpeas, lentils and beans. But, with some planning and a little help from your favourite gut-friendly dietitian, you can get enough of the right fibre! How much fibre do I need? The amount of fibre you need is based on your age…
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Challenging FODMAP Reintroduction
Do you wish there was a way to do 8-weeks of FODMAP reintroduction in half the time? I’ve got you covered! Are you saying there’s another way? Yes, there is a way to challenge FODMAP reintroduction! However, just like the simplified low-FODMAP diet, there are pros and cons to cutting corners. Pros: Shorter reintroduction time Overall less time following a strict low-FODMAP diet More variety and symptom-relief sooner Cons: Not knowing personal symptom threshold Potentially greater symptom response First, remind me what traditional reintroduction looks like? No prob. With traditional FODMAP reintroduction, the rep food is reintroduced in small, medium, and large serving sizes over the course of three days.…
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Phase 2: FODMAP Reintroduction
Ok so you’ve been eating low-FODMAP for awhile now (read 2-6 weeks) AND you’ve felt either a reduction in the amount or intensity of symptoms, or both! This means that it is time to start reintroducing FODMAP groups one by one. Do I still have to eat low-FODMAP? The short answer is, yes. It’s kind of like feeding a toddler, we really don’t want to change anything else about your diet right now except for the reintroductions, meaning that we should keep it low-FOD until phase 2 is completed to minimize any background symptoms. This is definitely a conversation between you and your GI Dietitian, because I have definitely made…
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The Low-FODMAP Diet Made Simple
Last week we talked about a more strict low-FODMAP approach that lasts approximately 2-4 weeks. Just enough time to evaluate whether or not the elimination of FODMAP-containing foods results in a decrease in the amount and/or intensity of symptoms. Real talk, that seems super hard. You’re right, it is challenging and definitely takes some planning, creativity, and re-learning how and what to eat in the short-term. There IS another way. If you would like to dip your toes into the low-FODMAP diet without going all-in, you may be interested in the simplified low-FODMAP diet. Who is simplified low-FODMAP diet good for? A less-restrictive option is recommended for the elderly, due…
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Phase 1: FODMAP Elimination
Ok, so now we know what the 6 FODMAP groups are (hint: fructose, sorbitol, mannitol, fructans, lactose, and GOS), and some low-FODMAP alternatives. Now we are going to make a game plan for executing phase 1 of the low-FODMAP diet. Talk to me about the phases, how many are there? Good catch. The low-FODMAP diet has 3 phases: Phase 1: FODMAP Elimination Takes approximately 2-6 weeks, this is not meant to be long-term Swap high-FODMAP foods and serving sizes for low-FODMAP alternatives If GI symptoms get better while eliminating FODMAPs, we move on to the next phase Phase 2: FODMAP Reintroduction If symptoms responded well to the first phase, we…
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GOS, more like SOS.
Galactooligosaccharides, try saying that ten times fast, is our last FODMAP highlight. You may have heard the old tune “beans, beans, the magical fruit. The more you eat, the more you toot.” Well, they weren’t wrong. This is starting to get repetitive. Tell me about it. GOS are kind of like cousins to fructans, they are both oligosaccharides and act in the same way. They aren’t digested because humans don’t have the digestive enzyme to break down the sugar chains into single units. Bacteria in the gut use the undigested matter as food and fuel for fermentation, causing gas and bubbles (think, kombucha or beer). This gas takes up space…
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Is Lactose Causing my IBS Symptoms?
I scream, you scream, we all scream… because lactose causes our IBS symptoms? Kidding aside, lactose-intolerance is actually very common, with even higher prevalence in non-white populations. How does it work? Well, I’ll tell you! Your body needs the enzyme lactase in order for the lactose sugar to be broken down smaller and digested. If you have a large lactose “load” (think, milkshake), your body has to produce enough of the enzyme to cover the load. If your lactase can’t keep up, the lactose reaches your large intestine and does not get digested. Water is attracted into the colon, and gut bacteria use lactose as fuel for fermentation. This produces…
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Is Fructose causing my IBS symptoms?
Fructose may be causing your IBS symptoms, and here’s why! Fructose is one of the most basic breakdown products of sugar, and definitely a word you have heard before. Not being able to absorb large doses of fructose is actually universal (aka it happens to everyone). However, 1 in 3 people are able to absorb very little fructose, or unable to absorb it at all, causing water movement, fermentation in the colon, gas, bloating, abdominal pain, and diarrhea or constipation. Since people with IBS have hypersensitive intestines, even “minor” symptoms may feel exaggerated and painful. Details, please. So basically, we are worried about two things, amount and sugar ratio. Have…
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Polyols: The P in FODMAPs
You lost me. Truth be told, microbiology was not my favourite subject in University. But, unlike trigonometry, I actually use this knowledge daily when working with clients. Polyols are sugar alcohols. Which is a bit confusing, because they are neither sugar, nor alcohol. But, they are the breakdown products of sugars, and include: sorbitol, mannitol, xylitol, and maltitol. We are going to focus on sorbitol and mannitol. I’ve heard of these before? I’m sure of it! You may have heard the term sugar alcohol before this whole FODMAP thing, because sugar alcohols are a low-cal sweetener added to sugar-free products, like: gum, mints, and candies. Even in people without IBS,…
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Fructans, not Gluten.
Ok, just a quick recap. FODMAPs are groups of short-chain sugars and the breakdown products of carbohydrates. They are either poorly absorbed, or not absorbed at all, causing fermentation by gut bacteria and ultimately resulting in gas, bloating, abdominal pain, and diarrhea or constipation. Today our focus is on fructans, an oligosaccharide. Humans lack the enzymes needed to break down these fructans into individual sugar units, even in a body without Irritable Bowel Syndrome. However, due to the hypersensitivity of the gut characterized by IBS, these symptoms are felt more intensely. What foods have Fructans? Good question. Fructans can be found mainly in breads, cereals, and starches, and to a…
