Low FODMAP diet

Just over 2.5 years ago I had my gall bladder removed in a bit of a rush (understatement of the year!) and since then I have not been at all well.  Feeling sick most days, it's been a long and windy road of visits to various different medical practitioners in an attempt to get to the bottom of this.   Until recently, we still really had no idea what the underlying issue was.  On one hand it was very frustrating because no-one had any answers, but also a bit of relief in having had so many tests that at least some major "possible" causes had been ruled out.

A recent visit to a gastroenterologist gave me an idea that it could possibly be related to the food I was eating, and the possibility that I've developed some sort of intolerance post surgery.  After a few more appointments and discussions with nutritionists and dieticians, I've been placed on a low FODMAP diet for 8 weeks to see whether this has any impact.

I'm currently 6 weeks into it, and I cannot believe the difference it has made - totally for the better!  So, what is a low FODMAP diet?   Here's a little bit of background reading ...

Dr Sue Shepherd developed the low FODMAP diet in 2001. She has proven, through her pioneering PhD research, that limiting dietary FODMAPs is an effective treatment for people with symptoms of IBS. The low FODMAP diet has been published in international medical journals and is now accepted and recommended as one of the most effective dietary therapies for IBS.

FODMAPs are found in the foods we eat. FODMAPs is an acronym (abbreviation) referring to Fermentable Oligosaccharides, Disaccharides, Monosaccharides and Polyols*. 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.

What are the FODMAPs?

FODMAPs are found in the foods we eat. FODMAPs is an acronym for

Fermentable
Oligosaccharides (eg. Fructans and Galactans)
Disaccharides (eg. Lactose)Monosaccharides (eg. excess Fructose)
and
Polyols (eg. Sorbitol, Mannitol, Maltitol, Xylitol and Isomalt)

Where are FODMAPs found?

A few examples of food sources for each of the FODMAPs are listed below.

• Excess Fructose: Honey, Apples, Mango, Pear, Watermelon, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Corn Syrup Solids
• Fructans: Artichokes (Globe), Artichokes(Jerusalem), Asparagus, Beetroot, Chicory, Dandelion leaves, Garlic (in large amounts), Leek, Onion (brown, white, Spanish, onion powder), Raddicio lettuce, Spring Onion (white part), Wheat (in large amounts), Rye (in large amounts), Inulin, Fructo-oligosaccharides.
• Lactose: Milk, icecream, custard, dairy desserts, condensed and evaporated milk, milk powder, yoghurt, margarine, 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, Avocado, Cherries, Longon, Lychee, Nectarines, Pears , Plums, Prunes, Mushrooms, Sorbitol (420), mannitol (421), xylitol (967), maltitol (965) and Isomalt (953).

A big part of me wanted this to be the answer to all the problems I've been having .. and I'm pleased to say that it pretty much has been!  Another part of me wanted this to fail, as I kind of like the idea of having onions, mushrooms and other now 'banned' items in my diet.

The reality is, I haven't felt this well for over 2.5 years now, and if a small change in my diet is what helps that stay this way, then I'll very willingly do it!

NOW the challenge before me is to adapt my old recipes to bring them 'in line' with the new dietary FODMAP requirements .. which isn't proving as hard as I first thought.

I've also found a few colleagues and friends who have similar dietary considerations, so am going to be posting a few posts with suitable recipes that we might all be able to share together.