So you’ve heard you need to start a low FODMAP diet and you’ve looked for this word FODMAP on the back of every single box, can, and bag in your pantry and you can’t find anything labeled “FODMAP”!
You think to yourself “How in the Hades am I supposed to eat, when I don’t even know what in the fish sticks is a “FODMAP”?
FODMAP, IBS, SIBO, IBD, GERD….the list seems to go on forever! So many acronyms, so many do’s and don’ts, where do we start?
Slow down friend, I know what you mean, and you are not alone! We all had to start out somewhere and I promise you will get it!
Okay first, so remember your diagnosis is unique to you [insert smile here, you are special!].
What we do know is that a low FODMAP diet is most of the time quite helpful for people who suffer with IBS. If nothing else, it helps us during the elimination phase to determine our trigger foods. See my other post on “This Just Might Change Your Life: The Elimination Phase”.
Ok, so tell me what is a FODMAP?
So, if you are here, I’m taking a guess you have been searching for a reason why can you have a nice meal, even a healthy one, only to find 20 minutes later, you are bloated like you’re 6 months pregnant, in pain, and in a few minutes you’ll probably be running to the bathroom. Right?
For those of us who aren’t chemists… FODMAPs are short-chain carbohydrates (a.k.a. sugars) that are poorly absorbed in the small intestine and are prone to absorb water and ferment (a.k.a. bloating) in the colon.
I think the best description of the above was written by Monash University. “FODMAPs are a group of sugars that are not completely digested or absorbed in our intestines. When FODMAPs reach the small intestine, they move slowly, attracting water. When they pass into the large intestine, FODMAPs are fermented by gut bacteria, producing gas as a result. The extra gas and water cause the intestinal wall to stretch and expand. Because people with IBS have a highly sensitive gut, ‘stretching’ the intestinal wall causes exaggerated sensations of pain and discomfort.”
Let’s break this down into categories; as a mom of…well, geez, I don’t even know anymore between my kids, my students, the kids I mentor and my friend’s kids I call my own…let’s just say things need to be categorized and organized!
“F” is for Fermentable
What’s the first thing you think of when you hear the word “ferment”? Alcohol right? Oh, that’s just me? Anyway, fermenting is the process of converting carbohydrates to alcohol.
Our guts have all kinds of bacteria…good ones too! Trust me, you want your gut to have bacteria…it helps break down your food and absorb the food we eat.
Sometimes, when our gut can’t digest certain carbohydrates, it ferments them; in turn producing gas.
For me, I can feel this happening sometimes even before I finish eating and for sure within 20 minutes!
“O” is for Oligosaccharides
“O”kay, ready to go all nerd-tastic for a minute? Oligosaccharides are a category of fructans and galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS). Oligosaccharides are molecules that contain 3-10 linked monosaccharide units.
In the case of fructans, the monosaccharides are fructose; and for galactos-oligosaccharides (GOS) they are galactose.
“Beans, beans, the musical fruit…the more you eat, you more you toot”.
I’m sure if you are alive, you have heard the little sing-song above. Here’s a bit of trivia you may not have known: humans cannot absorb oligosaccharides; we do not possess the enzymes to break these molecules down. This often causes gas. For most people it is normal, maybe a little embarrassing, or the center of the family jokes.
For IBS sufferers, the process above pushes on the walls of the large intestine causing pain, bloating, trapped gas, flatulence, and diarrhea and/or constipation.
“D” is for Disaccharides
I might be showing my age here, but remember those commercials on TV that showed everyone with a milk mustache with the saying “Milk does a body good”?
In this case, milk does NOT do a body good…well at least not dairy milk.
Disaccharides consist of the following three compounds: sucrose, lactose, and maltose.
Sucrose is typically table sugar.
Maltose is found in malted beverages such as beer and malted liquor.
Lactose is probably the most common household name. Scientifically, lactose is glucose that is bonded with galactose, which is a carbohydrate that is difficult to digest for MANY people, even people without IBS and have no other problems. Ever heard of “lactose-intolerant”?
Here’s a bit of useful trivia, especially for you moms or soon-to-be moms: humans have a higher percentage of lactose in their milk compared to cow, goat, and even buffalo!
Note: Not all dairy products are created equal! If you have a hard time digesting certain dairy products, that doesn’t mean it’s all dairy products because not all have high amounts of lactose, especially fermented dairy such as yogurt, kefir, and hard cheese.
“M” is for Monosaccharides
Monosaccharides are the simplest form of sugar and the most basic units of carbohydrates.
They are also called simple sugars. These are the sugars that are bad for diabetics, since it goes straight to your blood stream in about 5 minutes, thus spiking your blood sugar.
Fructose is the main source of monosaccharides that will affect IBS. And yes, just as it sounds, fructose is found in fruit….and some vegetables.
“But it’s natural sugar” (said in a whiney voice). Yes, fructose is natural sugar, but it is still sugar none the less and overindulging past your personal limit, could cause some belly discomfort.
I was an avid honey eater because it was “better” for me than cane sugar, so I thought.
Guess what? Honey is also considered fructose and it was definitely causing me some issues.
Before you jump off a cliff, stay with me here! The good news is while your plate of fruits and veggies is considerably smaller, you’re not missing out on all of the goodies.
There are still quite a bit you can have; of course, it is different for everyone, but I love and still enjoy berries, grapes, kiwi, pineapples, carrots, peppers, greens, cucumbers, ginger, papaya, unripe bananas, and I believe there is a world full of others I have yet to discover.
Don’t lose hope! “A” is for And
This is the easiest section! You know acronyms, they have to make sense. FODMP would just come out like you were recovering from a hangover asking for directions to the breakfast buffet.
There’s only one more category to go, don’t lose hope, we are almost done!
“P” is for Polyols
Have you ever experienced getting bloated and feeling blah after chewing gum? While chewing gum can cause you to swallow air and make you gassier; if this seems like an absurd amount of trapped gas, bloating, and just malaise, check the ingredients on your gum.
Most of the chewing gum on the market is sugar-free. Sugar-free is lacking in those extra calories, but artificial sweeteners are made with sugar alcohol.
Common sugar alcohols include erythritol, lactitol, maltitol, mannitol, and sorbitol.
According to the Monash University, the two main offenders are sorbitol and mannitol. Which are found in some fruits and vegetables and most commonly used as artificial sweeteners.
Be Like the Weed
I am a confessed nature nerd. I love to watch/ponder/marvel at God’s handiwork.
One of the things that make me smile is to see a single weed, flower, tree, root, etc. growing in the most unnatural of places. Weeds that grew along the cracks of a sidewalk, a flower between two rocks, a tree on the side of a ledge, fern growing on an old train, roots growing down and around an obstruction to reach water; this is just a beautiful representation of persistence.
Be persistent, don’t give up, be like the weed…you can get your joy back. Where there is a will, there is a way!
You are not alone! We are in this together, and we are building a community to surround you with love, care, respect, prayer, and help.
P.S. I am always available to pray with and for you, reach out and I would be happy to do so.
