Navigating the FODMAP

ALLERGIES & SPECIAL DIETS, FOOD & DRINK / WRITTEN BY NICOLE FETTERLY, RD

You may be thinking that in the title we missed the letter “o” in the word food and that this article will provide you with directions to all the local BC food producers. This isn’t a discussion of a geographical map. It does, however, have everything to do with food.

Although it’s already used extensively in Australia, the low FODMAP diet is the newest dietary treatment to hit North America. Ample research supports claims that the FODMAP diet is an effective way to manage irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and other digestive disorders.

So what does the FODMAP acronym stand for? Fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides and polyols. In everyday terms this refers to certain carbohydrates and sugar alcohols. The most familiar example being lactose (a disaccharide), which is the sugar found in milk and its by-products.

When your body cannot digest a certain food (potentially due to decreased enzyme levels) it doesn’t get absorbed by the body. Instead, it travels to your large intestine where, because of bacteria, it starts to ferment. This can cause gassiness, cramping, bloating, nausea and diarrhea or constipation. For some this can be inconvenient and embarrassing. For others, the pain can be debilitating.

For the last few years, with the gluten-free diet craze, many IBS sufferers have been advised to avoid gluten and have seen many of their symptoms reduced. However, for many individuals this is likely not the result of gluten sensitivity (a reaction to the protein) but carbohydrates, specifically the fructans or oligosaccharides in wheat.

So besides lactose in dairy and fructans in wheat, what are the sources of the other FODMAPs?

Fruits: apples, mangos, pears, watermelon, apricots, figs, grapefruit, blackberries, avocados, cherries, nectarines, plums, prunes and their juices.

Vegetables: globe and Jerusalem artichokes, garlic (fresh, powdered, salts), leeks, onions (brown, white, Spanish, onion powder), spring onions (white part), shallots, avocado, mushrooms, savoy cabbage in large servings, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, beets, cauliflower, green peppers, sweet corn.

Grains: wheat in large amounts, rye in large amounts, barley in large amounts.

Dairy—unless it’s lactose free: milk, ice cream, custard, dairy desserts, condensed and evaporated milk, milk powder, yogurt, soft unripened cheeses (ricotta, cottage, cream, marscarpone).

Proteins: beans (baked beans, kidney beans), lentils, chickpeas, soy beans.

Sweeteners: honey, high-fructose corn syrup, agave nectar, sorbitol, mannitol, xylitol, maltitol, isomalt.

If you’re thinking of starting the FODMAP diet, this list may cause you to cringe—especially when it comes to staples like onions and garlic. Keep in mind, everyone has a different tolerance for these foods and after eliminating all of them for up to 2 weeks, you can start re-introducing them one at a time to assess if they’re suitable to return to your diet. Some people may tolerate grains like wheat, barley and rye, but not in the large amounts typically consumed in the typical North American diet.

FODMAPs is difficult to grasp at first, so working with a registered dietitian or holistic nutritionist will help you feel empowered in your choices and will make it easier to find foods and products that work for your body. Visit our Nutrition Team in store or contact us online to arrange a free one-on-one session to address your specific health concerns.

Nicole Fetterly is skilled at navigating through the grocery aisles for those with dietary concerns. Email [email protected] for info on how she can help you do that, too.