Got “digestive issues”? Then you’re one of the unlucky…many…who know what it’s like to have your intestines and colon FIGHTING you after eating certain foods. No fun, right?
And it’s especially no fun if you’re eating clean, and getting enough fiber, and you STILL get gas/constipation/cramps/WHATEVER! I mean, if you’re eating veggies and legumes and fruits (oh my!) then why is your body still not cooperating???
Is it just that gastrointestinal disorders like IBS are impossible to control with diet?
OR is it that a healthy high-fiber diet is actually making you gassy and crampy…so you should start eating more junk?
NO!!!! (Sorry, I just wanted to make sure that rhetorical question was answered right away! 😉 )
At this point I’ve had a few followers tell me that they think they may be getting TOO much fiber in their diet, and wonder if cutting down could fix their digestive ick…
SO let me just say, there is no such thing as eating too many fibrous cruciferous veggies and yummy fruits (unless you are getting to much sugar)!!…And please don’t stop eating them in hopes it will soothe your irritable bowels!
Instead, consider this: you may be eating the WRONG veggies. And the wrong fruits and the wrong nuts, etc.
Say WHAT? That’s a thing? Yup.
Without further ado, let me introduce you to a concept I myself just recently learned about:
The Low FODMAP Diet.
What the heck is a “FODMAP”?
Well, if you MUST know, it stands for “Fermentable Oligosaccharides, Disaccharides, Monosaccharides and Polyols.”
But I’m not about to go into much more detail on that EXCEPT to say that you can recognize”saccharide” = sugar.
SO don’t worry about all the terms!! Just remember that FODMAPs are simple carbs that your body struggles to break down. And this is what gives you those terrible cramps and…well, I don’t think I need to mention what else happens…
A quick summary of what the heck is actually going on in your body at this time:
- You eat a high FODMAP food, which tends to be high carb/high sugar foods. But not all of them are unhealthy!!
- Your small intestine, which is in charge of absorbing up the nutrients from your food, has TROUBLE with FODMAPs.
- Because the small intestine was like 🤷, the stuff that was NOT digested moves on to the large intestine, which is all like, “DIGESTING STUFF ISN’T MY JOB!! UGH!”
- The undigested stuff ferments in the large intestine, which produces GAS.
So now that you know the science (or the fun dramatized version, lol), which foods are the culprits, and which foods are approved for a low FODMAP diet?
I’ll provide some list items that might surprise you! (I’m calling them “good” and “bad” for simplicity’s sake, but as you’ll see the “bad” foods aren’t all “bad”!
Good:
- Bananas
- Grapes
- Oranges
- Strawberries
- TURMERIC – OK, I know this seems like a random add, but check out my article The Secret to LIVING LONGER? Turmeric and Curcumin! to find out more about this superfood! 💖
- Lettuce
- Sweet Potatoes
- Oats
- Quinoa
- Popcorn
Bad:
- Apples
- Mango
- Peaches
- Asparagus
- Honey
- Onion
- Wheat
- Bran
- Mushrooms
- Cashews
But wait, please don’t freak out!!
First, keep in mind that this mostly applies to people with digestive issues. For everybody else, a low FODMAP diet does mean you digest food better and faster, BUT if a high FODMAP food is nutritious and delicious, it’s OK to go ahead and eat it!
Because you won’t be feeling pain and discomfort as a result…HOWEVER. People with IBS and similar issues, it may make sense for you to adjust to this diet…
Or at least be AWARE when you’re eating your fave foods not approved by the low FODMAP diet…You may want to be ready with your medication of choice!!
(Personally I know there’s no way I would EVER give up mangoes!
😉 )
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