The answer is …
They are all high in FODMAPs!
‘FODMAP’ is the acronym for Fermentable Oligosaccharides, Disaccharides, Monosaccharides, and Polyols.
FODMAPs are found naturally in varying levels in many foods and food additives and simply put, are a collection of short-chain carbohydrates that are resistant to digestion.
When FODMAPs reach your colon, they get fermented and used as fuel by gut bacteria. The same happens when dietary fibres feed your beneficial gut bacteria, which leads to various health benefits.
But for people with visceral hypersensitivity (seen in IBS), the stretching of the intestine that occurs by the gases produced in the fermentation process results in:
Activation of the nerves around the intestine, triggering pain signals (bloating, stomach cramps/spasms)
Activation of the distention reflex (the pregnant belly look we associate with bloating)
FODMAPs are also osmotically active, which means that they can draw water into your intestine and contribute to diarrhea, or what seems initially like a firm starting stool that then transitions into a much looser stool
To determine if FODMAPs could be contributing to your digestive symptoms, the most effective strategy is to complete the low FODMAP diet.
The low FODMAP diet is a therapeutic dietary protocol that should be implemented under the supervision of a nutrition professional who can safely guide you through the 3 stage process - restriction, reintroduction and personalisation.
It is NOT recommended that you follow a low FODMAP diet for life!
The end goal of the low FODMAP diet is reintroducing FODMAPs to your personal tolerance, which is crucial to maintain nutritional balance, avoid deficiencies and highly restricted eating patterns.
Need help getting to the bottom of your IBS? Find out how I can help you by booking a free discovery call via my booking link.
Comments