Banish Bloating With The Low-FODMAP Diet
If you suffer from gas, cramps, and other gastrointestinal problems, you might want to give the low-FODMAP diet a try.
The Belly-Flattening Diet
Developed by researchers at Monash University in Melbourne to treat IBS symptoms, the low-FODMAP diet may help you beat back belly bloat once and for all. It works by reducing sugars and short-chain carbohydrates that your small intestine can't absorb. These carbs are known as FODMAPs, which stands for:
- Fermentable — in other words, easy for your gut bacteria to break down
- Oligosaccharides — e.g. onion, garlic, wheat, legumes
- Disaccharides — lactose
- Monosaccharides — fructose
- And
- Polyols – sugar alcohols (found naturally in fruits and vegetables, or used as a sweetener)
© Thinkstock
What You Can Eat
Even though it can be a restrictive diet to follow, you'll still have a delicious variety of foods to enjoy. Low-FODMAP fruits and veggies include bananas, cantaloupe, strawberries, carrots, sweet potatoes, spinach, and tomatoes. You can also consume lactose-free milk and hard cheeses. In the place of wheat, you can opt for other grains such as quinoa, rice, and millet. Meat, fish, eggs, and nuts (with the exception of pistachios) are generally safe to eat for IBS sufferers.
© baibaz
What To Avoid
Try to avoid dairy products (e.g. regular milk, yogurt, and certain cheeses), which contain lactose and may trigger some digestive flare ups. With regard to fruit, you should avoid dried fruit, apricot, figs, apples, pears, and plums. Try not to eat onion, legumes, radishes, asparagus, artichokes, or leeks. For flavor, you can cook using garlic-infused oil or limit garlic to one or two cloves. Some foods, such as rye and wheat, may be also tolerated in small amounts.
But before you dive into the low-FODMAP diet, make sure to consult a doctor or dietitian. Every gut is different, and self-diagnosis can be detrimental in the long run.
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