FODMAP 101 & YOU (& me...)

Alright, guys. Let's talk about FODMAPs. So far, its been the diet (eating style) that seems to be working best for me to avoid uncomfortable intestinal issues.

Let's discuss food! This PDF from Standford has proven to be most helpful to me as I investigate a FODMAP-free lifestyle. Here is a brief overview, quoted from Stanford Medical Center:

"FODMAPs are osmotic (means they pull water into the intestinal tract), may not be digested or absorbed well and could be fermented upon by bacteria in the intestinal tract when eaten in excess. Symptoms of gas, bloating, cramping and/or diarrhea may occur in those who could be sensitive to the effects of FODMAPs. A low FODMAP diet may help reduce symptoms, which will limit foods high in fructose, lactose, fructans, galactans and polyols. "

The FODMAPs in many diets are:

• Fructose (fruits, honey, high fructose corn syrup (HFCS), etc) 
• Lactose (soft dairy) 
• Fructans (wheat, onion, garlic, etc)(fructans are also known as inulin)  
• Galactans (beans, lentils, legumes such as soy, etc) 
• Polyols (sweeteners containing sorbitol, mannitol, xylitol, maltitol, stone fruits such as avocado, apricots, cherries, nectarines, peaches, plums, etc)

So, the above means it's necessary to cut many fruits (apples, applesauce, stone fruit), soft dairy (milk, sour cream, cottage cheese, ricotta, brie), wheat/gluten (gluten-free diets are popular enough that I'm not going to go into extreme detail), oniony things( onions, garlic, leeks), cruciferous veggies (brussel sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower), legumes (peanuts, garbanzo beans, soy, other beans), FAKE SUGAR! ( high fructose corn syrup, honey, agave, also all fake sugar although some are allowed but why eat it??).

Wow...that's a lot to mull over. And at first, the list seems really random, especially when you compare it to Paleo...where you just cut out whole groups of foods (ie. grains and dairy) but have the freedom to eat unlimited amount of any fruits and vegetables you want. But there is some overlap (no gluten, no legumes, weird sugars, yes to delicious almond milk & MEATS) and some add-ins (reasonable quantities of non-gluten grains & corn--YES!! & harder cheeses -YESSSSSS!!!!, no restrictions on oils, and you can eat regular sugar....) and some no-nos (coconut & coconut milk, avocados, onions, garlic, apples, cruciferous veggies).

To give you some background on me +  Paleo...I was eating a LITERAL SHIT TON of broccoli, brussel sprouts, cauliflower, dried fruit, onions, garlic and apples. And I couldn't figure out WHAT I was eating that was making my bowels just let loose completely immediately after eating. Like, I could feel my intestines pulling in water and unleashing a torrent of liquids within 10 minutes of eating many of my meals. It felt real bad and I had a lot of emergency situations. So, the whole pulling water into your intestines thing sounded really reasonable to me. 

My favorite recipe was a shaved brussel sprout salad with red onions, apples, avocados and golden raisins. Um WOW WHAT. That is a recipe for my personal toilet disaster!!!!

Low-FODMAP does present some formidable challenges for the intrepid chef and diner. Like, NO ONIONS OR GARLIC?????? That is really hard! Onions and garlic are the basis for nearly all dishes I madeat home, and just try finding food without hidden onions or garlic in a restaurant. Weirdly, eating in restaurants is way harder on low-fodmap than on Paleo (on Friday I went to an Indian restuarnt and ONLY ATE RICE.). Store bought spice blends & spices pastes are pretty much out of the picture. Also, say goodbye to coconut milk curry & delicious apple and almond butter breakfasts!

So, let's lets get started. I have about 4 recipes that I have some crappy pictures of, and I'll post them over the next few days. 

Questions? Comments? Ideas? Feel free to share!