What is the low-FODMAP diet and for whom is it suitable?

What is the low-FODMAP diet and for whom is it suitable?

Subsistence

This diet, which eliminates fructose and lactose from the eating plan, is intended for people with irritable bowel syndrome

What is the low-FODMAP diet and for whom is it suitable?

If many times you follow a diet because you want to lose weight or for ethical reasons (such as the climacteric or vegan diet), other times you must adopting a diet for health reasons. There are those who have to banish foods with gluten from their diet, those who eat any type of dairy, for example, and those who adopt a ‘FODMAP’ diet.

And what does the diet ‘FODMAP’? Dr. Domingo Carrerma, a nutritionist at the Medical-Surgical Center for Digestive Diseases (CMED), explains that we are faced with an eating plan that has very little fructanide content, that is: fructose, lactose, galactose, xylitol or maltitol , for instance. “The content of fruits, vegetables, sweets, nuts, legumes and flours such as bread and pasta is very restricted,” says the professional.

This diet is indicated for people with fructose intolerance or malabsorption, irritable bowel syndrome, bacterial overgrowth syndrome and in general all dysbiosis or imbalances in the intestinal microbiota. Mireia Cabrera, dietician-nutritionist at the Júlia Farré center, adds that, although it can be applied in cases such as bacterial overgrowth, “there is much more evidence and of better quality when it relates to irritable bowel syndrome». 

How the FODMAP diet works

On how the diet works, explains Dr. Carrerma that it consists of a very restrictive phase of four to six weeks of minimum duration, followed by three other phases of the same duration in which foods with fructose are gradually reintroduced from lower to higher quantities. Mireia Cabrera points out that it is not only very important to adapt this diet to the symptoms of each case, but also to take into account that it is not a diet for life.

If we talk about these foods more specifically, he says that the foods to avoid include fruits such as apple, pear, peach, pineapple, kiwi, strawberry, banana…; lots of vegetables like tomato, pepper, onion, garlic, carrot, pumpkin, lettuce or broccoli, for example. “Too beans and chickpeas are restricted; all kinds of desserts and chocolate; Nuts like cashews, raisins, prunes, hazelnuts, peanuts. And the consumption of bread, pasta and cookies is very moderate “, adds the doctor.

How to keep the diet away from home

Although it is a very restrictive diet, following it at home is not a big problem. Difficulties come, for example, if one day you go out to eat. «It is very important to ask the waiters for details of the ingredients of the dishes to make sure of their composition. An easy option is usually grilled meat or fish with roasted potatoes or some suitable vegetables “, recommends the nutritionist. For his part, adds Dr. Carrerma that these ‘suitable vegetables’ can be, for example, mushrooms, mushrooms, watercress, lamb’s lettuce, spinach, zucchini or cucumber.

Beyond the ‘FODMAP’ diet guidelines, to finish Dr. Domingo Carrerna explains that, if you suffer, for example, irritable bowel syndrome, it is preferable to restrict saturated fat, such as fast food, beef, non-lean sausages, aged cheeses, cream or butters, as well as breaded and battered. “You should not take pastries and it is better to take milk and yogurt without lactose and bread and pasta without gluten, as well as it is better to cook on the grill, oven or cooked”, he concludes.

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