| Description: | FOD –What? The low FODMAP diet is gaining popularity, and for good reason. This oddly named diet is now scientifically proven to provide relief for people suffer with chronic abdominal symptoms or Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), including bloating, excess wind, cramping and altered bowel habits, constipation or diarrhoea or alternating between the two. What are FODMAPs? FODMAP is an acronym for Fermentable Oligosaccharides, Disaccharides, Monosaccharides and Polyols, wow that was a mouthful! In a nutshell these are the scientific names for four types of carbohydrate molecules found naturally a variety of fruits, vegetables, grains, legumes and milk products. The low FODMAP diet is designed to limit foods that contain these molecules, subsequently reducing abdominal symptoms and IBS.
What happens when we eat fodmaps? When we eat, food passes from the mouth down the oesophagus to the stomach. In the stomach food is mixed and broken down before being slowly released into the small intestine. Enzymes in the here continue to break food down to single molecules so that it can be absorbed from the small intestine into the blood stream. Any part of food that isn't broken down or absorbed will continue its path along the digestive tract and pass into the large intestine, or colon, for elimination. There are two processes that can occur during this progression that may trigger symptoms in certain people including: Certain FODMAPs are highly osmotic and readily draw water into the small and large intestine. This can effect how fast the bowel moves, and cause diarrhoea. When FODMAPs reach the large intestine they are fermented by the bacteria that naturally live there and just like when beer is fermented, this process creates gas and bubbles. For the individual this results in abdominal distention, bloating and cramping. |
