Do You Fart A Lot? Maybe You Should Try The Low FODMAP Diet

RE: BUZZFEED FOOD APPLICATION. If you're often bloated and ~irregular~, you could have IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) and your gastroenterologist will probably put you on this diet.

What is a FODMAP?

It's an acronym for all the foods that irritate your bowels: Fermentable Oligo-saccharides, Di-saccharides, Mono-saccharides, and Polyols. Yeah... we had no idea what that meant either, but basically they're sugars that draw water into your gut, aren't properly digested, and then become a feast for the bacteria in your colon. When those littel buggers are overactive, they produce A LOT of gas (you are familiar, we're sure). So in somewhat layman's terms, spelled out in a New York Times wellness blog, these are the carb-y categories to avoid:

* Fructose: a sugar found in some fruits, all dried fruits, some sweet veggies, honey, agave, jams, and drinks made with high-fructose corn syrup (shocker).

* Lactose: the sugar found in dairy products and remains highly present in soft cheeses, milk, and ice cream (sorry).

* Fructans (not to be confused with fructose): soluble fibers found in bananas, garlic, onions, wheat, rye, beets, asparagus, leeks, and artichokes.

* Galactans: complex sugars present in soy products and green veggies like Brussel sprouts and green beans.

* Polyols: sweeteners found in pitted fruits like, avocado (NOOO!), cherries, apricots, peaches, and plums.

...but you can just as easily refer to the chart below.

We admit, it Looks Bad...

BUT... before you get cold feet and go back to a life of farting and Miralax, let us explain why this short-term diet (we're talking 6-8 weeks) will improve your quality of life.

Hint: that discomfort is not just from holiday splurging.

Giphy

And no, your resolution to hit the gym won't fix it.

Why torture yourself?

In 2011, Australian gastroenterologist, Dr. Peter Gibson, and co. studied 34 people who had a sensitivity to gluten but DID NOT have Celiac (an autoimmune disease that you probably don't have, but ask your doctor because if you do gluten actually destroys your small intestine and you probably don't have IBS). After eating a diet low in those special FODMAP carbs, their symptoms improved, thus was born the Low FODMAP diet. Moral of the story is: if you think you have IBS, this diet is like pressing a reset button on your gut. Take out all of the irritants, and voila, you have a fresh gut and now you can start adding these things back in and see what causes you to experience your symptoms again. Good ol' trial and error!

You know your symptoms, but if you haven't talked to a doctor yet, here are some typical tell-tales:

* abdominal pain and cramping

* bloating and gas

* diarrhea and/or constipation (irregularity)

* mucus in stool

So this isn't you after every meal, that's why.

Giphy

SOS.

There's even an app...

...because, if you're being honest with yourself, you're not actually going to carry that list around (same, tbh).

And to make life even easier, here are some stellar recipes:

Thai-style Curry Chicken

Via healthyfood.co.nz

2 large red or green chillies, deseeded, roughly chopped

3 stalks lemongrass, sliced

1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger

1/2 cup fresh coriander

1 teaspoon turmeric

1 bunch spring onion greens, sliced

2 tablespoons olive oil

540g skinless boneless chicken breasts cut in bite-sized pieces

5 cups broccoli florets (1 large head)

300ml Low-FODMAP slow-cooker chicken stock

2 cups basmati rice

400ml can light coconut milk

2 kaffir lime leaves

1 stick cinnamon

4 cups frozen or fresh sliced green beans

2 teaspoons fish sauce

2 teaspoons salt-reduced soy sauce

1 teaspoon brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt (optional)

See more at: http://healthyfood.co.nz/recipes/2014/november/low-fodmap-thai-style-chicken-curry#sthash.qkL1Kwjg.dpuf

Zingy Chicken Chilli

Via healthyfood.co.nz

Carrot, coriander and lime salad

2-3 medium-sized carrots, peeled, grated

1/2 tablespoon garlic-infused oil

1/2 tablespoon cider vinegar

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

2 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander

1 large lime, juice

Zingy chicken

2 teaspoons garlic-infused oil

1 large red chilli, deseeded, chopped

1 bunch spring onion greens, finely chopped

3 medium-sized courgettes, cut lengthwise in 4 then chopped

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon ground chilli

1/2 teaspoon ground paprika

1 cup sliced green beans

1/2 cup quinoa

1 cup Low-FODMAP slow-cooker chicken stock

1/3 cup chopped fresh coriander, plus a little extra, to garnish (optional)

3 cups coarsely shredded (or cut in bite-sized pieces) cooked chicken

1 lime, juice

6 corn tortillas

1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered

See more at: http://healthyfood.co.nz/recipes/2014/november/low-fodmap-zingy-chicken-chilli-with-carrot-coriander-and-lime-salad#sthash.BFeYhLok.dpuf

Vegetable Frittata

Via healthyfood.co.nz

750g pumpkin flesh, chopped in small pieces

oil spray

1/2 tablespoon garlic-infused oil

1/2 cup diced capsicum

1 bunch spring onion greens, sliced

1 large courgette, grated

1 cup fresh or frozen spinach

generous 1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh basil, plus extra, to garnish (optional)

4 eggs

2 egg whites

60ml lactose-free milk

3/4 cup grated fresh reduced-fat cheddar cheese

pepper, to season

80g feta cheese, crumbled

See more at: http://healthyfood.co.nz/recipes/2014/november/low-fodmap-savoury-vegetable-frittata#sthash.YP0bxvqy.dpuf

Lemon Poppy Seed Loaf (SWEETS, YES.)

Via healthyfood.co.nz

100g reduced-fat non-dairy spread (we used Olivani Lite)

100g (1/2 cup) sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 1/3 cups spelt flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 tablespoon poppy seeds

Lemon glaze

few grates of lemon zest, plus extra for topping (optional)

1/4 cup lemon juice

1/4 cup sugar

See more at: http://healthyfood.co.nz/recipes/2014/november/low-fodmap-lemon-and-poppy-seed-loaf#sthash.aCpk7FGV.dpuf