Food can be quite perplexing. Should you avoid gluten at all costs? Should avocado be your snack of choice? Well+Good’s nutrition experts provide clear guidance when it comes to nutrition – cutting through hype and disinformation in order to provide comprehensive information on what’s good or bad to put into our bodies. Visit All About Well+Good Nutrition here.
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Have you been wondering what “FODMAP” stands for? Watch this video and get all of your questions answered about its meaning!
Common knowledge holds that certain high-fiber foods such as cruciferous vegetables may occasionally cause bloating and gas. But for people living with IBS or sensitive stomachs, FODMAPS foods pose even greater challenges to digestion; Tracy Lockwood Beckerman, RD provides us with all of the facts regarding these items which cause gas production that disrupts poop formation – as seen on Well+Good’s series You Versus Food!
FODMAPS stands for Fermentable Oligosaccharides, Disaccharides, Monosaccharides and Polyols and is an umbrella term to describe carbohydrates and sugar alcohols that may trigger digestive symptoms like gas, diarrhea, constipation, bloating or stomach pain according to Dr. Beckerman. Foods high-in-FODMAP content often include one or more types of these types of carbs that could aggravate symptoms in some individuals.
As Beckerman points out, however, many healthy foods fall under the category of high FODMAP food items; such as garlic, blackberries and even avocados! (Incidentally!) (The betrayal!)
Beckerman emphasizes the fact that not everyone’s stomach will react adversely to FODMAP foods; however, those with IBS or sensitive stomachs could have trouble digesting FODMAP carbohydrates; which in turn causes symptoms. Therefore it’s wise not to cut these healthy food sources out altogether from your diet without experiencing symptoms (why give up avocado toast if necessary?).
But for people bothered by high FODMAP foods…there’s a plan just for them! Dr. Beckerman provides the basics of following a low-FODMAP diet in this video above and shares some high FODMAP items which might aggravate an upset stomach – what an informative video! It’s exciting!
Gut health experts are fed up of hearing all these misconceptions surrounding low FODMAP diets. Here are three recommendations from gut experts if you are having digestive issues:
