What are Fodmaps?
The Fodmap a type of hydrates of short-chain carbon that cannot be absorbed into the small intestine and which are fermented by those bacteria that They are in the colon and can cause sensitivity in some people.
The acronym Fodmap refers to oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides and polyols
fermentable in English.
They have a low level of digestibility compared to other carbohydrates. The people with deficiencies in the enzymes necessary to digest them have complications due to this lack of enzymes that degrade them having as result that they pass to the large intestine intact.
Another characteristic of Fodmaps is that they are osmotically active, that is, they increase the amount of water present in the colon and are fermented by bacteria intestines causing short chain fatty acids.
What types of Fodmaps are there?
The Fodmaps are the following:
Monosaccharides (fructose): they are present in food like honey, fruits like mango, apple, pear, watermelon, and vegetables like asparagus and the artichoke.
In addition, also They are found in other types of products in which they are used as sweetener or sweetener, for example syrups, corn syrup or agave syrup, processed, carbonated or soft drinks, diet products, gels and isotonic drinks for athletes.
Disaccharides: mainly for the content that present in lactose. Lactose is formed by a molecule of glucose and another of galactose. Lactose is found mainly in dairy products and in its derivatives. Each dairy product has a different amount of lactose, for example, whole milk has a much higher content compared to a
yogurt, since the latter, being fermented, loses much of the content.
Oligosaccharides : in this group we find three types: fructans, fructooligosaccharides and galactans, each with its own characteristics individuals.
-Fructans
They are found in vegetables such as artichokes, asparagus, onions, garlic, leeks,
watermelon, broccoli etc.
-Fructooligosaccharides
they are found mainly in inulin. Inulin is a prebiotic that
comes from fructose and is indigestible.
-Galactans
are present in the composition of legumes such as chickpeas or beans, as well as
in walnuts, cabbage, or Brussels sprouts.
Polyols – Polyols can be found naturally present in certain foods, as well as sweeteners of a multitude of
products to replace sugar. They are the following 4: sorbitol, mannitol, xylitol and inositol
-Sorbitol:
cherries, peaches, apples, grapes, pears,
avocado and products with
additive E420.
-Mannitol is found in cauliflower and mushrooms. It is used as an E421 additive.
-Regarding xylitol, we can find it in products like E967.
Low diets in Fodmaps
The little tolerance to Fodmaps in certain people can cause disease and food intolerances.
A low diet
Fodmap is prescribed by a professional to patients suffering from diseases such as irritable bowel or colon syndrome, sensitivity to gluten, or people with symptoms that cause digestive upset including gas, diarrhea, abdominal pain, bloating etc.
Diets that limit the Fodmaps are very restrictive feeding protocols that are carried out to assess and know that Fodmap produce the symptoms to the person. Each case has to be individualized.
During the duration of this protocol will be verified after the ingestions, which symptoms increase
after having ingested a Fodmap or another. It begins with a phase quite wide restriction in foods rich in Fodmaps up to remove all symptoms.
Afterwards, try re-entering each Foodmap for 2-3 days in a row to check if there is the appearance of symptoms or not. If during those days there are no symptoms, the substance is tolerated. It will be done until finding those that are the that feel bad.
What supplements can help reduce the symptoms produced by the Fodmaps?
How main remedy, it is recommended to eliminate the products that contain the Fodmaps that feel bad to the person.
Also, to improve intestinal health, we can supplement with probiotics , which They will help to improve and maintain our intestinal flora in optimal condition.
And with enzymes digestive : for example, lactose intolerant people suffer from a deficiency lactase, the enzyme responsible for generating this intolerance. There are lactase supplements that when ingested with food rich in lactose allow proper digestion.
Benefits of Fodmap diet
If your body is able to digest well all the foods included, you will not get any additional benefit for its withdrawal. The Fodmap diet is monotonous and characterized by its poor adherence. It is done together with a professional and to rule out medical pathologies.
The beneficial ones are:
- Reduces symptoms generated by irritable bowel disease and syndrome Crohn
- Can reduce bloating, abdominal pain and gas.
- Helps determine the foods to avoid for each person.
- Contribute to diagnose food intolerances.
