Eats Treats and Parsnips | The healthy way to do the low FODMAP diet

06 Aug The healthy way to do the low FODMAP diet

Posted at 21:28h in Coaching, Diets, Recipes, Science by Natasha [social_share]

August 6, 2018

Fantastic news! The low FODMAP diet has been clinically demonstrated to alleviate symptoms in up to 85% of IBS patients who try the diet. As with most good things though, there is a downside. In this case, it is a reduction in carbohydrate and calcium intake. Luckily, these are easy to overcome.

Plenty of carbohydrate rich foods are safe for the elimination and reintroduction phases, such as potatoes, millet, rice, quinoa, winter squashes, plantains, and parsnips. The key is to incorporate enough of these safe carbohydrate-rich foods into your low FODMAP diet. That’s where Eats Treats and Parsnips (ETP) can help. If these foods are not already in your regular diet, check out our recipes page. ETP recipes regularly include low FODMAP, carbohydrate rich ingredients, like our Carrot and Parsnip Casserole.

Eating enough high calcium foods is also important. While avoiding lactose on the low FODMAP diet, it’s understandable that calcium intake may drop. To avoid that, incorporate at least one serving a day of lactose free yogurt if you can tolerate dairy proteins. If you are also on a dairy free diet, try eating one coconut or almond milk based yogurt a day. Another good option is aged cheese like 12 month aged cheddar. There are also low FODMAP fruits and veggies that are high in calcium, such as oranges, sweet potatoes, carrots, and green beans. These veggies are incorporated into many ETP recipes like the Blueberry Raspberry Sweet Potato Smoothie.

When making dietary changes, always consult your doctor and have regular follow ups to make sure you are getting all of the essential vitamins, minerals, and nutrients you need to feel your best. If you’re finding it difficult to integrate new foods into your routine to keep a balanced diet, check out the ETP food coaching program. We will work with you to custom design meal plans that fit your tastes and dietary needs.

If you’re interested in the scientific details, check out the following scholarly journal articles.

Staudacher HM. Nutritional, microbiological and psychosocial implications of the low FODMAP diet. J Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2017;32 Supple 1:16-19.

Staudacher HM, Lomer MC, Anderson JL, Barrett JS, Muir JG, Irving PM, Whelan K. Fermentable carbohydrate restriction reduces luminal bifidobacteria and gastrointestinal symptoms in patients with irritable bowel syndrome. J Nutr. 2012;142(8):1510-8.