FODMAP recipes?

[SarahH12]

I've been having a lot of issues with food - indigestion and other issues further down. I've been recommended the FODMAP diet but am struggling with what I can actually eat during the elimination phase.

Has anyone done this and what did you eat?

[HedwigCrookshankScabbers]

Sorry to resurrect an old thread. I've been doing low fodmap for two weeks now and already feeling loads better. Had a bad weekend foodwise and felt so ill. I'm glad to be back on low fodmap this week although feeling a bit down about the blandness of the food. Did anyone else struggle with actually being able to eat enough calories? I'm trying to lose weight so track everything I eat and some days I'm only hitting about 7/800 calories.

@choccybiscuit the website you posted is amazing and looks like it'll be really helpful!

[choccybiscuit]

ibssano.com/
Really helped me no end

[Namechangedbecauseiwantto]

And Waitrose now do sourdough crumpets.

[Namechangedbecauseiwantto]

The Co op do a really nice sourdough bread in their irresistible range. It doesn't trigger my ibs.

[TheClitterati]

Most supermarkets have good gf/free from range now. And you should be ok with that.

You might want/need to let go of bread for a while. I find there is a MASSIVE difference between supermarket bread (intolerable) and a good artisan sour dough which is often ok. But at the beginning I would avoid all bread.

And avoid onions/garlic.

[LordProfFekkoThePenguinPhD]

Are foods easy enough to get a hold of - or do I keep an eye out for gluten free? I’m not sure how to get around bread!

[TheClitterati]

In kefir and yogurt to a certain extent, the lactose is "used up" in the making process and so you might be OK with it even if you can't have milk.. Switch to alternative plant milks. Lots of supermarkets sell kefir now - not as good as homemade.

[TheClitterati]

I got a recipe book and there is lots online, but mostly I ate quite simply:

lunch - big mixed salad with cold chicken or feta cheese

dinners - meat (steak/lamb chops/chicken) and salad or spinach.
Potatoes are fine.
You can get some good GF pasta

I did resort to the "special" GF crumpets etc for a bit for some variety and an easy breakfast in the morning.

Black coffee, though I quickly established I can tolerate milk.

It seems horrendous and it is, but if you have been suffering for a while, don't underestimate how awesome it feels to feel "normal" and be pain free. It is a big plus of low-FODMAP diet that it can show results very quickly

[TheClitterati]

Onions were dreadful for me but also one of the foods I missed the most

[LordProfFekkoThePenguinPhD]

Fuuuuuuuuuck! Sounds tough. All the best food seems to be off the menu!

[TheClitterati]

honey/jam is OK I think - its not something I eat anyway so I'm not sure about that

[TheClitterati]

well at least not initially.

Try eliminating all the trigger foods. I thin sloly added stuff back in. I could tolerate a diet of about 20% FODMAP foods (preioulsy diet was about 95% FODMAP foods).

I ate a lot of steak and veggies at first. And bananas, oranges, berries.

Found I can tolerate dairy OK.

If you are desperate for onions in a dish you can chop them and then boiled them in water first - the carb is water soluble so you lose alot of the bad stuff.

You can have the green bits of spring onions - they add a lot of taste to an otherwise bland diet.

I still struggle, though if I take my homemade kefir every day I can pretty much eat what I like.

Good idea to eliminate everything at first - you will quickly feel MUCH MUCH better. Its a massive relief. Then add stuff back in slowly one at a time and note your reactions.

Good luck

[LordProfFekkoThePenguinPhD]

Bugger

[TheClitterati]

You can't have any of those

[LordProfFekkoThePenguinPhD]

Yes I know it’s a zomboid thread but resurrecting it should flag up past posters!

I’m trying to get me head around this diet - I have a block with the following:

Onions (eek)
Bread
Honey/jam
Milk/yoghurt

Any ideas?

[IllHaveALargeGlassOfRed]

I've pm'd you @TheClitterati - let me know if you got it! I'm not sure I did it right 😀

[dontgobaconmyheart]

Sorry for the length and a bit late to the party but I have done/still do the FODMAP diet. I actually was referred to an NHS dietitian, for those who are worried that they haven't been and are missing out I would say that there is limited provision all around so it isn't really the case that some people get a 1-1 on call dietitian to support through it.
The referral generally gets you a place on a group session that lasts approx an hour, (with an optional 1 hour follow up session a month later) you are given a booklet advising foods to avoid/foods to limit/and foods you can have, and the nutritionist ultimately went through the booklet page by page with us and answered any questions for the confused at the end. She was lovely, the booklet is a great reference point but nothing groundbreaking or that isnt available on a quick google, in fact ( very rudely) a lot of people left mid way through when they realised this was all it was, and didn't put their name down for the follow up).

I tend to just buy foods when i shop from the 'allowed foods' list to make life easier, with a couple of bits from the 'you can have some of this' list, such as hard cheese, some berries etc. You may find it helpful to make a note of the amounts - the booklet we got says for eg " hard cheeses- 1/2 a cup'.

The biggest tip I can offer really is check ingredients, things you stick in in general in cooking are secret offenders, stock is not Fodmap suitable ( though you can buy some online, i will dig out the website if you need). Also Soy sauce- opt for the gluten free "Tamari" type if possible, and if you miss garlic, you can use garlic oil instead to cook with (though if i use too much i get stomach ache).

The nutritionist was pretty lukewarm about kefir/probiotics but suggested they are worth a try, as was ingestible aloe vera. She basically said that if you are going to do nothing else, cut out onions, garlic and tomatoes out entirely ( including the stocks/gravies/crisp flavourings/onion powders in foods) as these are the worst offenders. Also opt for lactose free soft cheese or milk if possible if you think lactose is a trigger for you.

Buscopan isn't too bad for stomach cramps, steer away from ibuprofen for the pain as it can damage the stomach lining. If you have acid reflux or upper GI symptoms persist with your GP and ask for medication, omeprazole i have found helps, or if you are after a non medicated option, consider "silicolgel" - i've tried it recently and so far really feel its helped.

Feel free to PM if you like, i'm fresh out of 3 years endless referrals for gastric issues so have been around the block!

[TheClitterati]

yes PM me your address.
I'll try and get some in the post to you next week.

[IllHaveALargeGlassOfRed]

I haven't noticed a difference @TheClitterati because I'm stuffing myself full of gluten in advance Of further coeliac tests! I'm not feeling great to be honest. Which is a shame because I don't think I'm benefitting fully from the kefir.

But I'm m going to keep up with it and experiment with uses.

Earlier up thread you offered to send me some of your grains. Is that offer still open? 🤞🏻

[TheClitterati]

@IllHaveALargeGlassOfRed are you starting to empty out

It can take a few days for your system to restabilise and settle down into a regular pattern. If you have any backlog you make find yourself needing the loo a bit more fir a while - in a good way though.

[TheClitterati]

The yemoos site is the best source of kefir info I've found online. But I don't shop there.

Good luck with the water kefir.

Lots of soft drinks in uk are also now sweetened with fructose. Including my fav tonic!!! Luckily I can tolerate reasonable amounts

[Ihuntmonsters]

This is the product/ supplier I've found. It seems to use straight table sugar to feed the bacteria/yeast and they have different grains for milk and water kefir. I don't think that the amount of milk in the grains would be an issue, just if I used it for the drink itself. I think that yemoos is an America site, so although they have some cool stuff (interesting ginger beer plant, we made ginger beer at home lots when I was growing up, but using live yeast instead) I'd prefer to but from a Canadian site (partly on principle with all the trade wars going on but mainly because packages have a habit of getting stuck in customs and then arriving with an extra bill).

Anyway I guess the thing to do is order some and try it out. Even if it doesn't help it will be cheaper than buying Australian ginger beer which I do now if I want some pop as Canadian/US pop is all made with glucose/fructose syrup which gives me terrible cramps for days even in quite small amounts.

So thanks for the idea :)

[TheClitterati]

www.yemoos.com/pages/water-kefir-overview

[TheClitterati]

@Ihuntmonsters I think water kefir still needs the milk kefir grains to make it. It won't sustain the grains. I've not tried making it though.

[Ihuntmonsters]

Has anyone tried water keffir? I looked up suppliers of keffir grains in Canada (where I live) and their guidance on milk keffir said it couldn't be made with lactose free milk which is what I drink.