You. The person to your left. The person to your right. The person in front of you. Pretty much everyone you have ever come into contact with has, at some point in time, undertaken a diet of some form. In the unrelenting quest for our dream bodies or improved health, we’ll try just about anything to shift the pounds. The cabbage diet, the 5:2 diet, the keto diet, the list is endless. But there is one diet that has stood the test of time for those who stick to it; the IBS diet.
Typically followed by people with IBS (hence the name), the IBS diet consists of foods that are low in FODMAP content. FODMAP’s are short-chain carbohydrates that are notoriously hard for your digestive system to process. In trying to digest foods containing FODMAPs, you will likely encounter symptoms, including bloating and feeling full quickly. Your digestive system will produce an excess amount of gas as the food passes through it and enzymes work hard to break it down. With nowhere to go, the gas sits in the stomach.
Some people deal with FODMAP dense foods better than others; this is often due to food intolerance. You can identify any food intolerance you’re living with by taking an intolerance test from Allergy Test Ireland. Your report will show you any foods which may be causing you digestive problems, and we will then advise on how you can complete an elimination diet to remove those foods.
The IBS diet is also known as a low FODMAP diet. This diet is particularly popular with bodybuilders because it keeps digestive gas production to a minimum and is unlikely to cause much GI distress. One of the positive things about an IBS diet is that it is highly unlikely to irritate pretty much anyone as the foods that you eat are easily digestible and pass through the body without problem.
High FODMAP foods
- wheat-based products
- garlic
- onions
- apples
- pears
- plums
- asparagus
- cauliflower
- baked beans
- lentils
Avoiding these foods will contribute to a marked improvement in gut health.
Low FODMAP foods
- eggs
- carrots
- kale
- tomato
- unripe bananas
- kiwi
- limes
- blueberries
- rice
