I rritable bowel syndrome (IBS) affects 15-20 per cent of adults, and is twice as common in women as in men. IBS is a frustrating and embarrassing disease, characterised by abdominal pain, flatulence, bloating, and either diarrhoea or constipation or alternating bouts of each. While most of us may have the occasional bad bowel day, a diagnosis of IBS is usually only made when changes to bowel habits last longer than 12 weeks. Researchers have proposed many causes, but the jury still remains out on why IBS develops. The list of suspects includes a bacterial, viral or parasitic infection; overuse of antibiotics; lactose intolerance; or adverse reactions to foods, such as wheat, citrus or yeast. Stress Ease IBS
Food category High FODMAP foods
Low FODMAP food alternatives Eggplant, beans (green), bok choy, capsicum, carrot, cucumber, lettuce, potato, tomato, zucchini Rockmelon, grapes, kiwi fruit, mandarin, orange, pineapple, strawberries Almond milk, brie/camembert cheese, feta cheese, hard cheeses, lactose free milk, soy milk (made from soy protein) Eggs, firm tofu, plain cooked meats / poultry / seafood, tempeh Corn flakes, oats, quinoa flakes, quinoa / rice / corn pasta, rice cakes (plain), sourdough spelt bread, wheat / rye / barley free breads Dark chocolate, maple syrup, rice malt syrup, table sugar
Vegetables
Artichoke, asparagus, cauliflower, garlic, green peas, leek, mushrooms, onion, sugar snap peas Apples, apple juice, cherries, dried fruit, mango, nectarines, peaches, pears, plums, watermelon Cow’s milk, custard, evaporated milk, ice cream, soy milk (made from whole soyabeans) sweetened condensed milk, yoghurt Most legumes / pulses, some marinated meats /poultry / seafood, some processed meats Wheat / rye / barley based breads, breakfast cereals, biscuits and snack products
Fruits
Dairy and alternatives
Protein sources
Breads and cereal products
Sugars / sweeteners and confectionary
High fructose corn syrup, honey, sugar free confectionary
Nuts and seeds
Cashews, pistachios
Macadamias, peanuts, pumpkin seeds, walnuts Visit monashfodmap.com to download the FODMAP Diet App
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ISSUE 54 • 2019
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