Anyone suffering from irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) can have an incredibly wide range of intestinal complaints. From diarrhea to constipation and from the most terrible intestinal cramps to fatigue. Australian researchers have now discovered that the FODMAP diet can offer a solution. In 85 percent of cases it helps to follow such a diet. People first eat no nutrients at all that contain things that can irritate (FODMAPS) and then gradually introduce them again. But following that diet is not easy. Because some things that you reasonably think are not bad for someone with an irritable bowel, turn out to be extremely bad. The book The FODMAP Friendly Kitchen makes following or maintaining the diet a lot easier, because you just have to follow the recipes (with an adjustment here and there if certain things bother you a lot).
- Experienced expert Emma Hatcher
- Stress and IBS
- FODMAP diet
- The book The FODMAP friendly kitchen: 100 recipes
- A lot of information
- What are FODMAPS?
- Structure of the book The FODMAP friendly kitchen
- Basic recipes for IBS
- Recipes
- Snacks
- Recipes for special occasions
- Recommended for people with IBS
Experienced expert Emma Hatcher
The book was written by, how could it be otherwise, an expert by experience. Emma Hatcher tells her own story in the book and that of her sore intestines. She does this in an accessible way. As she writes:Having food intolerances, irritable bowel syndrome or other digestive problems just sucks! Sensitive intestines are not sexy. It can’t get much clearer. She also describes her own symptoms: standing at a party and folding over from stomach pain, spending half the evening in the toilet of a restaurant because your intestines are regurgitating. Or lying awake all night in pain and then calling your boss the next day to tell him you have a migraine. And not that you have intestinal problems because this doesn’t sound very good. She also mentions avoiding social contacts in the book. And the role of stress on this syndrome.
Stress and IBS
People who suffer from irritable bowel syndrome often have symptoms just as often due to stress as due to food. And the two often reinforce each other, as the book shows. Hatcher was diagnosed with a gluten intolerance when she was 21 years old. No celiac disease, which means that if someone eats gluten, the entire intestinal wall is destroyed. But that intolerance caused her to have problems with her intestines.
FODMAP diet
She was also diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome. She started eating according to the guidelines for both and visibly improved. However, the diet was relatively unknown in 2008 (and it still is for many people in 2018). And when she wanted to cook delicious food, the recipes often contained all kinds of products that were full of FODMAPS. Or they were full of fat, processed ingredients and lots of meat. And that’s exactly what she didn’t want. There were no easy recipes available, so she decided to come up with them herself.
The book The FODMAP friendly kitchen: 100 recipes
And so the book The FODMAP friendly kitchen was born. In addition to a lot of information, the book also contains 100 recipes for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks. These are not difficult recipes, but they will not be accessible to everyone either. Moreover, Hatcher also says that everyone should be aware of their own limitations. Anyone who follows the FODMAP diet will soon find out what his or her triggers are. The recipes take into account the general triggers, but every intestinal system is different. So people who know that they are extra sensitive to a certain product should adjust the recipe accordingly. The book is not only for people with irritable bowel syndrome, but also for people with food intolerances, allergies and sensitive intestines.
A lot of information
What makes the book extra attractive is the extra information about IBS and food intolerance. It is explained in normal human language what exactly is going on with IBS, what causes it and why it occurs so often. A side trip is also made to Crohn’s disease, celiac disease and other digestive disorders. Although they have their own specific treatment methods, the FODMAP diet can serve as additional support.
What are FODMAPS?
Moreover, it is of course explained what exactly FODMAPS are. The word stands for Fermentable, Oligosaccharides, Disaccharides, Monosaccharides, And, Polyols. All these terms are explained in detail, but in short it means that they are fast carbohydrates and sugar alcohols that are naturally found in food and additives. What you need to do to get all these things out of your diet and what they contain is discussed in detail. But also how the FODMAP diet works (which is best followed under the guidance of a dietician, because it is done in phases) and that it works differently for everyone. Every IBS patient has other things that he cannot tolerate or that cause problems. In the book you can find out in detail where high, low and average FODMAPS are found. The diet is also well explained, from the elimination phase to reintroduction and normal eating again, or the maintenance phase. Because people with IBS will never be able to eat everything again without complaints. And if things do go wrong, your intestines must first calm down again, as is the advice in the book.
Structure of the book The FODMAP friendly kitchen
In addition to information, the book also contains a summary of what could be in your pantry to help you cook in a FODMAP-friendly manner. And also, for example, how you can add flavor to dishes without using onion, shallot and garlic. Because those are the biggest triggers of all for people with IBS. For example, she gives the tip for garlic oil. Garlic in oil can be tolerated by many people. This is because the irritating substance in garlic is soluble in water and then causes complaints. But strangely enough, in oil it often does not cause any complaints. For simple solutions like this alone, it is nice to have the book if you suffer from IBS.
Basic recipes for IBS
This is followed by basic recipes for everything from making a simple vegetable stock to nut milk (many people cannot tolerate regular milk), gluten-free flour mix, and vegetable noodles.
Recipes
Then you have a variety of recipes. Not the food that many people normally eat with a slice of bread in the morning, but eggs with tomato and feta, for example, in the morning. Also buckwheat crêpes with smoked salmon and spicy goat cheese. Or spinach pancakes, homemade granola or muesli. And there is a tip for all those dishes. From how to make a smoothie (these are also included) to tips on products that you can replace if your intestines cannot handle them very well. The lunches and evening meals contain a relatively large amount of fruit and vegetables, but there are also recipes with fish and meat in the book.
Snacks
But there are also snacks available. Not the usual ones from the supermarket, because a bag of chips from the store that is made with oil that causes complaints for many IBS patients is a no go. But vegetable chips from the oven, roasted nori chips, banana hazelnut muffins and, for example, popcorn (but with tequila).
Recipes for special occasions
But it also contains recipes for special occasions. For parties, for dinner with friends or just if you want to treat yourself. From creamy polenta to gnocchi with crispy sage and from buckwheat quiche with spinach and feta to spicy meatballs with pumpkin spaghetti. And anyone who thinks they will never be able to eat dessert again is wrong: a large part of the book is devoted to delicious desserts and other sweets. There is even a recipe for a chocolate spread with hazelnuts and pecans. However, it should be noted that you can take a maximum of 2 tablespoons at a time, otherwise you will definitely get complaints. And for those who can’t figure out what an entire menu should look like, Hatcher also gives tips for that. At the end of the book she simply gives a menu guide.
Recommended for people with IBS
In summary, this book is highly recommended if you suffer from IBS or another intestinal disorder. It is clear, it provides a lot of information, it is personal and you have easy recipes at hand without having to find out anything about the number of FODMAPS in a particular product.