Look what I spotted today! I haven't had these since I was a kid and guess what? The ingredients are mostly sugar, maize, rice and glucose syrup which makes them vegetarian and low-FODMAP. This has inspired me to hunt out little treats that us fodmappers can enjoy. I'm on the case.
Hi again Fodmappers. I had to share this veggie curry recipe with you as not only is it low-FODMAP (despite the chickpeas) but it is easy and tasty. Yes, low-FODMAP food doesn't have to be boring and I'll let you into a little secret, as long as you use tinned chickpeas you should find that it won't upset your tummy either. We tend to make a big batch of this and freeze some for a quick meal another day. The quantities given below should serve 4.
You will need:
Garlic infused oil
Ground turmeric
Ground cumin seeds
Ground ginger
4 medium sized carrots
A butternut squash
A red pepper (bell pepper)
2 courgettes (zucchini)
Approx a handful of green beans
Tinned chickpeas (drained and rinsed)
Brown rice
Salt and pepper
Wash, seed and chop all the vegetables into small chunks.
Heat the oil in a wok or large pan over a medium heat and add the carrots and spices. We use about a heaped teaspoon of each of the spices but adjust to your taste. When the carrots begin to soften, add the butternut squash and cook a little longer. Next add the red peppers and place a lid on the wok. In a separate pan put the rice on to cook. Keep adding the vegetables to the pan in the order listed allowing a little time between each for the previous ingredient to begin to cook. You might want to add a little water to the wok to prevent the ingredients from sticking in the bottom. Stir frequently and adjust spices to taste. Finally add the drained chickpeas and seasoning. Ensure all ingredients are heated thoroughly before serving.
Was it just me or did anyone else miss out on the news that it was National Gut Awareness Week last week? Ah well, better late than never. ;) Sadly this article doesn't say much about FODMAPs but there's still some useful tips here. See what you think.
National Gut Week 2014: How To Reduce Irritable Bowel Syndrome
The Huffington Post UK
Posted:
Updated:
It's National Gut Awareness Week and it seems many of us could do with a lesson or two in how to look after our insides.
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is Britain’s most common digestive complaint, affecting nearly a fifth of the population.
Despite
the growing prevalence, the condition is extremely poorly managed: a
recent survey of IBS sufferers revealed that over two thirds of
sufferers have received no helpful advice from their GP regarding
symptom relief and those affected try an average of five new products to
relieve their symptoms each month.
Despite this, over 50% are still left battling the embarrassing and debilitating symptoms long-term.
Registered
Nutritional Therapist and Chair of BANT (British Association for
Applied Nutrition and Nutritional Therapy) Miguel Toribio-Mateas shares
his tops tips to help reduce IBS safely and effectively:
De-stress
It is thought that IBS sufferers experience increased sensitivity to stress and anxiety, making it important to try to reduce the amount of stress in your life.
Regular exercise not only helps you to de-stress but also helps gas pass through the digestive tract more quickly, so you feel better faster.
Mindfulness-based stress reduction techniques have also been found to reduce the severity of symptoms.
Watch what you drink
Caffeine and alcohol
are gastric irritants and act as triggers in some individuals, so are
best avoided. Carbonated drinks may also contribute to bloating or
cramping.
In contrast, drinking plenty of clear fluids (such as water and herbal teas) can help to ease digestion.
Try a ‘live’ probiotic
Studies have indicated that IBS patients experience a reduction in
beneficial bacteria and higher concentration of pathogenic bacteria in
the gut.
Newly published research suggests that a unique ‘live’ liquid bacteria known as Symprove
can help re-address the balance, with study results demonstrating that
all major IBS symptoms either improve or disappear completely in 60% of
participants following 12 weeks of treatment; even in those for whom
other probiotics and IBS treatments have failed.
Chew well
Be mindful of thorough and calm chewing; eating on-the-run or bolting food at your desk can often lead to compromised digestion.
Try
putting your knife and fork down between bites and chewing with your
mouth closed. This forces you to breathe through your nose, which
relaxes and slows you down.
Give your digestive system a break
Large meals can place stress on the digestive system and trigger spasms
in the gut. Some find it helpful to break them down into smaller, more
frequent meals, whereas other IBS sufferers do better by leaving longer
gaps between meals, and experience a reduction in symptoms by giving
their system a break.
However, regularity tends to help the digestive system to operate in a steady fashion, particularly when symptoms are severe.
Avoid trigger foods
Management plans for IBS are highly individual, but symptoms are often
improved by alterations in food intake. Lactose (milk sugar), fructose
(fruit sugar) and sorbitol (an artificial sweetener) are common triggers
in IBS patients.
In addition wheat, dairy, yeast, coffee, eggs, potatoes and onions can often cause problems.
Hi there Fodmappers - Well as promised here's another yummy vegetarian low-fodmap recipe for you. My lovely man made this for our supper last night - aren't I the lucky one? It's adapted from a recipe in Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's book 'River Cottage Veg Every Day' where it is described as a 'spicy North African pepper and tomato stew' which makes a 'lovely, lazy supper'. It would also make a rather tasty breakfast!
The instructions below are pretty much true to the original recipe except with a few low-fodmap changes. Of course you can adjust the spices according to your preference. Personally I like a bit of spice - it makes up for all the things us fodmappers go without.
3 tablespoons garlic infused olive oil
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
The green part of some spring onions
1 red and 1 yellow pepper (seeded, cored and sliced)
Half teaspoon hot smoked paprika
A pinch of Saffron
Half carton of Passata
4 eggs
Salt and pepper
Heat the oil in a large pan over a medium heat. Add cumin seeds and spring onion greens and fry until soft. Add the peppers and continue to cook over a medium heat until these have softened. Add paprika, saffron, passata and salt and pepper. Simmer for approx 15 minutes, stirring as needed. Meanwhile heat the oven to 180C/gas mark 4. After 15 minutes, transfer the contents of your pan into an ovenproof dish. Make 4 little indentations in the top of the mixture and crack an egg into each. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes.
