It makes me cringe to see people adopting unnecessarily restrictive diets.
Recently it has come to my attention that some bloggers in the autoimmune paleo realm are recommending a low FODMAP diet as an "anti-inflammatory" protocol. This approach is just flat out not supported by science. Period.
Unless you have fructose intolerance or SIBO, or are pursuing an oligoantigenic elemental diet due to acute gastrointestinal damage, please do not undertake a low FODMAP regimen.
Even in cases of SIBO, a low FODMAP diet provides symptomatic relief only and does not treat the underlying dysbiosis.
Moreover, a low FODMAP diet low in fermentable fibers (food for good gut bugs) leads to local EXTINCTIONS of colonic microbiota populations---and it has been conclusively demonstrated in the literature that permanent re-inoculation of these species with probiotic supplements just does not happen (Staudacher et al., 2012). The ONLY way to recover lost microbial diversity is with a fecal microbiota transplant (FMT).
Even in ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease, fiber has been demonstrated to be therapeutic---although you may want to wait until a flare is in remission (Fernandez-Banares et al., 1999; Kanauchi et al., 2002; Hallert et al., 2003).
Moreover, a low FODMAP diet devoid of indigestible carbohydrates, the very prebiotic fibers that are fermented by commensal microbes into butyrate, leads to a deficiency of the short chain fatty acid that is FUEL FOR INTESTINAL ENTEROCYTES and is required for regeneration of mucosal barrier integrity and reversal of leaky gut syndrome.
Low FODMAP diets decimate bifiobacteria populations, the genera of microbes responsible for the bulk of butyrate production (Staudacher et al., 2012).
Even in those of you who, like me, suffer from SIBO---it is essential to experiment with FODMAPs and deduce which ones you can safely consume, and incrementally build tolerance.
Dr. Alan Christiansen recommends starting with one teaspoon of soaked and sprouted legumes a day and increasing over an extended period of time. You can do the same with other paleo FODMAPS, such as artichoke, jicama, green banana, asparagus, chicory root, onion, garlic, leeks and other cruciferous vegetables.
For me, I bloat up like the Snoopy float in a Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade when I eat steamed or roasted broccoli---but I found that I can tolerate them just fine when eaten in small quantities in a frittata like the one below.
References
Fernandez-Banares et al. (1999). Randomized clinical trial of Plantago ovata seeds (dietary fiber) as compared with mesalamine in maintaining remission in ulcerative colitis. Spanish Group for the Study of Crohn's Disease and Ulcerative Colitis (GETECCU). American Journal of Gastroenterology, 94(2), 427-433.
Hallert et al. (2003). Increasing fecal butyrate in ulcerative colitis patients by diet: Controlled pilot study. Inflammatory Bowel Disease, 9(2), 116-121.
Kanauchi et al. (2002). Treatment of ulcerative colitis by feeding with germinated barley foodstuff: first report of a multi enter open control trial. Journal of Gastroenterology, 37 Suppl 14, 67-74.
Staudacher et al. (2012). Fermentable carbohydrate restriction reduces luminal bifiobacteria and gastrointestinal symptoms in patients with irritable bowel syndrome. Journal of Nutrition, 142(8), 1510-1518.
Ingredients:
8 pasture-raised organic eggs
1 crown of organic broccoli
2 large organic carrots
1/2 cup unsweetened carrageenan-free almond milk
1/4 container Kite Hill ricotta almond cheese
1 tbsp. parsley
sea salt and pepper to taste
organic extra virgin olive oil
Instructions:
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2) Wash and slice carrots thinly into 1/4 inch coins.
3) Wash broccoli and separate into broccoli heads.
4) Saute vegetables in olive oil over medium heat in an oven-safe pan for four to five minutes until partially cooked.
5) Whisk together eggs and almond milk and add mixture to saute pan after four to five minutes of cooking vegetables.
6) Cook for two minutes and then layer slices of almond cheese on top.
7) Cook for an additional two minutes.
8) Put pan in over for ten to eleven minutes.
9) Turn oven on broil and broil two to three minutes until the top of the frittata is crispy.
10) Top with parsley.
