Diet FODMAPs, is it really worthwhile to put it into practice
The FODMAP diet that we talked about a long time ago and explain how to do it is a diet that is proposed for the treatment of different intestinal diseases such as irritable bowel syndrome, ulcerative colitis, and others that are characterized by abdominal pain and swelling, excessive flatulence and digestive upset
The FODMAP diet proposes eliminating all fermentable carbohydrates. From there derives its name: Fermentable Oligosaccharides, Disacáridos, Monosaccharides and Polioles by its abbreviations in English. However, hydrates of this type are in a large list of foods, even in very healthy foods such as legumes, fruits, vegetables, seeds or whole grains, therefore, is their practice completely safe?
The safety and effectiveness of the FODMAP diet
Although the FODMAP diet can be useful to reduce the symptoms of intestinal diseases by reducing colonic fermentation, it is important to remember that this fermentation improves the autochthonous flora of the intestine and therefore, eliminating the substrates of the bacteria found there may not be entirely favorable .
In fact, a diet with fermentable carbohydrates that can benefit the intestinal flora is associated with a lower risk of suffering from different diseases, including metabolic ones such as obesity, since the extraction of energy depends largely on colonic bacteria.
On the other hand, if we think that a diet that completely eliminates fermentable carbohydrates means to remove from the usual table legumes, whole grains, fruits and vegetables we will realize that we are facing a restrictive diet, unsustainable in time and worse, very limited in nutritional terms so it could induce deficiencies of vitamins, minerals or other nutrients in the body.
In addition, it requires a specialist for its control with the aim of not putting health at risk, so it is not a diet free of side effects or totally safe.
As if that were not enough, many intestinal pathologies have their origin in emotional and / or psychological factors, in medical or other treatments and reversing this causal factor may be enough to avoid the annoying symptoms, preventing those affected from having to go to the restrictive FODMAP diet. therefore, risky.
Clearly this diet can help those who suffer intestinal problems but it is not the panacea in this sense and should be considered its cost / benefit ratio before putting it into practice.
