FODMAPs, irritable bowel syndrome and histamine intolerance
People with histamine intolerance often experience digestive problems or difficulties processing certain foods, even with a low-histamine diet. Symptoms can include bloating, abdominal pain, diarrhea, constipation – and even irritable bowel syndrome .
You can read here about the possible reasons for this and what so-called FODMAPs and a low-FODMAP diet are.
What is FODMAP?
FODMAP is easily confused with "Foodmap," but it doesn't actually have anything to do with food itself. FODMAP stands for Fermentable Oligosaccharides, Disaccharides, Monosaccharides, and Polyols. The initial letters of these names are FODMAP.
What do oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols actually mean?
These are polysaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols. Overall, they are short-chain carbohydrates and sugar substitutes that our small intestine absorbs only inadequately. They then pass into the large intestine, where they are fermented by bacteria.
Why low-FODMAP?
Foods high in FODMAPs are rapidly digested, releasing energy and various metabolic byproducts. The resulting formation of gases, for example, can lead to gastrointestinal symptoms.
Furthermore, FODMAPs bind water. This fluid accumulates in the intestines and can thus dilute the stool. Ultimately, this can lead to gastrointestinal and digestive discomfort such as bloating, a feeling of fullness, cramps, diarrhea, or constipation. Therefore, it can be helpful to pay attention to low-FODMAP or low-FODMAP foods, or even to follow a low-FODMAP diet.
Which foods are low in FODMAPs?
Foods with a low FODMAP content include, for example:
- broccoli
- fennel
- Cucumber
- potatoes
- Carrots
- zucchini
- yellow bell pepper
- red pepper
- Blueberries
- Passion fruit
- grapes
- Oats
- Spelt
- Oat milk (1)
Foods with a high FODMAP content include, for example:
- Cauliflower
- green bell pepper
- Mushrooms (1)
- Beetroot
- asparagus
- Onions (1)
- Garlic (1)
- apples
- blackberries
- Cherries
- Mango (1)
- peach
- Watermelon (1)
- Wheat (1)
- Cow's milk
- Honey
- Coconut blossom sugar
How are FODMAPs, irritable bowel syndrome, and histamine intolerance related?
One common cause of histamine intolerance lies in the gut. The gut is overstimulated, leading to an imbalance in the gut flora. This can result in poor tolerance of FODMAP-rich foods and digestive problems.
Since the gut is already altered and irritated in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), it's particularly important with this diagnosis to pay attention to FODMAPs and to consume lower-FODMAP foods. You can find the exact connection in this blog article: Irritable Bowel Syndrome and Histamine Intolerance .
Why are FODMAPs poorly absorbed in the gut?
There are several reasons why FODMAPs are poorly absorbed in the gut. Some common reasons include:
- Sugar alcohols are too large to pass through the intestinal wall.
- Enzymes needed to break down certain sugars are either missing in the intestinal wall or the enzymes are overwhelmed by the task of breaking them down.
- There are no suitable transporters for a particular sugar, or the channels and transporters are overwhelmed by the uptake of sugars.
Supporting the gut
Supporting your gut is essential when experiencing the aforementioned symptoms or digestive issues. If your gut is overwhelmed and you don't adjust your diet, it can have unpleasant consequences. For this reason, the FODMAP diet is recommended, especially if you suspect you have irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), or a holistic gut cleanse.
The FODMAP diet
The FODMAP diet involves eliminating high-FODMAP foods for a period of time. After the diet, these foods are gradually reintroduced into the diet. Keeping a food and symptom diary is helpful during this process to identify which foods might be responsible for any symptoms.
Another tip is to avoid raw vegetables in the evening to prevent overloading your digestive system. You can find many great recipes for the diet in our HistaPower program; here are a few to try:
Vegan pumpkin gratin
Colorful vegetable stir-fry with flaxseed and millet
Vegan pancakes with maple syrup