When you first learned about the FODMAP diet, were you totally distraught knowing you had to give up your beloved comfort foods? Did it seem like there were actually more things you couldn’t eat than eat? Yea, it’s pretty grim. Then it seems to get worse. You think, “Fine, I’ll just eat the stuff I’m allowed, no problem.” Except, how many safe foods are readily available? Sure, you can eat a stick of cucumber or carrot but if you order a vegetable plate, will the chef know that you can eat arugula, red peppers and string beans but not artichokes, asparagus, beans, beets, mushrooms or sugarsnap peas? How many times have you frustrated the wait staff and the rest of the table, inquiring about each menu item, appearing to be ridiculously picky and difficult?
How confusing is it for the other side, when you say you can’t have cream or milk because you’re lactose intolerant, yet they catch you snacking on brie cheese. Yep, it just confirmed that you are unnecessarily fussy — perhaps you are mildly intolerant but really just being overly dramatic. You can’t have cherries or blackberries, but you can have grapes, raspberries, strawberries and blueberries. Oh, here’s a good one: you can’t have grapefruit, but orange is okay. Or how about when you reach into a bowl of mixed nuts at the bar and sheepishly pick out just the peanuts? And you turn to the the raised eyebrows to explain how you can’t eat almonds or cashews but pecans and macadamia nuts are okay! Now you’re just making stuff up as you go along, aren’t you? Having fun yet?
So how do you navigate Foe Vs. Friendly foods? First, educate yourself on FODMAPs and some of the major culprits. You can check my Low FODMAP Approved List and Resources page for basic info, as well as recommended sites and tools. Then shop carefully using your FODMAP guide and be vigilant about reading every single ingredient on food packages.
Finally, take matters into your own hands and get your life back, FODMAP Free Foodie!
