What Are FODMAPs?
FODMAP stands for fermentable oligo-, di-, mono-saccharides and polyols.
These are the scientific terms used to classify groups of carbohydrates that are notorious for triggering digestive symptoms like bloating, gas and stomach pain.
FODMAPs are found in a wide range of foods in varying amounts. Some foods contain just one type, while others contain several.
The main dietary sources of the four groups of FODMAPs include:
- Oligosaccharides: Wheat, rye, legumes and various fruits and vegetables, such as garlic and onions.
- Disaccharides: Milk, yogurt and soft cheese. Lactose is the main carbohydrate
- Monosaccharides: Various fruit including figs and mangoes, and sweeteners such as honey and agave nectar. Fructose is the main carbohydrate
- Polyols: Certain fruits and vegetables including blackberries and lychee, as well as some low-calorie sweeteners like those in sugar-free gum.
What Do they Cause?
FODMAPs are a group of fermentable carbs that aggravate gut symptoms in sensitive people. They’re found in a wide range of foods.
Is Seaweed a FODMAP?
Probably not, but as seaweed is not a typical dietary component in western diets most FODMAP diets do not mention seaweed. Pacific SeaMoss has a large proportion of its carbohydrates as sulfated polysaccharides. As they are relatively indigestible they will travel through the stomach into the intestines. Many of the health benefits of seaweed are thought to be due to the interaction with the microbiome in the intestines. The saccharides in seaweed are mostly complex (i.e. oligosaccharides) but there is a low level of some simple saccharides.
For those on a FODMAP diet, we would recommend to introduce them and monitor the response. The response in trials has been variable with most having no symptoms, but a having to bloat and a few chronic stomach issues disappearing.
To be clear, there’s nothing inherently dangerous about eating FODMAPs. These compounds are perfectly healthy for most people, but some of us are more sensitive to their effects than others. For instance, research reveals a close connection between FODMAPs and IBS, as it shows that roughly 70 percent of IBS sufferers see an improvement in their symptoms when they follow a low-FODMAPs diet.
There is recent unpublished work in rats from the University of Southern Queensland that demonstrated reduction in IBS with a small amount of seaweed in their diet.
Examples of FODMAPS
We make no medical claims. But we all understand seaweed is healthy. What you may not know is that peer-reviewed scientific papers have shown in countless studies on humans, animals and in test tubes that seaweed is healthy. BioSea Health provides seaweed as a simple way to consume food. Simply good healthy food.
References
FODMAP: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3966170/