10 things you didn't know could upset your gut
WHeN it comes to a troublesome tummy, we can be quick to point the finger at well-known culprits such as wheat or dairy products — with some people cutting such foods out entirely.
But eliminating whole food groups from your diet is rarely what doctors advise, unless a specific allergy or autoimmune condition, such as coeliac disease, is diagnosed. And when it comes to irritable bowel syndrome-type symptoms such as bloating, abdominal pain and constipation, there are many less obvious triggers.
Here, we reveal the top gut saboteurs. some of them may surprise you …
1APPLES
Yes, of course fruit is part of a healthy diet, but the National Institute for Health and Care excellence (NICe) has recommended IBs patients limit fruit to three portions a day.
Apples are a particular problem for two reasons, explains Dr steven Mann, a consultant gastroenterologist at the Royal Free Hospital in London.
‘ some people are fructoseintolerant, which means they don’t digest well the sugar in fruit. Apples are particularly high in this fruit sugar.’
Apples also contain sugars known as fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides and polyols (collectively known as Fodmaps), which are poorly absorbed in some people’s small intestine and so ferment, triggering symptoms.
A low Fodmap diet is often suggested for people with IBs (see back page). Other fruits that have a high Fodmap content are stone fruits such as apricots and prunes.
2MAYONNAISE
HORMONes released in response to the high saturated fat content in mayonnaise may lead to a delay in the emptying of the stomach and movement of food through the bowel, explains Dr Mann. This can cause uncomfortable feelings of bloating.
3 BRANFLAKES
THIs is something of a paradox, since we’re often told that high-fibre foods such as bran are good for the bowel.
‘For those with IBs issues, such as bloating, bran can aggravate the condition,’ says Dr Mann. This is because adding a bulking agent in the form of fibre gives the bowel even more work to do, which can make symptoms such as constipation worse. Kevin Whelan, professor of dietetics at Kings College, London, says the fibre story is a complex one.
‘In the eighties and Nineties we were telling IBs patients to eat more fibre, but now we know it’s not as simple as that. It depends on what type of fibre it is.’
NICe recommends that people with IBs should be discouraged from eating insoluble fibre (which means it cannot be absorbed by the body), including bran.
NICe says that if more fibre in the diet is needed, it should be soluble fibre ( which can be absorbed) such as oats or ispaghula powder (made from the husks of plants and contained in products such as Fybogel).
so try switching that morning bowl of bran cereal for oat-based porridge. Watch out for muesli, though, as it can contain a lot of high-Fodmap dried fruit.
4RE- HEATED PASTA
ReHeATeD carbohydrates, such as pasta and potatoes, contain what’s known as resistant starch, which is harder for the gut to break down, says Dr Mann.
That’s because once pasta is cooked and cooled, it becomes resistant to the normal enzymes in our gut that break carbohydrates — so the gut effectively has to treat it like fibre, which can worsen IBs symptoms.
Reheated pasta may be worse than cold pasta — research has shown that the starch in cold pasta becomes even more ‘resistant’ when heated up again.
5COFFEE THe British Dietetic Association recommends drinking no
more than two mugs of caffeinated drinks a day if you suffer from IBs . Consu ltant gastroenterologist Dr simon smale says people with healthy gut function can probably drink more, but those with IBs should aim to keep within recommended limits. ‘ Obviously tea contains caffeine, too, but coffee is much stronger — especially coffee shop double espressos.
Caffeine can cause problems because it stimulates cell messengers which increase gut motility — so it loosens your bowel movements and can also lead to a feeling of fullness.’
6VEGAN DIETS
GOING meat-free and dairyfree has become a trendy way of