The other night I flicked through the cookbook Small Plates and Sweet Treats: My Family’s Journey to Gluten-Free Cooking, from the Creator of Cannelle et Vanille
As those who read my blog know, I have been diagnosed as having fructose malabsorption. I am now on a FODMAPS diet to see if I am also intolerant to the other FODMAPS because they often go hand in hand.
What are FODMAPS?
These are fermentable, poorly absorbed short-chain carbohydrates. They are indigestible sugars which can cause all sorts of problems when they reach the bowel unabsorbed by the stomach.
FODMAP stands for:
Fermentable – rapidly broken down by bacteria in the bowel
Oligosaccharides – fructans and galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS)
Disaccharides – lactose
Monosaccharides – fructose
And
Polyols – sorbitol, mannitol, xylitol and maltitol
Malabsorption of any of these causes the symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome. It has been proven from a scientific study that reduction or elimination of the foods that contain these will cause considerable improvement in the IBS symptoms in 3 out of 4 people.
At the moment there are only tests for intolerance to fructose and lactose but not the other two – the fructans and Polyols. The only way to know if you are also intolerant to those two is to go on a low-FODMAP diet for six weeks and then gradually introduce examples of foods containing them one at a time.
I know I am intolerant to fructose and that I am not intolerant to lactose so now I am part way through the six-week diet to see if I can eat the other two substances.
Examples of foods that I must avoid (this is by no means an exhaustive list – there are many more):
Fructose:
Fruit – apples, cherries, pears, watermelon
Vegetables – sugar snap peas
Sugars – honey, corn syrup, fruit juice concentrates.
Fructans:
Fruit – nectarines, peaches, persimmon, watermelon
Vegetables – artichokes, asparagus, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, fennel, onions, garlic, peas
Cereals – wheat, rye, barley
Legumes – chickpeas, lentils, all legume beans
Nuts – pistachios
Lactose:
Milk, milk products, yoghurt, (not butter, cream or hard cheese – lactose is almost non-existent in them)
Polyols:
Fruit – apples, apricots, blackberries, peaches, plumes
Vegetables – avocados, cauliflower, mushrooms, snowpeas
Additives – sorbitol, mannitol, maltitol, xylitol
Sugar-free or low-carb foods – gums, lollies, dairy desserts containing polyol additives
Having said that, I can eat the lactose-containing products because I know I have no problem with those. However, it is not all plain sailing. Adriano, who cooks in the weekend, forgot and put onions and garlic into the curry he made last weekend and I ate it without knowing. I assure you I had briefed him very carefully on what I couldn’t eat. But he is a man and he forgot!
I have also discovered that when I buy cooked delicatessen meats in the supermarket, I have problems despite the fact that meat doesn’t contain any of the FODMAPs. I know to stay away from processed meats but these were slices of roast beef etc. That can only mean they are putting something containing at least one of the FODMAPs on the meat either before, during or after cooking. I basically have to prepare all foods at home and take them with me to work. What I have always said about never eating anything if you don’t know where it came from is truer than ever.
Source of information: Food Intolerance Management Plan
This is already a long list of delicious things to avoid. But you’re making such an interesting meals that it does not seem to metter that much. Keep up a great work and experimenting.
Thanks, Marta. It is a matter of experimentation. Even though many things are to be avoided, there are many left including chocolate and wine!
I love your pictures and recipes, they are mouth watering. Would love for you to share them with us at foodieportal.com. Over at foodieportal.com we are not photography expert snobs, we are just foodies.
Thanks, I will pop over and have a look.
I love your savory calfoutis, delicious flavors!
Thanks, Laura.
Chicken clafoutis sounds wonderful! And it is such a perfect recipe for a gluten-free diet because clafoutis uses so little flour and you can replace it easily with gluten-free substitutes. I need to try more gluten-free recipes myself!
It is surprisingly easy to be gluten-free and it means that you eat a much greater variety of grains and not always the same one – wheat. That way you get a wider range of minerals and vitamins.
Looking at those lists makes me wonder what you can eat! What a mine field; this looks worse than being diagnosed with diabetes. I would hate to have to eliminate onions and garlic as I think I cook with them every day. Are you losing weight with all the things you’re having to avoid? And do tell me it’s okay to still have a glass of wine? xx
It is surprising how many things there are left to eat. None of us can digest onions and garlic but some people’s systems deal better with that than others. I lost quite a bit of weight while I was grain-free but it has stabilised now. Yes, a glass of dry wine is definitely allowed – and dark chocolate!
I love clafoutis but have never had a savory one…sounds great.
This savoury clafoutis recipe certainly works well and it set beautifully.
That is some list! I guess you’re lucky you enjoy cooking…as I think it would be even more of a nightmare for those who rely on processed/premade foods. You clafouis sounds marvelous!…I have never made a savory version~
On a FODMAP diet, it is really not possible to eat processed foods because of all the additives and especially onion that is in them. Many of which are undeclared yet still following government guidelines – quite scary.
I think every clafoutis I’ve ever had has had fruit in it – first time I’ve seen a savory one. I really like the idea! Super combo of flavors. For me, living without onions or garlic would be hard – I so love their flavors. Although of course I would if they were making me uncomfortable or sick. Good luck with find out what causes you problems.
I can use garlic-infused oil which apparently works really well. I must buy some and try it. You can get the onion flavour from asafoetida powder as well so all is not lost.
I love your savory clafoutis … I made a sweet one once and it didn’t turn out well … Keep telling myself that I’ll have another go one of these days 🙂
They do have to have the correct ratio of ingredients or the custard won’t set and that is just frustrating.
Thanks for another superb recipe. I made it in a casserole dish as I wasn’t sure how much the kids would eat each, but they all really enjoyed it and even had seconds. My belly is happy, too 🙂
I’m glad to hear the kids loved the dish. It certainly feels good when the family enjoy healthy food. Well done!
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Can this be made without the cheese? I cannot have dairy. I am wondering if omitting the cheese will affect the recipe, or if you have an idea for gluten free/ dairy free substitute.