Low-Carb Rye Bread Linked To Fewer Irritable Bowel Syndrome Symptoms

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is a condition that affects the gastrointestinal tract's usual functioning. Eleven percent of the adult population suffers from IBS, whose side effects include flatulence, abdominal pain, cramps, and stomach rumbling. However, a new study has found an unlikely aid in the battle with IBS: low-carb rye bread.

The lead author of the study and dietician at the Aava Medical Centre in Finland, Dr. Reijo Laatikainen, noted the two origins of IBS: "Just like the rest of the population, IBS patients tend to have a lower than recommended intake of fibre."

Additionally, lessening IBS symptoms can only come through eating fewer fermentable, oligo-, di-, mono-saccharides and polyols (FODMAP). These are simple carbohydrates that are fermented in the upper colon, where intestinal gas and other IBS symptoms originate.

Low-FODMAP rye bread, which was offered to the participants in the study, solves both of these problems, thanks to its low-carb and high-fiber composition. Whole-grain rye bread has a fiber content of 11 to 14 percent, making it an excellent source of the nutrient.

The study's main takeaway was that even by just lowering the FODMAP content in bread, patients still saw a reduction in IBS symptoms. FODMAPs have also been implicated in previous studies as one of the roots of gluten or wheat sensitivity. These findings could begin a push for a reduction in FODMAPs in foods so as to produce food that is better for — and more easily digested by — the human body.