Low-FODMAP Diet Resources from Fody Foods
One man’s quest to bring the digestive-healing properties of the low-FODMAP diet to consumers everywhere.
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“As I learned more about IBS and the low-FODMAP diet, I knew I had to do something to make it more accessible,” says Fody Foods founder Steven Singer.
When I was growing up, we didn’t talk about “bathroom issues” in polite company, if at all. Unfortunately, that reluctance persists today, and makes life even more difficult for people with IBS, or Irritable Bowel Syndrome. Current estimates say that up to 40 million Americans suffer from this uncomfortable malady, and many of them aren’t even aware of the causes of their distress.
Steven Singer wants to change all that. Not only does he want to lead people to awareness about their illness, but he wants to offer a convenient and healthy way for them to make the dietary changes necessary to their well-being and comfort. “As I learned more about IBS and the low-FODMAP diet, I knew I had to do something to make it more accessible. It felt less like a business opportunity, and more like a moral obligation.”
And thus was born Fody Foods. Based upon the original low-FODMAP diet developed at Monash University in Australia, Fody Foods aims to educate, support, and offer products and information to guide IBS sufferers to “Eat life to the fullest.”
About FODMAPs
For those unfamiliar with the concept and terminology, a brief and overly simplified primer: FODMAPs are short-chain carbohydrates found in commonly eaten foods that travel through the gastrointestinal tract generating gas. The low-FODMAP diet categorizes foods that trigger gastrointestinal problems according to the type of carbohydrate they contain.
There are three phases to the diet: elimination, challenge/reintroduction, and integration. With the supervision of a doctor and/or registered dietician, this regimen can lead to reduced suffering and eventually to an enjoyable life at the dinner table.
What Singer and Fody Foods provide is access to helpful information, including recipes and lifestyle choices, and a varied line of clean, socially responsible, healthy products to make the process as easy and painless as possible.
“Many of the people that I spoke with were often afraid to leave their homes, and lived with constant anxiety over their digestive issues. I knew we had to give them some sort of lifeline, even one as simple as a line of products that took the guesswork out of enjoying food—and their lives—again.”
Products to Help You Live Symptom-Free
Fody’s products range from pasta and barbecue sauces to chocolate bars to infused olive oils to trail mix, and its recipes offer such taste treats as Cornmeal Blueberry Pancakes and Turkey and Black Bean Quesadillas.
But there are always new goals and new directions. As Singer notes, “We’re always challenged by the diet itself and the science behind it—both of which are continuously evolving. We need to evolve in real time with these moving parts. There is simply no room for error when it comes to people’s health.”
There’s no simple one-size-fits-all solution to being able to live symptom-free in the face of IBS, but Singer wants to have a hand in making that freedom a reality for as many people as possible.
It’s incredible to hear the impact that a food company like ours can have on someone’s life. It never gets old when I pick up the phone, read an email, or see an emotional post on social media from a customer, thanking us for helping them feel better. To me, this is the greatest part of what we do.”
Web exclusive recipe!
Visit betternutrition.com for a low-FODMAP Quick Shrimp Scampi with Broccoli recipe made with Fody Foods Garlic-Infused Olive Oil.