Low FODMAP Sourdough Bread Recipe for Menopause

Low FODMAP Sourdough Bread Recipe for Menopause.

What are FODMAPS?

FODMAPs are a group of carbohydrates (sugars) found in food that your body may find difficult to digest.

People with IBS are more susceptible to issues caused by the gas buildup during the internal fermentation process of these certain macronutrients.

FODMAP stands for Fermentable Oligosaccharides, Disaccharides, Monosaccharides, and Polyols.

• Oligosaccharides are found in foods like wheat, rye, onions, garlic, legumes, and some fruits such as apples and pears.
• Lactose is the main disaccharide, found in dairy products like milk, cheese, and yogurt.
• Monosaccharides are fructose, which is found in honey, certain fruits like mangoes and apples, and high fructose corn syrup.
• Polyols are sugar alcohols found in some fruits and vegetables like avocados, cherries, and cauliflower, as well as some artificial sweeteners like sorbitol, mannitol, and xylitol.

IBS and Menopause

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is a chronic, relapsing and often life-long condition.

Symptoms can include;

• Abdominal pain in the small intestine or the large intestine
• Bloating
• Change in bowel habits

IBS is a disorder that affects the gut/brain interactions.  It is different from general and temporary conditions caused by hormone fluctuations.

Menopause can cause digestive symptoms or worsen IBS if you already have the condition.

On a typical menstrual cycle did you ever experience digestive ups and downs?  This was due to the rise and fall of estrogen and progesterone.

This is part of the genius of our cycle and why it is so important to experience a natural monthly cycle, to learn about your body month after month which will prepare you for menopause and understanding and interpreting your symptoms.

Excuse me for a moment while I kick myself!  Hindsight is a wonderful thing.

Estrogen and progesterone also contribute to the body’s ability to process bile and stomach acid for breaking down food.

You may experience reflux due to menopause and declining hormones and this sounds odd, how can less acid cause reflux?  That is the subject of a whole other blog post.

What is a Low FODMAP diet?

The low FODMAP diet involves restricting foods high in these fermentable carbohydrates for a while, typically two to six weeks, to reduce symptoms. After this elimination phase, foods are systematically reintroduced to identify which specific FODMAPs trigger symptoms in individual patients. This allows for a personalized approach to managing dietary triggers.

During the elimination phase, individuals are encouraged to consume foods that are low in FODMAPs, including:

• Certain fruits: such as bananas, blueberries, grapes, kiwi, oranges, and strawberries.
• Certain vegetables: such as bell peppers, carrots, cucumbers, lettuce, tomatoes, and zucchini/courgette.
• Proteins: such as meat, poultry, fish, eggs, and tofu.
• Grains: such as rice, oats, quinoa, and gluten-free breads and cereals.
• Dairy alternatives: such as lactose-free milk, almond milk, or coconut milk.

It’s important to note that the low FODMAP diet should be undertaken with the guidance of a healthcare professional, ideally a registered dietitian, who can provide personalized advice and ensure that nutritional needs are met while following the diet. Additionally, the diet is not intended to be followed long-term but rather as a short-term intervention to identify and manage trigger foods.

How to Follow a Low FODMAP diet

If you are suffering from IBS symptoms consult your GP for support.  However, if you are curious about improving your menopause digestive symptoms and want to investigate the foods in your diet and how they make you feel further here are my top tips;

1. Educate yourself about the low FODMAP diet and familiarise yourself with high and low FODMAP foods. Understanding which foods to avoid and which are safe to consume is crucial for success.
2. Begin by eliminating high-FODMAP foods from your diet for a period of two to six weeks. This phase involves strictly avoiding foods that are known to trigger symptoms. Common high FODMAP foods such as those listed above.
3. During the elimination phase, focus on consuming foods that are low in FODMAPs, details above.
4. Pay attention to portion sizes, as even low FODMAP foods can contribute to symptoms if consumed in large amounts. Moderation is key.
5. Keep a detailed food diary to track your symptoms and the foods you eat. This can help identify patterns and pinpoint any potential trigger foods.
6. After the elimination phase, gradually reintroduce one FODMAP group at a time to identify which specific carbohydrates trigger symptoms for you. This phase is typically done under the guidance of a dietitian and involves systematically reintroducing small amounts of specific FODMAP-containing foods while monitoring for symptoms.
7. Once trigger foods have been identified, work with your healthcare professional to personalise your diet based on your tolerance levels. You may find that you can tolerate some FODMAPs in small quantities or certain combinations.
8. The low FODMAP diet is not intended to be followed long-term. Once trigger foods have been identified, focus on creating a balanced and varied diet that meets your nutritional needs while minimising symptoms. This may involve incorporating small amounts of tolerated FODMAPs back into your diet and emphasising other dietary factors that support gut health, such as fibre and probiotics.

If this all sounds a little too complicated I have created a 7-day Low FODMAP Meal Plan to support this process, see below for more details.

Cooking From Scratch

As we learn more about the toxic ingredients in our everyday foods and the harsh chemical processes that many whole foods go through to become something super convenient for us to use, a growing number of people are starting to return to old ways of growing and cooking food for themselves.

This might seem like an overwhelming feat.

The reason there are so many convenience foods available to us is because there was a need.  We are all so busy we are looking to save time and effort where we can.

Unfortunately, the downside of this is that we, as a species, have never been more unhealthy.  Prone to obesity and chronic diseases we need to find some balance between convenience and chemical-free.

My advice is to start small.  Pick one area of your life where you can start to reduce toxicity whether that is via skincare, cleaning products or cooking from scratch.

A great place to start is bread.  Store-bought breads are laden with chemicals and pro-inflammatory ingredients such as seed oils. 

The traditional sourdough bread process however has a lot fewer ingredients and chemicals and is therefore a good loaf alternative.

There are loads of sourdough bread recipes available, it has never been easier to make sourdough bread yourself and it will save you a fortune if you already buy from a local bakery.

Low FODMAP Sourdough Bread Recipe

The traditional sourdough process involves using naturally occurring wild yeast and lactobacilli bacteria to ferment a mixture of flour and water into a sourdough culture and create a leavened bread dough. 

Here’s a basic overview of the traditional sourdough bread-making process:

1. Creating the Starter:
   • Combine equal parts (I suggest 1 cup) of organic flour and lukewarm water in a container, typically using whole-grain flour for its higher microbial content.
   • Mix well with a wooden spoon.  If the water content is too high add a little bit more flour to get the consistency of a thick pancake mix.
   • Leave the mixture at room temperature, allowing wild yeast and lactobacilli bacteria from the environment to colonise the mixture.
   • Every 24 hours feed the starter cultures by discarding half of it and adding 1/2 cup of fresh flour and 1/4 cup water to maintain its activity and acidity level.
   • Air bubbles will form as you go through this process until it stops smelling like flour and water and more like sourdough bacteria.
2. Building the Levain:
   • The night before baking, take a portion of the mature starter and mix it with fresh flour and water to create the levain (also known as a pre-ferment or sponge).
   • Allow the levain to ferment overnight at room temperature. The next morning it should become bubbly and increase in volume, indicating that the wild yeast is active.
3. Mixing the Dough:
   • Combine the levain with additional flour and water to create the dough. Salt may also be added at this stage.
   • Mix the ingredients until a shaggy dough forms, ensuring that all the flour is hydrated.
4. Bulk Fermentation:
   • Allow the dough to ferment at room temperature for several hours, typically 4 to 12 hours, depending on factors such as temperature and desired fermentation level.
   • During bulk fermentation, the wild yeast and bacteria in the starter and levain metabolize the carbohydrates in the flour, producing carbon dioxide gas and organic acids. This process leavens the dough and develops its flavour.
5. Shaping the Dough:
   • After bulk fermentation, gently deflate the dough and shape it into the desired loaf shape.
   • Place the shaped dough into a proofing basket or bowl lined with a cloth, seam side up, and cover it to prevent drying.
6. Final Proofing:
   • Allow the shaped dough to undergo final proofing, also known as the second rise. This typically takes 1 to 4 hours and occurs at room temperature or in a proofing chamber.
   • The dough should increase in volume and become puffy, indicating that it’s ready for baking.
7. Baking:
   • Preheat the oven and a baking vessel, such as a Dutch oven or baking stone, to a high temperature.
   • Carefully transfer the proofed dough to the preheated vessel, score the top to allow for expansion during baking, and cover it with a lid or create steam in the oven.
   • Bake the bread with steam initially to promote oven spring, then remove the steam source and continue baking until the crust is golden brown and the internal temperature reaches about 200-210°C (390-410°F).
   • Allow the bread to cool completely before slicing to allow the crumb to set.
8. Enjoying the Bread:
   • Once cooled, slice the bread and enjoy it fresh or toasted with your favourite toppings.

The traditional sourdough process is a labour of love that requires patience and attention to detail, but it results in a delicious loaf with complex flavour and texture.

Traditional sourdough bread is typically made with wheat flour, which contains fructans, a type of oligosaccharide that is high in FODMAPs. Therefore, sourdough bread made with wheat flour may not be suitable for those following a low FODMAP diet however there are adjustments you can make.

• A long fermentation process – the more time the bacteria and yeast have to break down carbohydrates, including FODMAPs. Traditional sourdough bread often undergoes a longer fermentation period, which can potentially reduce FODMAP content.
• Alternative flours that are lower in FODMAPs, such as spelt flour, rice flour, oat flour, or gluten-free flour.
• Avoid adding ingredients such as maple syrup and certain seeds

The good news is, if you are making the bread you control the ingredients.

Delicious Low FODMAP Recipes

Once you have a low FODMAP sourdough starter, you can use it to make a variety of baked goods beyond just bread. Here are some ideas:

1. Sourdough Pancakes or Waffles: Use your sourdough starter to make fluffy and tangy pancakes or waffles. You can find recipes that use low FODMAP flour and ingredients like rice flour, oat flour, or buckwheat flour.
2. Sourdough English Muffins: Make your low-FODMAP English muffins using your sourdough starter. These can be enjoyed toasted with butter or topped with low FODMAP spreads like peanut butter or strawberry jam.
3. Sourdough Pizza dough: Use your sourdough starter to make a flavorful and chewy pizza crust. Top it with low FODMAP ingredients like tomato sauce, cheese, and your favourite vegetables or meats.
4. Sourdough Crackers: Roll out your sourdough starter and bake it into thin, crispy crackers. These can be seasoned with herbs and spices for extra flavour.
5. Sourdough Pretzels: Shape your sourdough starter into pretzels and bake them until golden brown. These make a delicious and satisfying snack.
6. Sourdough Muffins: Use your sourdough starter as a base for muffins. You can make sweet muffins with low FODMAP fruits like blueberries or savoury muffins with ingredients like cheese and herbs.

These are just a few examples of the many baked goods you can make using a low-FODMAP sourdough recipe starter. With some creativity and experimentation, you can enjoy a wide variety of delicious and gut-friendly treats.

I have recently caught the bread-making bug.  You don’t need much equipment, just a large mixing bowl and time.  I did however decide that I needed a Dutch Oven.  

A Dutch Oven is a heavy-duty pot with a lid designed for browning meat and vegetables and then simmering on the stovetop or braising in the oven long and slow.  You can also make soups in it and bread.

Common makes of Dutch Ovens are Le Creuset and Cuisinart, you can read more about the best Dutch Ovens in this Good Housekeeping article.

They do have quite a high price tag, but they last for years and are seen as an investment.  I thought I would do a casual search in Facebook Marketplace and found this little beauty (see below) for £10!!  The make is Cousances which is a French make bought out by Le Creuset in 1959.  They carried on making Dutch ovens under this brand name until 1980.  That just shows how long they last.  I gave it a little clean and it is good to go.

Nutritional therapy for Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS).

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) affects an estimated 10-15% of the population, if you are one of these it is likely you have experienced its unpleasant symptoms.

People with uncontrolled IBS often suffer from gas, bloating, diarrhoea, constipation, and stomach pain which can have a terrible effect on their quality of life.

Following a Low FODMAP diet has been shown to significantly improve these symptoms in about 75% of cases.

Purchase and download my 7-day low FODMAP meal plan and begin your journey to optimal digestive health. By eliminating foods that ferment and cause digestive discomfort, you may be able to identify exactly which foods are responsible for their symptoms.

Final Word

Whether you suffer from gut issues or not making sourdough bread yourself is delicious, nutritious, and addictive haha!

If you would like to chat with me about your unique menopause transition, book a Wild Well-Being call and come away inspired and motivated to begin your journey to optimal health.

Have you downloaded my free eBook, 5 Nutrients Your Body Needs Through Menopause? If not you can do so HERE.