Why not oatmeal if you have fructose intolerance?
Theresa Aicher
27/09/23
Reading time: 8 minutes
Fructose intolerance is not something to be trifled with. Because nausea, diarrhea and other unpleasant symptoms make you feel uneasy. For this reason, if you have a food intolerance, you should be well informed about what foods you can eat - and what foods you should stay away from.
Therefore , in this article we will also address the question : “ Why shouldn’t I eat oatmeal if I’m fructose intolerant?” “
A food intolerance can put strain on the body
If you are sensitive to certain foods , it is important that you take your body's signals seriously. Changing your eating habits will benefit you in many ways.
Otherwise, constant physical complaints can eventually become a burden on the soul. Food influences our psyche more than you might think.
A relevant point with regard to nutrition for many people is the question : “ What is sustainability?” “This is, among other things, about not causing any harm to the environment. With a vegan diet you are making a good contribution to this.
You can also make sure that your food has been certified with the organic seal. However, the one from a German association is even better than the EU organic seal. These include, for example, Naturland, Bioland and Demeter.
Find out more in this article about what fructose intolerance is all about and how it manifests itself. We also explain why oatmeal is an important source of nutrients , but when you should avoid it if you have a food intolerance.
Fructose intolerance - what is it?
Most likely you have already heard about various food intolerances.
For example , lactose or gluten intolerance often occurs.
As an adult, you can usually adapt to this and learn to avoid certain foods.
If celiac disease occurs in children , it is usually much more difficult for them to understand the problem and avoid foods.
This is also the case with fructose intolerance.
In this case, the body reacts sensitively to the fructose contained in fruits and products made from them. The reason for this is that your body cannot break down the fructose in the intestines. Some sufferers therefore have to avoid fruit completely. Others can consume certain amounts without experiencing symptoms.
High fructose alert
These fruits contain a lot of fructose :
- Apples
- Bananas
- Pears
- Mangoes
- grapes
as well as all fruit juices and dried fruits.
However, fructose is not only found in fruit. If you suffer from intolerance, you should study the list of ingredients carefully when shopping. Fructose is used as a sweetener in many products , for example ice cream, muesli or muesli bars.
You should also be careful with thick juices, jams and jellies. Lemonade and iced tea can also contain fructose.
So keep your eyes open, especially when it comes to sweet products!
You should also avoid table sugar because fructose can also be found in it.
If you suffer from a fruit allergy , you should first remove the things just listed from your diet. However, together with a doctor you can find out whether you can tolerate certain types of fruit, for example.
It is also possible that you can eat fruit in small quantities without any consequences. In order not to endanger your health, you should also discuss the test procedure with your doctor beforehand.
How does fructor intolerance manifest itself?
If you suffer from a food intolerance, it doesn't go unnoticed. Your body signals to you through various symptoms that it cannot tolerate a food.
Typical cases of intolerance to fructose include :
- stomach pain
- Diarrhea
- Flatulence
- nausea
- Vomit.
How severe these symptoms occur depends on how severe your intolerance is and how much fructose you have consumed.
The good news : They usually disappear on their own after a few hours. Nevertheless, they affect the quality of life. Therefore, it is best to only consume as much fructose as you can safely tolerate.
If you are unsure whether you have an intolerance, you can have a breath test done by a gastroenterologist. This works as follows: You are not allowed to eat anything before the test and then drink a fructose solution on an empty stomach.
Then you blow at regular intervals for three hours into a device that measures the hydrogen content of the air you breathe. The more hydrogen can be detected, the more likely you are to suffer from intolerance .
The test result therefore provides important information, but is not yet a guarantee. Even people who are not affected by an intolerance can experience stomach pain or other typical symptoms due to the large amount of fructose . Before the test, it must also be ruled out that you are suffering from a metabolic disease.
Nutritional advice can also provide help. These will give you tips on how to only consume fructose in small amounts or how to replace it completely. It can also be useful to start with drawing up an individual nutrition plan . Especially if you can't easily avoid fructose.
What's special about oatmeal?
Oatmeal is generally considered healthy and nutritious. Vegans in particular get many important nutrients from it. These include, for example, iron, vegetable protein, vitamin B1 and zinc. They are also a popular basis for milk substitute products . If you want to make plant milk yourself , it's particularly easy to do with the grain.
Oat flakes are available in tender or hearty quality. Tender, so-called fine-leaf oat flakes , are cut before sale. They are easy to process. Whether you're baking, cooking or making your own smoothies - you can't go wrong with delicate oat flakes . When swollen, they also serve as a solid base for baby food.
Kernel oat flakes , on the other hand, cannot be used for all dishes. They are larger and therefore rather unsuitable for producing very fine masses. You can use them to refine your home-baked bread. Delicious patties can also be made from the large leaf oat flakes.
Another plus point about oatmeal is that it naturally contains almost no gluten and is well tolerated. For example, if you suffer from a rye allergy , you may tolerate oats better. However, it is important to rule out cross-allergies.
However, if you have gluten intolerance, you must note that oats can come into contact with other grains, such as wheat, when grown. Gluten-freedom is therefore only guaranteed for products that are labeled accordingly.
We at Greenforce also take advantage of the properties of oats and offer an organic, certified, vegan oat drink . You can mix this up yourself at home. It is therefore a good alternative if you don't have enough time to make your own oat milk.
Oatmeal for fructose intolerance
Grains generally do not contain fructose. Wheat, rye, barley and oats can therefore generally be eaten if you have an intolerance to fructose.
However, caution is advised for two reasons :
-
Fiber : Oatmeal contains a lot of fiber. These are essential for a healthy digestive system because they stimulate intestinal activity. If you are already suffering from diarrhea due to your intolerance to fructose, it can be helpful to let the symptoms subside before eating oatmeal.
- Combination : Oatmeal is rarely eaten plain. For breakfast, they serve as a basis for muesli or a strengthening porridge. Make sure that the other ingredients are also free of glucose. For example, agave syrup and maple syrup contain fructose, which can cause various symptoms if you are fructose intolerance.
Avoid fructose for beginners
If you find it difficult to give up fruit, then opt for vegetables instead. There are also delicious varieties here , for example salads, tomatoes, spinach or asparagus. Are you still wondering what to do when you have cravings ?
Prepare a plate with cucumbers, chicory and peeled carrots that you can fall back on if the worst comes to the worst. Nuts are also a suitable substitute for your daily fruit plate. They contain many healthy nutrients.
Changing your diet requires a lot of will and cannot happen overnight. Give your body and especially your mind time to adjust to the new situation.
Please note the advice we have given you in this article, for example why you should not consume oatmeal if you are lactose intolerant if you are currently suffering from the symptoms. After a while you will see that you can continue to eat well even if you have a food intolerance .
