Hi
I have read the book and decided to start the remove and repair section. Looking at the meal plan included in the book it seems to include quite a few recipes with onions or garlic in when earlier in the book it suggests that strong prebiotics such as these should not be included in this phase. It also includes broccoli and some other vegetables which are listed as high in fibre and also to be omitted during this phase.

Did people tend to stick to the general advice in this part or the menu plans. I am a little confused!

Thanks

Sorry, I don’t have an answer for you but I do have the same question. Just reading the book for the second time and noticed this too. Eager to get started 🙂

I noticed the discrepancy regarding cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, kale), but missed the same for the allium family (onions, leeks, garlic). Which page is the advice to avoid on please?

I assumed the fortnight meal plans were to suggest the structure of a day or week and not prescriptive, since it is recommended to remove and to reintroduce in stages over a period of time. I noted that the same dishes are not eaten day after day, as many of us do at breakfast and lunch.

I can’t see why garlic should be avoided, since the relatively small quantity used in an average dish won’t give a huge ‘dose’ of prebiotics. Well not compared to the enormous quantity of cauliflower ‘rice’ per person!

I haven’t followed the meal plans at all, preferring my own Mediterranean or Middle Eastern style recipes, much more fish and seafood, and not to bother baking bread substitutes. But I don’t have major gut issues, haven’t eaten wheat daily for a long time, and have previously established my tolerance for traditional dairy and various vegetables.

Thanks Firefox.

It’s in the same section – page 191 in my book in the Remove and Repair section
During the the remove and repair phase try to avoid:” …… “Initially reduced highly prebiotic foods such as onions, garlic and leeks. All these can be reintroduced in the second phase”

I also would have found helpful a list of “Non-fibrous, plant based foods” as google searches for such don’t bring up much and I am struggling to find the 20-30 different types it is suggested we eat, whilst avoiding the fibrous and the highly prebiotic.

Suzywoozy: I can see why you are struggling!

I don’t think the suggestion to reduce/ avoid the alliums and other inulin rich vegetables (list on p. 125+) is in my edition. Which begs the question is your book or mine the most up to date!

Both inulin rich (soluble) and insoluble fibre rich vegetables can cause uncomfortable/ painful gas if overeaten or in sensitive guts (e. IBS).

Vegetables rich in insoluble fibre also tend to be stringy in texture or, when raw, need a lot of chewing to thoroughly break down. Freezing or cooking or blending breaks down the structure somewhat. For a list try the Self Nutrition Data website:, you can list by nutrient (eg. fibre) and/ or by food type (eg. vegetables). I *think* you can also reverse sort (lowest first).

I agree 20 to 30 types is difficult when limiting soluble and insoluble rich vegetables, as well as sugary fruits! Perhaps just start with a few ‘safe’ options and add one a day, only small portions of alliums/ inulin rich and of cruciferous/ fibre rich ones?

Maybe start out with five or six portions spread out over your three meals. I wouldn’t worry about anything you only have a little of or use for flavouring – mild chilli, garlic, ginger – unless you suspect these as problematic from your detailed food and symptom diary.

For convenience you might try frozen mixed fruits (strawberries/ raspberries/ blackberries/ blueberries/ redcurrants/ blackcurrants) or frozen mixed vegetables (mediterranean or peas corn broccoli bell pepper). It isn’t difficult to separate out larger chunks when still frozen, so reducing or altering the variety .

Hi suzywoozy,

Agree, was initially very confused with the discrepancy. However I think the key word there may be ‘reduce’. I’ve been on the low FODMAP diet for a long time, which completely removes both, and can testify that eating no onion or garlic at all can have a significant negative effect on your microbiomes!

The diet plan contains less than 1/2 onion per day on most days (Assuming you remove the extra onion in the Ratatouille, which seems sensible) and equally moderate amounts of garlic. This is probably a decent ‘reduction’ from the average person. Particularly as we’re also cutting back on harder to digest fiber.

Despite being on the FODMAP for so long I haven’t found it too difficult to reincorporate this amount of onion and garlic, in combination with the lower-carb nature of the rest of the diet. A birthday party deviation, whilst fun at the time, definitely wasn’t worth it the next day!

Very strongly recommend consuming the amount of flax recommended (with lots of fluid of course). This helps move things through your gut quicker and minimises the amount of time prebiotics can sit in your gut and be turned into gas. The green flax bread isn’t great, but slathered with hummus and treated as ‘medicine’ it’s rather effective. Crackers are genuinely tasty, if a bit dry. Otherwise in smoothies or sprinkled on thing your taste buds shouldn’t notice it but your gut will!

Also, brief list of veg + values per 100g – In terms of eating lots of variety, guess it makes sense to eat all the veg you can, but in different portion sizes, rather than totally cutting out a veg?

Values from my local Tesco so obviously just rule of thumb and will change depending on ripeness, type etc;
Veg Kcals Carbs Sugars Fiber
Sweet Pot 98 21.3 (5.7) 2.4
Celeriac 25 2.3 (1.8) 3.7
Swede 13 2.3 (2.2) 0.7
Turnip 16 2.4 (1.9) 0.8
Carrot 42 7.9 (7.4) 2.4
Parsnip 76 12.5 (5.7) 4.6
Beetroot 41 7.5 (6.7) 2.4
Butternut 42 8.3 (4.5) 1.6

Brussels 51 4.1 (3.1) 4.1
Cabbage 36 4.1 (4.1) 4.1
Broccoli 40 3.2 (1.9) 2.5
Cauliflower 38 3.0 (2.5) 1.8

Leek 27 2.9 (2.2) 2.2
Kale 40 1.4 (1.3) 3.1
Chard 24 2.9 (0.6) 1.6
Spinach 29 1.6 (1.5) 2.1

Cucumber 11 1.5 (1.4) 0.6
Celery

Courgette 20 1.8 (1.7) 0.9
Aubergine 25 6.0 (3.5) 3.0
Marros 14 2.2 (2.1) 0.5
Tomatoes 20 3.1 (3.1) 1.0
Peppers 36 6.4 (6.1) 1.6
Mushrooms 8 2.2 (2.1) 0.5
Fennel 17 1.8 (1.7) 2.4
Radish 14 1.9 (1.9) 1.0

Green Beans 31 3.1 (2.2) 3.4
Mangetout 38 4.1 (3.4) 2.6
Babycorn 42 6.4 (5) 2.6
Sugar snaps 38 4.8 (3.6) 1.5
Asparagus 29 2.0 (1.9) 2.1

Beansprouts 47 2.1 (2.1) 1.8
Pak choi 19 2.2 (1.2) 1.0
Samphire 26 1.5 (0.1) 5.0
Choi Sum 14 1.4 (1.4) 1.2
Okra 40 3.0 (2.5) 4.0

Thanks very much Firefox and gustychickpea – very helpful information

GutsyChickpea: thanks for posting that list/ chart, I am sure it will help others. 🙂