Lets start analysing

[Charlie Arnold]

Lets start looking more closely at this diet. One of the first things I noticed was that tomatoes set Megan off. I used it in various different ways. I know we aren't the only ones to find reactions to them, possibly being also high in salycylates are an issue too. But looking at the www.nutritiondata.com site and breaking it down, maybe it is also to do with the extremely high amount on fructose / glucose in these products that sensative FMers still cannot tolerate. These readings are per 100g

Catsup / Ketchup: Fruct: 9289mg / Gluc: 11751mg
Canneed paste: Fruct: 5851 mg / Gluc: 5750mg
Puree: Fruct: 2380mg / Gluc: 2450 mg
Canned whole: Fruct: 1880mg / Gluc: 1630mg
Raw : Fruct: 1370mg / Gluc: 1250mg

Maybe just too high, and it does seem as though apart from in ketchup there is still less glucose than fructose so maybe just too much for the system. Let's work our way through the list and spot the lowest fructose readings to then build up an order of trying foods to assess tolerance level.

[kate]

My daughter can't tolerate tomatoes in any form either. It became evident when she was only 5 weeks old that she was reacting to them in my breastmilk as she became unsettled and got a rash over her whole body. Food challenges every 3 months since weaning have demonstrated that she still reacts to them.

My daughter also doesn't seem to be able to tolerate sucrose. She becomes exceptionally unhappy/detached/exhausted within half an hour.

I've tried creating a spreadsheet using nutritiondata but I've found that it doesn't really tie in with the severity of my daughters reactions. I've now made a "fructose ladder" which is stuck on the fridge door using www.thefartingpear.com. Its a lot less precise or scientific, but it's helping us roughly find her tolerance level so I can predict whether a new food should be safe or not by looking at where it is on the ladder.

[catherine]

Hi guys

You mention problem with tomatoes. Have you looked at the nightshade family of vegetables, other members potatoes, peppers, eggplant ect.

Catherine

[kate]

Hi Catherine.

I looked at that before I heard about FM but my daughter is fine with potatoes so I ruled it out. Good suggestion though. What about the rest of you?

[Charlie Arnold]

I have recently cut out potatoes as I wondered if that was the missing link on Megs diet, jury is still out on that one......... Never tried peppers or eggplant ( I didn't realise that was of the same family - interesting) I have heard people have problems with the nightshade family.

Potatoes should be better on fructose score but maybe if not highly sensative as not coming out as lowest in fructose.

[Charlie Arnold]

The more I look at tomatoes the more I wonder they are even on the safe list, and why on earth did we try them as one of the first foods, I suppose it just opens up the options more.

So far spinach is looking the best food to try, have posted its breakdown in separate thread.

Then Brocolli Raab is next:
Broccoli raab, cooked [Broccoli rabe, Rapini] Fructose: 240mg Glucose: 230mg Sucrose: 150mg



Potatoes looking good if you put combined scan of fructose / glucose / sucrose

Potatoes, mashed, home-prepared, whole milk and margarine added Fructose: 240mg Glucose: 300mg Sucrose: 160mg

But look what happens when you add the skin into the equation:

Potato, baked, flesh and skin, without salt Fructose: 340mg Glucose: 440mg Sucrose: 400mg

Potatoes, Russet, flesh and skin, baked Fructose: 320mg Glucose: 370mg Sucrose: 390mg

Potatoes, boiled, cooked in skin, flesh, without salt Fructose: 300mg Glucose: 370mg Sucrose: 190mg



Then next on list is Celery:
Celery, raw Fructose: 510mg Glucose: 550mg Sucrose: 110mg - but if very sensative to fructose and the carrier system of glucose isn't working then this reading will be too high.

[kate]

I'm posting the document which originally indicated to me that my daughter had a fructose issue. It places tomatoes, carrots, sweet potatoes and corn in the 'unsafe' list - all 4 of which I already suspected through our own experiences.

This list must be different to the one you have Charlie if tomatoes are on your safe list, which is why I'm posting it. Hopefully it will be helpful.

Attachments:

[Charlie Arnold]

Great links, thanks, and good idea to keep them in a separate section.

Sadly the UK seems to be way behind on this subject, the list of safe ingredients I originally posted was typed off the list that is the advised UK diet........ needs scrapping and starting again. Originally it seems to be based on the low fodmap diet from Australia and is more aimed for IBS problems by the looks of things.. That is why boards like this are so great, we can work out what does and doesn't work and build up a sensible and safe diet between us. After all, we are the experts at the end of the day as we live with the vomit, the smelly poos, the gas and the bad tempers every day........