Have you ever asked yourself or your friend if tocopherols are low fodmap? Well, you are at the perfect place to find the answer to such a question.
The Low FODMAP diet, commonly used to treat irritable bowel syndrome, has specific restrictions for what a person can eat.
By removing certain foods from your diet, one by one, then reintroducing them, one by one, you can compare symptoms to see which foods you tolerate best.
Sometimes, Low FODMAP foods get established in groups or based on compounds they contain. One such compound is tocopherols, which you might find in greens, egg yolks, etc.
So, are tocopherols Low FODMAP? Yes, tocopherols are low Fodmap. It turns out that alpha tocopherol is suitable for those on Low FODMAP diets since they are a form of vitamin. These vitamin E compounds (specifically alpha tocopherol acetate) may exist in food supplements, processed foods, and more.
Below, we’ll explain what tocopherols are and what they’re made of, diving into the reasons they’re considered Low FODMAP.
We’ll also look at some common foods tocopherols exist in and whether or not these foods are completely Low FODMAP too.
Table of Contents
What Are Tocopherols?
First, let’s establish what tocopherols are. These chemical compounds are alcohols with notable vitamin E activity.
This is why they can at times simply have the name “vitamin E”.
This compound has antioxidant function, which is part of why it’s lauded for healthy properties such as anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory.
Tocopherols are commonly found in foods like vegetable oils (almond oil, sunflower oil, soybean oil), as well as some animal fats.
You may also find tocopherols in peanuts (legume), tomatoes, and carrots.
What Makes Tocopherols Low FODMAP?
Now, onto the reasoning behind tocopherols being Low FODMAP.
The first thing you need to know about the Low FODMAP diet if you aren’t familiar is that it is an IBS diet, and there is a list of established foods to eat or avoid when on this diet.
Followers of this diet start by removing foods or food groups from their diet individually and tracking the IBS symptoms over a period of weeks.
Then, you slowly start to add foods back into your diet to see if they trigger the symptoms again.
In the end, you can make informed decisions with your dietician about which foods and food groups you can tolerate and which ones you can’t.
Restricted foods usually include onions, garlic, most dairy products, and wheat, to name a few. On the other hand, some acceptable foods include most vegetables, meats, seafood, and gluten-free breads.
But when it comes to tocopherols, it seems that at least the alpha tocopherols are acceptable in the Low FODMAP diet.
While we aren’t necessarily certain of why those with IBS can usually tolerate this compound, it’s good to note for anyone following this specific diet.
Read also: Is Pectin Low Fodmap?
Are All Foods Containing Tocopherols Low FODMAP
The next logical question we must entertain is whether or not all tocopherol foods are actually suitable for the Low FODMAP diet.
Just because a food contains one ingredient typically acceptable in this diet, it doesn’t necessarily mean that said food won’t contain other ingredients you can’t have in this diet.
For example, let’s look at foods like leafy greens, which typically contain tocopherols (vitamin E). IBS Diets online features a list of Low FODMAP-friendly foods and beverages.
Among the diet’s acceptable foods are the following greens:
- Lettuces (Butter lettuce, Iceberg lettuce, Radicchio lettuce, Red coral lettuce, Rocket lettuce, and Romaine/Cos lettuce)
- Collard greens
- Kale
Or, let’s take animal fats for example since animal fats often contain tocopherols via the food that the livestock consume.
The only meats that you’ll find as restricted for the Low FODMAP diet are sausages and chorizo when it contains garlic.
Additionally, all fish and seafood are Low FODMAP-friendly. You may also find animal fat in eggs, so it’s important to consider that eggs are Low FODMAP-friendly food, as well.
Most foods containing tocopherols are in fact acceptable in this IBS diet, but it doesn’t hurt to consult the official list of Low FODMAP foods to be certain.
Are There Benefits to Tocopherols in the Low FODMAP Diet?
Yes, there are some known and studied benefits to Vitamin E in the form of tocopherols. Aside from its common use in the skin care industry, tocopherols are also known for being heart healthy due to their antioxidant properties.
They’re also studied for their beneficial role in the diets of those with chronic ailments. Some studies even suggest that tocopherols have anti-cancer properties.
But in a more obvious sense, vitamin E is useful in the diets of those who are already deficient in this vitamin.
In other words, if you have a vitamin E (tocopherol) deficiency, then you may be lacking the necessary nutrition to protect you from anemia, neurological problems, immune response issues, and more.
So, the benefits of consuming tocopherols for those who are deficient are plentiful.
These benefits don’t necessarily mean that tocopherols alone can prevent or treat said ailments. However, they can help the right individuals and under the right intake circumstances.
Read also: Is Citric Acid Low Fodmap
Conclusion
Following the Low FODMAP diet can be tricky without the help of a dietician.
But once you start following this diet meant to help with IBS symptoms, you’ll need to be able to identify restricted foods when you see them.
Tocopherols exist in certain foods containing animal fat, leafy greens, and vegetable oils.
Note that tocopherols (also referred to as vitamin E) are in fact Low FODMAP foods, and most foods that contain tocopherols are Low FODMAP as well.
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References
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5085773/
https://www.ibsdiets.org/fodmap-diet/fodmap-food-list/
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