Celery root, also known as celeriac, is an unconventional and under-appreciated root vegetable that is very versatile. It can be mashed, roasted, slow-cooked in a stew or served in a traditional French salad called remoulade. Unfortunately, with dietary fructose intolerance, you need to restrict many fruits and vegetables that can trigger unpleasant symptoms of bloating, pain, cramping, diarrhea, constipation and flatulence.
Fructose Malabsorption
Dietary fructose intolerance, also referred to as fructose malabsorption, is a problem that is highly prevalent in people with functional gut disorders, such as irritable bowel syndrome. If you are a fructose malabsorber, even small amounts of fructose can result in uncomfortable symptoms. This condition is diagnosed with a hydrogen breath test and can only be managed by avoiding untolerated foods that contain more fructose than glucose or that simply contain too much fructose per serving. People with fructose malabsorption also often need to restrict their lactose, fructan, galactan and polyol intake to fully control their symptoms.
Elimination Diet
After being diagnosed with fructose malabsorption, you should be referred to a registered dietitian with experience in this area. The first step is to follow a elimination diet to help you get rid of your symptoms by eating only foods that are known to be safe for fructose malabsorbers. Safe foods contain more glucose than fructose and do not contain a high fructose load per serving. During this phase, avoid apples, peaches, mangoes, pears, watermelon, dried fruits, fruit juices, honey, agave syrup and high-fructose corn syrup. Other short-chain fermentable carbohydrates like fructan, galactan, polyols and lactose also need to be eliminated during this phase. Fructans are found in onions, leeks and garlic; galactans are found in beans, lentils and soy; polyols are found in mushrooms, avocado and cauliflower; and lactose is found in milk, yogurt and fresh cheese.
Celery Root
Most food composition tables do not have data regarding the quantity of fructose and other short-chain fermentable carbohydrates in foods. Analyses are underway, but celery root has not been analyzed to date, and it is impossible to determine whether it is suitable for fructose malabsorbers.
Celery Root in Your Fructose-Restricted Diet
Considering the lack of data concerning celery root and its short-chain fermentable carbohyrate content, it may be more prudent to avoid it during the elimination phase to help you completely prevent your symptoms for a least four to six weeks. After this elimination phase, you can experiment with small amounts of celery root to see how your body handles this vegetable. With fructose malabsorption, tolerance to different foods is highly individual, and experimentation is the best way to establish what foods are safe or not for you.
References
- BBC Good Food: Celeriac
- "Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry"; Measurement Of Short-Chain Carbohydrates In Common Australian Vegetables And Fruits By High-Performance Liquid Chromatography; J.G. Muir, et al; January 2009
- "Practical Gastroenterology"; Clinical Ramifications of Malabsorption of Fructose and Other Short-chain Carbohydrates; Jacqueline S. Barrett and Peter R. Gibson; August 2007
- Shepherd Works: Hydrogen Breath Testing
- "Journal of the American Dietetic Association"; Fructose Malabsorption and Symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome: Guidelines for Effective Dietary Management; Susan J. Shepherd and Peter R. Gibson; 2006
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