You may have heard of the low FODMAP diet if you’ve been diagnosed with IBS or another gut disorder from your doctor. It’s important to get clear guidance and diagnosis from your doctor or a dietitian before embarking on this diet.
I realise for people wanting to follow a low FODMAP diet in order to relieve symptoms, it can be tricky to figure out what to cook and eat in order to keep your intake balanced and interesting.
FODMAP stands for:
- Fermentable
- Oligo-saccharides
- Di-saccharides
- Mono-saccharides
- And
- Polyols
These names describe types of carbohydrate which may react with water in the bowel to cause symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome – which are:
- Abdominal pain
- Bloating
- Wind
- And/or a change in your bowel habits
It was developed at Monash university in Melbourne, Australia.
Following the low FODMAP diet may mean cutting out all of these carbohydrates in order to manage your symptoms. So, what should you eliminate and what does this mean in terms of the foods in your fridge and on your plate?
If you’re considering following the low FODMAP diet, here are the major offenders you should consider eliminating:
Oligo-saccharides (containing fructans and galactans)
- Wheat and Rye
- Some fruit and vegetables
- Pulses and legumes
Di-saccharides (containing lactose)
- Milk
- Yogurt
Mono-saccharides (containing fructose)
- Some fruit
- Over 100ml fruit juice/smoothie
- Honey and agave nectar
Polyols
- Various fruit and vegetables
- Sugar-free chewing gum
- Sugar-free mints that contain polyols
As you can see this is quite an exhaustive list and when we say eliminate fruit and vegetables (for example), don’t panic! It doesn’t mean eliminate all fruit and vegetables in existence. So I highly recommend you read the full list of foods suitable and not suitable on a low FODMAP diet as recommended by the NHS.
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