FODMAPs (fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides and polyols, i.e. a mouthful) are sugars that are not properly absorbed in the gut and cause symptoms in people with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and other gut conditions.
The low FODMAP diet was developed by researchers at Monash University over the last 15 years. It has been steadily growing in popularity, despite the diet’s complexity, due to its effectiveness in reducing symptoms of IBS.
According to Monash, IBS affects 1 in 7 people worldwide. There’s so much useful information on the internet about IBS, but also many myths and misconceptions. I only tend to trust Monash and websites that refer back to it for accurate, up-to-date information on the latest research.
Below is just a couple of things I discovered along the way that weren’t immediately clear to me. I also address a couple of commonly perpetuated myths about the low FODMAP diet.
Facts
- The low FODMAP diet actually has three phases:
- the low FODMAP phase (i.e. removal of high FODMAP foods for a short period),
- the FODMAP reintroduction phase (trialing foods from one group at a time to test sensitivities),
- and the FODMAP personalization phase (introducing small amounts of FODMAPs that are well tolerated back into your diet to build up tolerance for more FODMAPs, i.e. a relatively normal diet, long term).
- The low FODMAP diet is not designed to be permanent but is in fact a three stage intervention. Researchers at Monash advise against staying on the low FODMAP phase long term due to the unknown risks of removing the all important FODMAPs from your gut.
- FODMAPs are actually really good for your gut health, some are prebiotics that help produce the good bacteria (probiotics) in your gut. However, as they can cause symptoms in people with IBS, strategies must be taken to get these valuable prebiotics back into your diet. The three phases of the FODMAP diet offer a roadmap for doing just that.
- People can get stuck during the first phase, either due to the diet’s complexity or staying on it due to the relief from symptoms. I have heard of many people who have given up during (or even before) the reintroduction phase due to the planning required.
- In my case, I got stuck at the third phase. I did not know the best strategy for incorporating FODMAPs back into my diet to build up my gut health (what I call project rebuild microbiome) without triggering symptoms. This is another reason that doing this diet with the guidance of a dietitian is strongly recommended. For me, it was a huge relief to have someone with me during this challenging process and to keep me on track.
Myths
- Lactose is a FODMAP and it’s commonly thought that all dairy contains lactose. In fact, most cheese contains only small amounts of lactose and can be tolerated in moderated portions by people with IBS.
- The low FODMAP diet is not a gluten free diet. If you don’t have Coeliacs disease (which can be tested for) or gluten sensitivity, then gluten itself can be eaten (e.g. sourdough bread, beer, or seitan without high FODMAP flavouring). However, many gluten-based products (e.g. wheat pasta and bread) contain fructans which are FODMAPS. Therefore, when navigating restaurant menus or supermarkets, selecting low-gluten or gluten-free grain-based products that do not have hidden high FODMAP ingredients in is a safer way to avoid the fructans.
- FODMAPs aren’t the only thing that can trigger IBS symptoms. This can make following the low FODMAP diet even more complex if you have to worry about not only the food being eaten, but how it is prepared. Meals with high fat content (too much cheese or oil), spicy foods, and resistant starch, that forms in carbohydrates after they have been cooked and cooled (e.g. leftover rice, pasta or potatoes), can trigger strong gut reactions.
- Alcohol is not a FODMAP, although it depends on the drink (beer, wine, gin, vodka all fine –– cider not fine), and neither is caffeine, but they are both gut irritants that can exacerbate IBS symptoms.
