All you need to know about the FODMAP diet

 This diet is designed to help people with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and/or small bowel bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) learn which foods cause problems and which reduce symptoms. It is a very restrictive temporary eating plan. A person can not follow them for a long time. It's just a short discovery process to identify irritating foods for IBS sufferers; Food is a common cause of symptoms such as stomach pain and bloating. So, restricting certain foods can greatly improve these symptoms. This is where the low-FODMAP diet comes in.

What is FODMAP?

The FODMAP diet is a low fermentable carbohydrate diet

FODMAP stands for fermentable oligosaccharides, which are indigestible short-chain carbohydrates that gut bacteria ferment, increasing the production of gases and short-chain fatty acids.

FODMAPs are notorious for triggering gastrointestinal symptoms such as bloating, gas, stomach pain, and altering bowel habits ranging from constipation to diarrhea or a combination of the two. Some foods contain only one type of FODMAP, while others contain several types.

 

The primary dietary sources of the four groups of FODMAPs are:

Low sugars: wheat, rye, nuts, legumes, artichokes, garlic and onions.

Disaccharides: Products containing lactose such as: milk, yogurt, soft cheese, ice cream, yogurt, condensed milk, and whipped cream.

Monosaccharides: Foods that contain fructose, including fruits such as apples, pears, melons, and mangoes. and sweeteners such as honey and high-fructose corn syrup.

Polyols: Mannitol and sorbitol in apples, pears, broccoli, pit fruits, mushrooms, and peas, as well as xylitol and isomalt in low-calorie sweeteners, such as those in sugar-free gum and mint.