What Is The Low-FODMAP Diet

January 20, 2017

Talking about your gut is in vogue. We now know that the gut’s microbiome (the bacteria inside) is linked to everything from our brain health to our emotions and how we feel on the regular. And that, friends, is where the low-FODMAP diet comes in. A way of eating that’s been rising in popularity because of its low-carb nature, FODMAP was originally crafted to help sufferers of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). Those suffering from IBS, which essentially translates to a sensitive stomach (well, large intestine actually), typically see a 68 to 76 percent improvement in their condition when adopting this diet, according to an Australian review.

But what is a FODMAP in the first place and how does one follow this on a daily basis? Let’s take a closer look.

What does FODMAP stand for?

FODMAPs are small-chain carbohydrates. To break it down even further, let's hone in on the acronym FODMAP, which stands for fermentable, oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols.

Fermentable: Foods that include an abundance of sugar which break down and decay with bacteria in the gut like soft drinks, candy, cookies, and cakes are fermentable.

Oligosaccharides: These are carbohydrates are composed of three to nine monosaccharides. Examples are whole grains, beans, artichokes, and other canned foods.

Disaccharides: Simple sugars that consist of exactly two monosaccharides like sucrose, lactose, and maltose. Dairy products like milk, yogurt, and cheese contain high amounts of this segment of FODMAP.

Monosaccharides: A simple sugar that cannot be broken down into a smaller unit like glucose, fructose, and galactose. Fruits like mango, apples, cherries, and watermelon fit this group. Fructans also found onions, garlic, and wheat are categorized here too.

Polyols: Polyols are sugar alcohols that occur naturally in foods like fruits and vegetables. There are seven polyols known to cause stomach discomfort: sorbitol, mannitol, maltitol, xylitol, isomalt, lactitol, and erythritol. Mushrooms, sugar-free sweeteners, and even cauliflower contain polyols.

Typically, a FODMAP diet is one that is low in the above foods. As you can see by the great amount of things included , many of which are good for you, no one completely eliminates FODMAPs entirely long-term. Instead, newbies to a low-FODMAP diet usually go through the process in three stages, says Beth Rosen, MS, RD, CDN of Goodness Gracious Living Nutrition.

“Phase one is the elimination phase, where all high FODMAP foods are removed from the diet," she says. Phase two is the reintroduction phase where foods are systematically returned to the diet to test for a person’s individual triggers (everyone has different triggers). And lastly, the third phase is maintenance where you eat a liberalized diet where only your triggers are restricted.”

What to Remember About FODMAP

1. The low-FODMAP diet is not a forever-diet. After the elimination phase you can reintroduce foods into your diet and personalize the diet to your sensitivities.

2. You don’t need to completely scratch dairy from your day-to-day. “Unless you are allergic to milk or follow a vegan diet, there's no real reason to eliminate all dairy from your diet,” says Dr. Onikepe Adegbola, founder of Casa De Sante, a company that provides healthy food choices to those suffering from digestive sensitivities, including IBS. “The low FODMAP diet plan is often associated with a no-dairy lifestyle, but this is something of a common misconception.” With that said, many hard kinds of cheese are low in lactose and full of calcium, and there are plenty of lactose-free dairy products available.

3. It is not a low-carbohydrate diet. There are plenty of fruits, vegetables, and grain products that are safe to eat for those in the elimination phase. Grains include quinoa, oats, rice, buckwheat, polenta, and sorghum. It is important to include lots of fruits, veggies and grains so that the microbiota have nourishment and can proliferate.

4. You should talk to your doctor if you’re contemplating it. “Anybody experiencing these symptoms should see a gastroenterologist,” says Jessica Penner, RD, of Smart Nutrition. “Once the gastroenterologist has ruled out any other diseases, a dietitian should be consulted for assistance with implementing the FODMAP diet, because each person has varying levels of tolerance for these carbs, and the diet involves excluding foods, then a specific order of re-introducing them, and assessing tolerance levels at each step along the way.”

What Can You Eat On FODMAP?

Remember, the diet is low-FODMAP, not NO FODMAP. Different foods react with everyone’s body and gut differently. Here, Drew Johnson, founder of The Gut Program, a starter kit for people that are just starting on a low FODMAP diet, offers up his essential shopping list and also, what to avoid.

Buy:

Meats - watch out for sauces and flavorings
Fish
Eggs
Rice
Oats
Some cheese like Feta and Brie
Oranges
Bananas
Carrots
Tomatoes
Lettuce
Olives

Stay away from:

High Fructose Corn Syrup
Garlic
Onions
Mangos
Peaches
Cherries
Beans
Gluten- although Spelt Bread is OK as well as gluten-free items
Lactose - most dairy products
Honey

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