What is the Low FODMAP Diet and How can it help with IBS?

Gut Health
Written By Jaime Chambers

Do you find you’re wearing loose, baggy clothes to cover a bloated, uncomfortable belly? Have you tried eliminating every food under the sun hoping it’ll help with constipation or diarrhoea with little improvement? Then the low FODMAP diet might be the answer for you.

 FODMAP is an acronym that stands for groups of foods that contain high amounts of short-chain carbohydrates. These foods can be difficult for some of us to digest so they’re not fully broken down and can cause irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) symptoms such as bloating, gas, diarrhoea and constipation. The low FODMAP diet can be helpful as it eliminates the major offending foods and help to control IBS symptoms.

There are 5 major categories of foods that are high FODMAP that need to be avoided on the low FODMAP diet, some include:

  1. Fructose: apples, pear, watermelon, asparagus, artichoke, honey

  2. Lactose: Milk, yoghurt, ice cream, evaporated milk and fresh cheeses like ricotta

  3. Sorbitol: stone fruits and diet foods like chewing gum, diet sweets and other diet products

  4. Mannitol: Mushrooms, cauliflower, sweet potato, celery

  5. Fructans & galacto-oligosaccharides: onions, shallots, garlic, lentils & legumes, inulin and wheat, rye and barley.

It’s best to be supervised by a Dietitian whilst following the low FODMAP diet protocol to ensure it’s not only done properly but because it’s reasonably restrictive, an alternative meal plan needs to be created to make sure dietary requirements are met.

There is an extensive list of foods that must be avoided but also a great shopping list of foods that can be enjoyed as well. The idea is IBS sufferers follow the low FODMAP diet for 6-8 weeks where symptoms should be greatly improved over this time. Then foods groups are ‘challenged’ to determine which foods trigger a reaction and which foods can be included back into a healthy diet. This step is important. Following a low FODMAP diet long term is not recommended as it’s important to have the widest variety of foods in the diet as possible, plus these pesky FODMAP foods have an important function in helping to create a healthy environment in the gut so it’s best to try and have as many of them as is tolerable in the diet.

I’ve had patients with long-term IBS report to me that the low FODMAP diet was a lifesaver for them, that they’ve got their life back and can wear their tight clothes again! If you suspect this might be helpful for you, see an Accredited Practising Dietitian for guidance.

Jaime Chambers