Have you been diagnosed with IBS? Do you have digestive symptoms that interfere with your day-to-day activities? IBS can be challenging to manage as everyone experiences the symptoms differently.
The low FODMAP diet is one method of managing symptoms of IBS. It was designed to be a short-term diet that is completed alongside a dietitian or trained healthcare professional. The main goal of the diet is to identify specific foods that cause severe symptoms and then tailor the diet to include as many foods as possible while still limiting symptoms.
What are FODMAPs anyway?
FODMAP stands for Fermentable Oligosaccharides, Disaccharides, Monosaccharides, and Polyols.
These are all just fancy words for short-chained carbohydrates – sugars, starches, & fibre – that are poorly absorbed or digested. These carbohydrates are processed similarly in everyone and can cause mild symptoms of bloating, distention, and gas due to fermentation in the large intestine when consumed in large amounts. In people with IBS, these symptoms are more extreme and can cause severe pain and discomfort as well as diarrhea and/or constipation. FODMAPs are found in many foods and are broken into different categories based on how the body processes them during digestion. Generally, people with IBS will be sensitive to foods in one or more categories of FODMAPs. Understanding which category causes the most symptoms can help determine which foods may need to be limited or avoided. Foods in the same category can still cause varying levels of uncomfortable symptoms and should be personalised based on individual needs.
The tricky thing is foods with FODMAPs are healthy foods that provide fibre, prebiotics, and many nutrients to our diets. Cutting these foods out of the diet long-term can potentially cause more gut symptoms.
The amount of a FODMAP in a food can vary as well. Some foods are high in one or more FODMAPs even when eating a small amount. Other foods are low in FODMAPs and can be eaten in certain portions before being considering a high FODMAP food.
How does the low FODMAP diet work?
The diet is separated into three phases:
1. Elimination – follow a low FODMAP diet for 2-6 weeks until symptoms are more manageable or reduced by 80%.
2. Reintroduction – systematically reintroduce foods from each category. Monitor symptoms and tolerance while following a low FODMAP diet in the background.
3. Personalisation – add back as many foods as possible and personalize diet with a dietitian based on tolerance monitored in phase 2.
It isn’t always obvious which foods have FODMAPs making the diet difficult to follow. Since it is complicated and time-consuming, it is best to have support along the way.
Is the low FODMAP diet right for me?
The low FODMAP diet isn’t for everyone. Current research mainly indicates the use of the low FODMAP diet for people who have IBS. It is important to talk with your doctor if you think you have IBS but have not been diagnosed. Other gut disorders have similar symptoms to IBS. These are better treated with medications. To avoid prolonging damage to your gut, get tested for other diseases such as irritable bowel disease, celiac disease, and bowel cancer first. If you aren’t sure, talk to a registered dietitian for more personalised nutrition support.
Renelle has been trained on the use of a low FODMAP diet for IBS by Monash University. She is currently accepting new clients and offers free discovery calls if you would like to connect about low FODMAP diet counseling prior to booking an appointment. See our booking page for more information and click here to learn more about Renelle.
