What the FODMAP is going on?

You may have heard recently, about the FODMAP diet. Your doctor, dietitian, nutritionist or naturopath may even have you on a low FODMAP diet.

Let’s learn a little bit more.

FODMAP is an abbreviation for a group of carbohydrates that are highly fermentable and poorly digested, which for some people, leads to digestive discomfort including bloating, gas, abdominal pain, visceral organ pain, constipation and/or diarrhoea.

Have you been diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)? Do your gastrointestinal symptoms worsen if you eat a lot of garlic or onions? Have you tried a probiotic and it made you feel worse?

Then a FODMAP type diet may something to consider.

FODMAP stands for “fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides and polyols”.

They are carbohydrates (sugars) that are found in food, but keep in mind that not all carbohydrates are considered FODMAPs.

Foods that are high in FODMAPs may be causing your gut symptoms.

FODMAPs are osmotic, meaning they pull water into the intestinal tract, and in some people, these may not be digested or absorbed well.

When malabsorption of FODMAPs occurs, they are easily fermented by bacteria in the intestinal tract when eaten in excess or when there are changes in the intestinal microbiota (bacteria).

This contributes to the classic symptoms commonly seen in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) such as gas, bloating, cramping, reflux, constipation and/or diarrhoea.

It may also indicate an overgrowth of bacteria in certain areas in the gut known as SIBO (small intestinal bacterial overgrowth).

This can be determined by a breath test to check for gases produced by this fermentation of carbohydrates.

Therefore, a low FODMAP diet may help reduce gastrointestinal upset in those with IBS or even Inflammatory bowel disease, by eliminating foods high in fructose, lactose, fructans, galactans, and polyols. However, in my experience, being FODMAP sensitive is often a secondary symptoms of something else underlying.

Listed below are some examples from each group.

Fermentable Oligosaccharides – garlic, leek, onion, wheat, eye, barley, artichokes.

Disaccharides – Milk, ice cream, custard, dairy desserts, condensed and evaporated milk, yoghurt, soft cheeses eg. ricotta, cottage, cream, marscarpone.

Monosaccharides – honey, apples, mango, pear, watermelon, high fructose corn syrup.

And polyols – apples, apricots, nectarines, pears, plums, prunes, mushrooms, sorbitol, mannitol, xylitol, maltitol

If this resonates with you, chat to your health professional.