Low Fodmap Diet FAQs

Who Developed Low Fodmap Diet?

The low FODMAPs diet was developed by Dr Sue Shepherd and Dr Peter Gibson at Monash University in Melbourne, Australia and has been scientifically proven to relieve symptoms of IBS and IBD.

What does FODMAP Stand For?

To break it down, FODMAP is an abbreviation for:

Fermentable

Oligosaccharides

Disaccharides

Monosaccharides

And

Polyols

How do Fodmap work?

…In plain English; they are a group of poorly absorbed carbohydrates which your gut may find difficult to break down and absorb. Some are sugars such as fructose and lactose, some are fibres which are particularly difficult to digest and some are sugar alcohols. So in order to follow a low FODMAPs diet, you need to limit your daily consumption of foods that have a lot of the above.

There are many different foods that count as high in FODMAPs and I have supplied a brief list of these below. In order to receive the best results, and to discover which foods sit gently with the specific individual, it is recommended that the diet is strictly followed for at least 2 months.

How should i Cut Fodmap?

With some foods, such as onions and garlic, it is recommended that you cut these out altogether as it is commonly found with IBS sufferers that they trigger a reaction. However there are some foods, such as avocados, where (depending on the individual) it is possible to have a small amount.

Fodmap Diet Tips

For me personally I have chopped and changed my diet so many times over the years that I’m yet to pin-point what triggers a reaction. I’m hoping the low FODMAPs diet will help with this, and once I start to work food back into my diet, I will do so at a slow pace in order to catch the foods that make me feel poorly.

To keep on top of this, I have to keep a food diary and track my intake on a daily basis. Within my food diary I note down all ingredients to my meals, the time of eating and speed of eating (if I can remember after inhaling all of my plate, which is A) extremely bad for someone with IBS and B) not at all attractive). Alongside this, I also note down how my stomach felt that day and any loo trips… yep…. let’s hope no one accidentally picks that novel up. But seriously, anybody who thinks they suffer from a similar issue or thinks that food is having a negative impact on their daily life, I would strongly recommend keeping a food diary and tracking to see if a pattern emerges.

Fodmap Diet Feedback

So, what has been the hardest to give up? This question has been asked a lot. And my immediate reaction would be garlic, wine or caffeine. But when I stop and look back on the number of times in the past few months that I’ve called my friends or family, crying from pain and frustration, I would honestly say that if this diet works, than it is 100% worth it and nothing is too hard to give up. What is difficult about this diet, and a note to anyone about to start, is that it can be expensive (especially if gluten free) and you have to be organised (carry snacks at all times). You also need to be ready to answer A LOT of questions such as; “aren’t you just being really fussy” or the classic “why don’t you go eat a bag of prunes”… I can tell you now, that method has been tried, tested and failed. But aside all this, what I keep reminding myself is that in the long run, if this diet is successful then the positives should outweigh all of the negatives, so I just need to keep going!