Low FODMAP Diet: A Beginner's Guide

Written by Resurchify | Updated on: April 20, 2022

Check out this complete guide on Low FODMAP Diet.

What exactly is the fodmap diet?

Fermentable Oligosaccharides, Disaccharides, Monosaccharides, and Polyols are abbreviated as FODMAP. These are simple, short-chain carbohydrates that can be fermented (broken down by bacteria) in the digestive system.

Fermentable - All of these are meals that your gut bacteria feed on, turning them into gases through a chemical process known as fermentation. The low-FODMAP diet restricts these carbs briefly to ease discomfort and relax your digestive tract. Removing irritants allows your gut lining to rebuild itself and can aid in the restoration of a healthy balance of gut flora. If your start to feel better, you can utilize the low-FODMAP diet to determine which items you should avoid in the future.

Oligosaccharides - These are prebiotics, which dissolve plant fibres that nourish the healthy microorganisms in your stomach. Oligosaccharides are found in onions, garlic, beans, lentils, and many wheat products. Some cases of non-celiac gluten sensitivity may be explained by oligosaccharide sensitivity. Because gluten-free grains have fewer fermentable sugars than gluten-containing grains, some persons who believe they are gluten sensitive may instead be sensitive to the oligosaccharides found in wheat products.

Disaccharides Lactose is the fermentable sugar in this category, as well as the sugar found in dairy and human milk. One of the most frequent dietary intolerance globally is lactose intolerance.

Monosaccharides Fructose, the sugar found in fruits, is the fermentable sugar in this category. However, only in specific ratios and proportions thus not all fruits are impacted.

Polyols - These are sugar alcohols, which are extensively utilized as artificial sweeteners. They can also be found organically in some foods.

Avoiding FODMAPs does not assist everyone. According to research published in the journal Gastroenterology, around 3 out of 4 persons with IBS saw immediate improvement after beginning a low-FODMAP diet, with the biggest relief occurring after seven days or longer on the plan. Remember, FODMAPs aren't all harmful. Many meals high in them promote the development of beneficial bacteria in the stomach.

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a widespread digestive disorder that impacts the large intestine. The disorder is distinguished by bouts of digestive symptoms such as stomach cramps, bloating, and so on. IBS is caused by a variety of reasons, with food being one of the most prevalent. Because IBS is a chronic ailment that requires long-term care, dietary adjustments are critical. Insensitive people, avoiding or restricting specific foods might help relieve IBS symptoms. People suffering from IBS should follow a diet that is low in fermentable carbohydrates, also known as FODMAPs. A low FODMAP diet restricts or eliminates items that cause discomfort and stomach pain in people with IBS.

How do FODMAPs influence IBS sufferers?

The small intestine is a component of the digestive system that is responsible for the bulk of digestion. The meal is broken down in the small intestine to acquire the nutrients needed by the body. Water is easily absorbed by the large intestine, while nutritional absorption is low. Foods high in FODMAPs, on the other hand, are difficult to digest and pass mainly undigested through the large intestine. Here, the undigested food goes through a fermentation process, in which microorganisms in the large intestine break and synthesize it into short-chain fatty acids and a load of gas.

Fluids, solids, and gas induce the intestines to expand as a result of FODMAPs. It is a natural occurrence that occurs in a large number of people. The fermentation of FODMAP meals, on the other hand, promotes flare-ups of symptoms such as stomach discomfort and bloating in patients with IBS. It also alters gastrointestinal movements, resulting in diarrhoea or constipation. As a result, eating a low FODMAP diet helps to alleviate IBS symptoms. The low FODMAP diet was created by Australian researchers and has been proven to be a beneficial dietary strategy for managing IBS.

Who should go for FODMAP Diet?

The low FODMAP diet is an essential part of the treatment for IBS and SIBO. According to research, it lowers symptoms in up to 86 percent of patients. Because the diet might be difficult during the initial, most restrictive phase, it's critical to work with a medical expert or dietitian who can guarantee you're following the diet appropriately and eating properly. According to studies, the majority of patients with these diseases benefit from a particular diet. Therefore, it may be used as a short-term detox diet for anyone experiencing digestive issues and want to isolate the items causing them. An elimination diet eliminates frequent problem foods and then gradually reintroduces them to see how your system reacts. The low-FODMAP diet is only one of several elimination diets that may be used to identify food sensitivities.

A low FODMAP dietary program entails restricting or eliminating specific foods and incorporating certain other food replacements to obtain enough nutrients.

Foods to restrict, avoid and include in FODMAP Diet

Lactose-containing foods: Lactose intolerance is a frequent dietary sensitivity in patients with IBS. Lactose-containing foods include dairy products such as frozen yoghurt, cottage cheese, and cheddar. Because of their low amounts of lactase, an enzyme that breaks down dietary lactose, these persons have trouble digesting dairy products. Lactose intolerance can result in IBS symptoms such as stomach discomfort and flatulence.
Foods rich in fructose: Foods high in fructose sugar include processed foods such as soft drinks, sweets made with high fructose corn syrup, and sweeteners such as honey syrup and agave nectar. Surprisingly, healthful fruits such as apples, pears, mangoes, peaches, cherries, and melons possess high fructose levels. These foods elicit symptoms that are comparable to lactose intolerance.
Foods rich in fructans: because the human body lacks enzymes to break down fructans, they pass unprocessed and undigested to the large intestine. Fructans are short-chain carbohydrates that are rapidly digested in the large intestine, resulting in gas. IBS patients may have indications such as extreme bloating, stomach pain, discomfort, and bowel movement changes.
Vegetables rich in fructans include garlic, onions, shallots, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, beetroot, and Brussels sprouts. These meals include grains like wheat and rye, as well as foods with additional fibre like insulin
Foods rich in GOS: GOS, like fructans, cannot be broken down. Kidney beans, chickpeas, soy products, lentils, and vegetables such as broccoli are examples of these foods.
Polyol-rich foods: Polyols may be found in a variety of fruits, vegetables, and sugar-free sweeteners. According to research, in some people with IBS, even a tiny amount of polyols can cause signs such as bloating, gas, stomach pain, and laxative effects. Polyols may be found in fruits and vegetables such as apples, pears, blackberries, peaches, apricots, cherries, plums, mushrooms and cauliflower. Sweeteners containing polyols include mannitol, sorbitol, xylitol, isomalt, and maltitol, which may be found in mints, cough syrups, sugar-free chewing gums, and sweets.

Food to be included in FODMAP Diet

Dairy goods such as lactose-free milk, almond milk, soy milk, coconut milk, hard cheeses, rice milk, and lactose-free yogurt are examples of foods to include.
Low-fructose fruits include blueberries, bananas, cantaloupe, kiwi, lime, lemon, oranges, grapes, and strawberries.
Spring onions, ginger, cucumbers, bean sprouts, eggplant, carrots, olives, potatoes, lettuce, and turnips are examples of vegetables.
Protein sources include chicken, fish, eggs, and tofu.
Almonds, walnuts, and peanuts are examples of nuts and seeds.
Grains such as rice bran, oats, oat bran, corn, quinoa, and rice are all examples of grains.

They are either removed or severely restricted for 3-8 weeks before being progressively reintroduced into a low-FODMAP diet to test if they produce symptoms (elimination diet). It is not intended to be a long-term solution because it is quite restrictive, but it may be effective enough to be used as a therapy for those who have gastrointestinal (GI) disorders.

Knowing the difference between high and low FODMAP foods might help people incorporate them into their diets more easily. Both categories include a diverse range of food groupings. Before embarking on a low FODMAP diet, consult with a doctor or a dietician. Doctors normally do not advocate this diet plan for long-term usage since it excludes several crucial, nutrient-rich foods. Many foods that are high in FODMAPs or moderate in FODMAPs contain a variety of nutrients, including vitamins, minerals, and prebiotics, which are dietary components that support healthy gut bacteria.

Diet Plan Example

Here is an example of a low FODMAP diet plan for one day:

Breakfast: scrambled egg and spinach with sprouts.
Lunch consists of tuna salad with lettuce, carrots, cucumber, as well as tofu.
Snacks include popcorn, walnuts, and bananas.
Dinner: Stir-fried tofu with zucchini, broccoli, and brown rice, followed by chicken.

What is the FODMAP diet and how does it work?

It is crucial to highlight that low FODMAP diets are restrictive and should only be followed for 4–6 weeks. They want to know if certain meals cause symptoms. A low FODMAP diet is divided into three stages. The diet is described as follows by Monash University, which initially recommended it:

Step 1: Reduce FODMAPs: For 2–6 weeks, the individual replaces all high FODMAP meals with low FODMAP alternatives. Some refer to this as the elimination phase, whereas Monash emphasizes that it is more of a case of replacement than elimination.
Step 2: Reintroduction: With the help of a certified dietitian, the individual gradually reintroduces FODMAP items into their diet. This can aid in determining which foods cause symptoms. This stage lasts around 6–8 weeks.
Step 3: Personalization: This phase, also known as the maintenance phase, is returning to a regular diet as much as possible while restricting just the FODMAP foods that induce IBS symptoms. Some people may eventually be able to reintroduce all or most FODMAPs into their diet without experiencing problems.

Because the goal of the diet is to exclude only those meals that produce symptoms, it is critical to reintroduce foods to assess if they create symptoms. If the meals are chosen are strong in carbs and lipids, this technique may result in weight gain. A low FODMAP diet does omit a variety of healthy items.

How long should I adhere to a low-FODMAP diet?

Phase 1: Healthcare experts recommend at least two weeks and no more than six weeks for the elimination phase. It may take some time for this phase to kick in for your symptoms to go away. If you have SIBO, starving your overgrowth gut bacteria may result in detox symptoms, making you feel worse before you feel better. However, even if you feel terrific throughout the elimination phase, it is not intended to be permanent. It is critical to determine which meals you may be able to reintroduce and tolerate. A more modest diet will be simpler to sustain over time, and diversity is always the greatest policy in nutrition for receiving all of your micronutrients.

Phases 2 and 3: The duration of the reintroduction phase varies by individual, but the average time is roughly eight weeks. You'll stick to the low-FODMAP diet during this phase while gradually reintroducing a high FODMAP food from each FODMAP group. You'll spend a few days evaluating each meal in increasing amounts to determine your tolerance level. You'll return to the rigorous elimination diet for a few days between tests to eliminate any crossover effects. Once you've determined what works and what doesn't, you and your healthcare practitioner may devise a long-term, healthy food plan that you can stick to indefinitely or until you wish to retest.

The most essential thing, as always, is to consult with your doctor and execute a suitable healthcare program for you.

The Potential Advantages of a Low FODMAP Diet

Take note that these advantages are very certainly limited to persons suffering from IBS. If you suffer uncomfortable gas and bloating after consuming, you may be benefited from a FODMAP diet; if you don't, you shouldn't expect to. Additionally, all FODMAPs should not be eliminated from the diet indefinitely. The second and third phases of the low FODMAP diet are just as crucial as the first.

Symptom Reduction

A low FODMAP diet helped manage or eliminate the most troublesome gastrointestinal problems, including bloating, discomfort, gas, decreased appetite, and poor stool consistency in the vast majority of patients studied.

IBS is frequently classified into subgroups based on whether or not diarrhea or constipation is now more prevalent or happens at all. IBS-D (diarrhea), IBS-C (constipation), IBS-M (mixed), and IBS-U are the four varieties (neither). The low FODMAP diet has successfully decreased symptoms in all of these subtypes.

It should be noted that IBS-M and IBS-U are far more uncommon than the other two forms. As a result, statistical analysis is challenging in these populations. The efficacy of the low FODMAP diet in IBS-M and IBS-U patients has not been adequately compared to the more prevalent forms.

Long-Term Comfort

Maintaining the three phases of the low FODMAP diet successfully has been associated with long-term improvements in IBS symptoms. One year after starting the low FODMAP diet, 57 percent of persons with IBS experienced "satisfactory" symptom alleviation, according to one research. However, not all metrics of long-term alleviation improved. People on reduced FODMAP diets missed the same number of workdays and contacted the doctor at the same rate as those on "normal" diets due to IBS symptoms.

In other words, while a low FODMAP diet improves the health of much more than half of those who follow it, it is not a cure-all.

Life Quality Improvement

Aside from reducing inflammation and its accompanying symptoms, a low FODMAP diet may improve quality of life indicators in persons with IBS. In one study, persons with IBS who followed a low FODMAP diet reported less anxiety, despair, and exhaustion. Dysphoria was reduced, and body image was improved.

Health concerns are less of an issue.
Enhanced vitality
Sexual and social functions have improved.

Histamine Reduction

Histamine is a very potent inflammatory signal. Histamine is implicated in allergic reactions and other forms of immunological responses; certain foods contain histamine, while others may promote histamine production. In one clinical investigation, consuming a low FODMAP diet for three weeks (21 days) resulted in an eightfold reduction in urine histamine.

Comparisons to the Standard IBS Diet

Some researchers suggest that the low FODMAP diet is superior to standard dietary advice for treating irritable bowel syndrome symptoms. Others are doubtful; however many people believe that the low FODMAP diet is at least as successful as traditional counsel. A low FODMAP diet was found to be more effective than a standard IBS diet in one trial of 82 persons with IBS. Furthermore, as compared to the typical diet, the low FODMAP diet resulted in fewer persons reporting no improvement or worsening symptoms.

SIBO, or small intestinal bacterial overgrowth, is a disorder in which bacteria in the small intestine multiply uncontrollably. Persons with IBS are more likely to develop SIBO; in fact, SIBO is three to five times more frequent in people with IBS than in those who do not. Some researchers believe that bacterial overgrowth is to blame for some (or possibly the majority) of IBS symptoms.

Furthermore, because FODMAPs feed the gut bacteria, lowering them is likely to limit bacterial development and regulate SIBO. In other animal experiments, carefully adjusting the diet completely cleared SIBO. However, the link between FODMAPs and SIBO in people is not completely known, and further research is needed.

Things to consider before beginning the FODMAP diet

Digestive symptoms can arise in a variety of illnesses, some of which are minor and others of which are more significant. Other chronic illnesses with IBS symptoms include celiac disease, inflammatory bowel disease, defecatory disorders, and colon cancer. As a result, you should see a doctor to screen out any other problems. Once these are checked out, your doctor can use the formal IBS diagnostic criteria to determine that you have IBS.

To be detected with IBS, you must meet all three of the criteria listed below.

Consistent stomach aches In the previous three months, your discomfort has happened at least once each week on average.
Symptoms of bowel movement -These should correspond to at least two of the following: connected to defecation, linked with a difference in stool frequency, or linked with a shift in stool appearance.
Persistent symptoms- You've had constant symptoms for the previous three months, with symptoms beginning at least six months before diagnosis.

What happens if the FODMAP Diet doesn't work for me?

It's a test, and it might not work. However, if you maintain the diet under the supervision of a doctor, it is safe to attempt. Your healthcare practitioner will monitor your overall nutrition as well as any inadequacies or weight loss that may develop. They'll let you know when it's time to take a break and try something new. The low-FODMAP diet has a high anticipated success rate for persons with IBS, although up to 25% of them may not benefit. The research for all other illnesses is more limited. However, there is reason to consider it may assist with symptom management in conditions of SIBO, IBD, and functional dyspepsia. If it doesn't, your quest isn't done; there are different types of elimination diets, testing, and procedures available.

Bottom Line

Certain meals, such as those containing FODMAPs, are known to cause gut responses in everyone. However, excessive use of these items might aggravate IBS symptoms. A low FODMAP diet is beneficial to the digestive tract and has been demonstrated to alleviate IBS issues in many people. While its diet is beneficial, it requires restricting a wide range of foods, which might lead to vitamin deficiency. As a result, to achieve nutritional demands, one must consider ingesting adequate replacements. If these dietary components appear to be causing IBS symptoms,

A low-FODMAP diet may help alleviate symptoms of IBS and other digestive problems. However, its effectiveness may be affected by a variety of circumstances, including a person's symptoms and how well they adhere to the diet.

Anyone interested in beginning a low FODMAP diet should discuss the advantages and dangers with their doctor or a nutritionist and work with them to develop a plan that will assist the patient to manage symptoms while keeping a balanced diet.

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