What is the Low Fodmap Diet?

15% of the world's population has IBS (that's 1 in 7!) and the low FODMAP Diet, created by Monash University in Australia, is scientifically proven to help with their symptoms (it’s also sometimes recommended for people with SIBO, Crohn’s disease, colitis, and other functional GI disorders.) Research shows that around 75% of people who try the diet see an improvement in their symptoms.

The goal of the diet is to help you understand your IBS triggers and therefore, control your symptoms. It’s not going to cure IBS unfortunately, but it is going to make it A LOT more bearable.

The 'FODMAP' part of the diet is an acronym that stands for:

  • Fermentable - the process where gut bacteria ferment undigested sugars & produce gas

  • Oligo-saccharides - Fructans & GOS - found in wheat, onions, garlic, pulses

  • Di-saccharides - Lactose - found in dairy products

  • Mono-saccharides - Fructose - found in honey, apples

  • And

  • Polyols - Sorbitol & Mannitol - found in some fruit & veg and artificial sweeteners

These are all sugars that aren't properly absorbed by the gut, triggering symptoms in people with IBS. As you can see, they are found in a huge variety of foods (damn it!).

Low Fodmapo Diet

There are 3 distinct phases to the low FODMAP diet. The principle of the diet is to limit foods high in FODMAPs for an initial period of 2-6 weeks (phase 1 - ‘elimination’). You then focus on gradually reintroducing the foods in groups so you learn what your triggers are (phase 2 - ‘re-challenge’). The end result is a personalized low FODMAP diet for YOU, that fits around your specific tolerance and is sustainable long term (phase 3 - ‘personalization’).. As a result, this should improve your personal gut symptoms for life!

Despite being called a 'diet' it's not about losing weight or restricting your diet long term. It's about learning YOUR unique tolerance levels. The aim is to reintroduce as many high FODMAP foods as your gut can handle, so you can eat as healthy and varied a diet as possible. I like to think of it as a 'learning diet' - learning about your gut so you can get to the perfect balance between reducing your symptoms and eating healthily. Wouldn't that be lovely?!