WHAT IS FODMAP?
FODMAP is an acronym and stands for:
Fermentable
Oligosaccharides
Disaccharide
Monosaccharides
And
Polyols
The below extract is taken directly from the Shepherd Works website
"These are complex names for a collection of molecules found in food, that can be poorly absorbed by some people. When the molecules are poorly absorbed in the small intestine of the digestive tract, these molecules then continue along their journey along the digestive tract, arriving at the large intestine, where they act as a food source to the bacteria that live there normally. The bacteria then digest/ferment these FODMAPs and can cause symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). Symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome include abdominal bloating and distension, excess wind (flatulence), abdominal pain, nausea, changes in bowel habits (diarrhea, constipation, or a combination of both), and other gastro-intestinal symptoms.”
A few examples of foods containing FODMAP’s
Excess Fructose – apples, pears, watermelon, mango, canned fruit, honey, fructose, dried fruit, fruit juice
Lactose – milk products
Fructans – onion, garlic, artichokes, beetroot, brussel sprouts, cabbage (savoy), leeks, shallots, wheat, rye (eg bread, cereals, pasta, crackers, couscous, cakes, biscuits)
Galactans – chickpeas, lentils, baked beans, broad beans, kidney beans
Polyols – stone fruits (eg apricots, nectarine, peaches, plums), apples, lychee, avocado (usually people can tolerate an 1/8 of an avo), sobitol, mannitol, xylitol, malitol
Most importantly – what we can eat!! Examples of a few
Low FODMAP foods below:
Fruit – blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, rock melon, banana, dragon fruit, oranges, grapes, honeydew melon, kiwifruit, lemon, lime, passion fruit, pawpaw
Vegetables – Bok choy, carrots, capsicum, choy sum, cucumber, eggplant, green beans, lettuce, chives, parsnip, pumpkin, spring onion (green part), tomato, zucchini
Milk– lactose-free varieties, rice milk
Meat, fish and eggs
Grains – gluten free breads and crackers, polenta, 100% spelt bread, quinoa, rice, millet
Sweeteners – sugar, golden syrup, maple syrup
Following a low FODMAP diet has been proven to be beneficial for people suffering from IBS and other gastrointestinal disorders.
The low FODMAP diet was developed by Peter Gibson and Susan Shepherd at Monash University in Melbourne.
Monash University has released a low FODMAP app, which is available on iPhone and Android. The app provides information about the level of FODMAP’s contained in different foods.
For more information in relation to the Low FODMAP diet please visit the following websites: