Are Green Beans Low FODMAP?

In this blog, we will talk about FODMAPs - fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides and polyols, and their impact on gastrointestinal health. We will discuss how these less digestible carbohydrates affect the gut and how a low FODMAP diet can benefit individuals with gastrointestinal symptoms such as Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) and Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD). Additionally, we will discuss whether green beans are classified as low FODMAP.

Author - Greta Daniskova

Greta is a BSc Biomedical Science student at the University of Westminster, London.

Greta used MediSearch to find sources for this blog.

MediSearch gives instant answers to medical questions based on 30 million scientific articles.

What is FODMAP?

The term ‘FODMAP’ stands for fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides and polyols – a diverse group of much less digestible carbohydrates – present in various foods. FODMAPs are poorly absorbed in the small intestine and fermented by gut bacteria in the colon, producing attendant gastrointestinal symptoms [1].

What Do FODMAPs Do?

FODMAPs exert several physiological effects on the gastrointestinal tract. Their low absorption and high osmotic activity may cause sensations of bloating, fullness, abdominal pain, flatulence and overflow diarrhoea in some people, particularly IBS patients [2, 3].

Along with these effects, FODMAPs modify microbiome composition, food absorption of micronutrients, and ingested calories. Evolving literature studies whether dietary modification of FODMAPs can be used for controlling other GI disorders [1].

Which Individuals Benefit From A Low FODMAP Diet?

The Low FODMAP diet can benefit various individuals experiencing different gastrointestinal symptoms.

One such group is people with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), for whom a Low FODMAP diet has been sanctioned as a first-line treatment for symptomatic relief (including abdominal pain, excessive gas and bloating, diarrhoea, and constipation) [4, 5]. One study reported that the severity of IBS decreased by a moderate-to-large extent with a Low FODMAP diet compared with a standard ‘no-special-intervention’ diet [6].

A Low FODMAP diet has been found to improve non-active patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) [5]. It has also been used to help manage typical abdominal symptoms in patients with functional gastrointestinal symptoms, lowering levels of C-reactive protein and faecal calprotectin, which are inflammation markers [5].

Patients with Celiac Disease (CD) on a gluten-free diet have also shown improved abdominal symptoms and quality of life after following a Low FODMAP diet [7].

In older adults with chronic diarrhoea, adhering to a Low FODMAP diet leads to significant clinical improvement in total gastrointestinal symptoms and substantial reductions in anxiety [8].

The diet might be helpful for those with functional dyspepsia and small intestinal bacterial overgrowth, although further studies are necessary for those disorders [9].