What is FODMAP?
FODMAP stands for Fermentable Oligosaccharides, Disaccharides, Monosaccharides and Polyols: poorly absorbed carbohydrates that are difficult to digest in the small intestine [1].
FODMAPs include a wide variety of small, non-digestible carbohydrates whose small size, high osmotic potency, and fermentation of unabsorbed FODMAPs by colonic bacteria can cause bloating, abdominal pain and flatulence in IBS patients [2].
FODMAPs occur in various common foods, from fruits and vegetables to grains and dairy products. Foods high in FODMAPs include green apples, wheat, watermelon, pear, garlic, cauliflower, onion, milk, ice cream, and most beans and legumes [3].
What is a Low FODMAP Diet?
A FODMAP diet is a scientifically valid dietary intervention used primarily to alleviate symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), where FODMAP stands for Fermentable Oligosaccharides, Disaccharides, Monosaccharides, and Polyols. It includes carbohydrates that aren’t well-absorbed in the intestine and are then fermented by gut bacteria, potentially causing digestive symptoms, mainly bloating and cramping, and changes in bowel habits [1, 3].
The diet is implemented in three phases. The first phase, the elimination phase, removes all FODMAP-rich foods from the diet for 2-6 weeks. Over this period, FODMAP foods are excluded because their indigestion and excessive absorption cause IBS symptoms; reducing carbohydrates of this sort can lessen these unpleasant features [1, 3, 4, 5].
The second phase, or reintroduction phase, is designed to reinstate groups of FODMAPs at a time to monitor for recurrence of symptoms and ID those to which you react [1, 3].
The third and final stage of personalisation involves designing an individual diet based on foods that exclude or limit high-FODMAP foods thought to cause symptoms and that optimally include other foods based on overall symptom control, dietary variety, and nutritional adequacy [1, 3].
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