What It Is
FODMAPS are carbohydrates found in foods. The letters stand for:
- F—fermentable
- O—oligosaccharides—fructans (wheat, garlic, or onion)
- D—disaccharide—dairy
- M—monosaccharide—fructose
- a—and
- P—polyols, alcohol-based sweeteners, or fruits with pits (avocado, cherry, plums)
These are the foods that are not eaten.
How it May Help
Some FODMAPs pull water into the intestine. The food may be slowly or not fully broken down. It may also be fermented by bacteria. This can cause swelling, constipation, gas, loose stools, or belly pain. These problems could get in the way of normal tasks or work.
Your problems may be eased by changing how you eat.
The Basics
There are three phases: restriction, test, and personalization. In the first two to eight weeks, you will not eat high FODMAP foods. If this does not help, then these foods may not be causing your problems. If it does help, then some FODMAPs will be slowly added back in during phase two. This will help you find out which ones may be causing problems and which are safe to keep eating. In phase three, you may need to make many changes to what you eat as part of your long-term plan.
What to Eat
This table is based on foods you can eat instead of the ones that cause you problems. It is not a full list.
Food | Eat these low FODMAP foods | Do not eat these high FODMAP foods |
Grains |
|
|
Veggies |
|
|
Fruits |
|
|
Milk |
|
|
Protein from egg, meat, poultry, or fish |
|
|
Nuts, legumes, and non-dairy items |
|
|
Jams, relishes, herbs, and spices |
|
|
Sweets |
|
|
Safety Issues
This diet should not be followed longer than four to six weeks. Not getting enough vitamins, minerals, and fiber could be harmful.
Tips
It can be hard to make these changes. Here are some tips:
- Eat a mix of foods from each of the food groups if they don’t cause problems.
- Learn to read food labels so you don't eat things that may cause problems.
- Work with a dietitian. If the food plan isn’t done the right way, you won’t find out what causes your problems and what doesn’t.
RESOURCES
American Gastroenterological Association http://www.gastro.org
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases http://www.niddk.nih.gov
CANADIAN RESOURCES
Canadian Association of Gastroenterology http://www.cag-acg.org
Canadian Digestive Health Foundation http://www.cdhf.ca
References
Halmos EP, Gibson PR. Controversies and reality of the FODMAP diet for patients with irritable bowel syndrome. J Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2019 Jul;34(7):1134-1142.
The low FODMAP diet approach: dietary triggers for IBS symptoms. Available at: https://www.aboutibs.org/low-fodmap-diet.html. Accessed February 3, 2021.
Syed K, Iswara K. (2020). Low-FODMAP Diet. In StatPearls. StatPearls Publishing.
Revision Information
- Reviewer: EBSCO Medical Review Board Dianne Scheinberg Rishikof MS, RD, LDN
- Review Date: 12/2020
- Update Date: 02/03/2021