IBS and FODMAPS Diet

FODMAPs stands for "Fermentable Oligo, Di, Mono Saccharides and Polyols," that's a very long term for short and medium chains of sugars that may cause IBS symptoms in some persons.

FODMAPs can cause IBS symptoms in two main ways: the first way is that these sugars get fermented in our gut by bacteria and therefore cause the production of gas, bloating and inflammation.

The second way FODMAPS can cause trouble is when the body is unable to break them down through natural digestive processes and these molecules of sugar start to attract water molecules and therefore start to form diarrhea or bloating.  Lactose is a form of FODMAPs and if you don't have the enzyme that digests lactose (the enzyme is called lactase, of course), then the lactose stays in your gut and causes trouble.  This situation is called "lactose intolerance"  but there are many other types of sugars--not just lactose--that can be a culprit depending on what enzymes you lack.  For example, over the years I have worked with patients who have difficulty digesting or breaking down fructose--the sugar in fruits--and they have symptoms similar to lactose intolerance but they're caused by fruit instead of milk. 

Here is a list of FODMAPs foods that I've used in the clinic to treat patients.  The list is not intuitive and it is made up of foods that you don't typically group together--that's what makes it hard to diagnose sometimes.  Also, you don't have to be sensitive to all the lists on the FODMAPs food list. It is a matter of trial-and-error to figure out what foods you may be sensitive to.  My patients can take several months of trial-and-error and observation to figure out what type of FODMAPS foods cause trouble for them.

Foods That are High in FODMAPS, and should therefore be avoided:

Excess Fructose
  Fruits in general. Apples, pears, peaches, mango, watermelon, tinned fruit, honey, fructose, high fructose corn syrup, dried fruit, large amounts of fruit

Excess Lactose
  Milk, goat, sheep-milk, Yogurt, Cheeses specially soft and fresh types such as cottage cheese, ricotta


Excess Oligosaccharides
  Artichokes, asparagus, beets, brussel sprouts, broccoli, cabbage, fennel, garlic, leeks, okra, onions, peas, shallots
  Wheat, rye, oats, barley, pasta, biscuits
  Legumes such as beans, chickpeas, lentils, baked beans, and soybean/soybean products
  Garlic, onions,

Excess Polyols
  Apples, apricots, cherries, longgan, lychee, nectarine, pears, peaches, plums, prunes, watermelon
  Avocado, cauliflower, mushrooms


Foods That are Low in FODMAPS, and may be eaten with less symptoms:

Proteins
   Fish, chicken, beef, pork, seafood, egg whites

Low FODMAPS Fruits
   Banana (ripe only), berries, grapes, kiwi, pineapples, lemon, lime, mandarin orange

Low FODMAPS Vegetables
    Bell peppers, bok choy, eggplant, sqush, spinach, tomatoes, zuchini
    Cooking vegetables for a longer time may also help as it breaks down some of the FODMAPS

Beverages/Dairy Substitutes
     Almond milk, rice milk, black coffee, tea