Description
“FODMAP” is the acronym for Fermentable Oligosaccharides, Disaccharides, Monosaccharides and Polyols, a group of short-chain carbohydrates and sugar alcohols (polyols).
FODMAPs can cause undesirable gastric symptoms in people who have difficulty digesting them, including gas, bloating and diarrhoea. These symptoms are often caused by a condition called small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO), which can be effectively treated and resolved when you work with a qualified and experienced practitioner. Most practitioners will recommend a low FODMAP diet in the short term to help alleviate symptoms during treatment.
The most effective way to see if FODMAPs are the culprit behind your symptoms is to follow a low FODMAP diet (e.g. this plan). Keep a food and symptom diary and note down any changes in symptoms, both good and bad.
A low FODMAP diet should only be used in the short-term, to alleviate gut symptoms associated with small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) or irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). It is important that you seek advice from a qualified practitioner to establish the underlying drivers of your gut issues and effectively treat them, so that you are able to reintroduce many of the excluded foods in a low FODMAP eating plan.
