What are FODMAPs?

What are FODMAPs? 

Written by our Accredited Dietitian, Aleesha Robertson in collaboration with Bowlsome.

FODMAPs are a group of dietary sugars found in foods naturally or as food additives, such as specific dairy products, wheat and other grains, and fruits and vegetables. FODMAPs are poorly absorbed in the small intestine and when they reach the large intestine, they are rapidly fermented but the gut microbiome (bacteria), where they produce gas and attract water. The gas and water cause the intestinal wall to stretch and expand, which can trigger symptoms in people with IBS. People with IBS have a highly sensitive gut; ‘stretching’ the intestinal wall causes exaggerated sensations of pain and discomfort.

What does FODMAP stand for? 

FODMAP is an acronym for: 

• Fermentable – meaning they are broken down (fermented) by bacteria in the large bowel
• Oligosaccharides (fructans, galacto-oligosaccharides [GOS]) 
• Disaccharides (lactose)
• Monosaccharides (fructose in excess of glucose)
• Polyols (sorbitol, mannitol, maltitol, xylitol and isomalt) 

Foods high in FODMAPs

Excess Fructose (fruit sugar)	Fructans	Lactose (milk sugar)	Galacto-Oligosaccharides (GOS)	Polyols
Apples  Artichokes Asparagus Boysenberry Confectionary (jellies and jubes) Dried fruit Figs Fruit juices High-fructose corn syrup Honey Mango Pear Sugar snap peas  Tamarillo Watermelon	Artichoke  Beetroot  Chicory  Cereals: wheat and rye in large amounts (e.g. bread, crackers, cookies, couscous, pasta) Custard apples  Garlic (and powder) Leek Nectarines Onion (and powder)   Persimmon Spring onion (white part)  Shallots Tamarillo White peaches	Custard Condensed milk Dairy desserts Evaporated milk Ice cream Milk Milk powder  Soft unripened cheeses (e.g. ricotta, cottage, cream, mascarpone) Yoghurt	Cashews  Chickpeas  Legume beans (e.g. baked beans, kidney beans, borlotti beans)  Lentils Pistachio nuts	Apples  Apricots Blackberries Cauliflower Longon  Lychee  Mushrooms Nashi pears Nectarines Peaches  Pears  Plums  Prunes  Snow peas Isomalt (953) Maltitol (965) Mannitol (421) Sorbitol (420) Low-calorie chewing gum may contain sorbitol.  Xylitol (967)

What is IBS?

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is a common functional gastrointestinal (GI) disorder affecting one in seven adults. IBS is characterised by GI symptoms such as;

• Bloating and distension
• Excess wind
• Lower abdominal pain 
• Altered bowel habits (diarrhoea and/or constipation) 

The exact cause of IBS is unknown, as there is no abnormal pathology in people with IBS. However, several risk factors may increase susceptibility to IBS, including diet, smoking, alcohol consumption, genetic factors, small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO), stress, anxiety, other psychological conditions, and intolerances or severe infections. If you are experiencing symptoms of IBS it is important not to self-diagnose. Symptoms of IBS can also be seen in other gastrointestinal diseases and disorders such as coeliac disease, inflammatory bowel disease, endometriosis and bowel cancer or bowel infection which may require medical management. It is essential to consult a doctor who can evaluate your symptoms and rule out any other gastrointestinal diseases or more suitable eating plans. 

Low FODMAP diet 

The low FODMAP diet is a proven, evidence-based dietary therapy for treating and managing IBS. It is important to note that FODMAPs are not the cause of IBS, but managing them in the diet can help reduce IBS symptoms. 

Restriction of most foods on the FODMAP list may be required for 2-6 weeks to establish if it improves your symptoms. Once symptoms improve, the standard process involves reintroducing specific foods to identify the main dietary triggers and an individual's tolerance levels. Progress should be monitored by an accredited dietitian, who can provide guidance on which foods can be gradually reintroduced into your diet.

Low FODMAP alternatives

Fruits	Vegetables	Protein	Dairy & alternatives	Breads/ cereals	Sugars/ sweeteners	Nuts and seeds
Banana Blueberries Citrus fruit (most eg lemon,  lime, mandarin, orange) Dragon fruit Grapes Honeydew melon Kiwifruit  Pawpaw Passionfruit Pawpaw Pineapple Raspberries Rockmelon Rhubarb Strawberries	Bok choy Cabbage  Capsicum (red) Carrot Choko Cucumber Eggplant Green beans Kale Lettuce Olives Parsnips Potato Pumpkin Radish Seaweed Silverbeet Spinach Spring onion  (green tips) Swede Tomato Turnip Zucchini	Meat eg beef, lamb, pork Poultry eg chicken, turkey Fish Eggs  Firm tofu, Quorn mince	Lactose-free milk & yoghurt  Firm cheese (eg cheddar, colby, feta, mozzarella, Swiss, brie, camembert)  Rice milk (most types) Soy milk from protein isolate  Cottage cheese Lactose-free icecream  Ice cream substitutes- gelati, sorbet	Buckwheat flour Cornflour polenta Cornflakes Gluten-free bread  Millet Oats Quinoa Rice Rice cakes, Rice Bubbles Sago Spelt bread Sour dough Tapioca	Berry flavoured jam (not sweetened with apple or pear concentrate)  Dark chocolate Maple syrup Rice malt syrup Table sugar	Nuts– Brazil, macadamia,  peanuts, pecans, walnuts Seeds- Chia, pumpkin, sesame,  sunflower

Top Tips on the Low FODMAP Diet

• Choose colourful, low FODMAP fruits: strawberries, bananas, blueberries, grapes, rockmelon, pineapple, oranges, kiwifruit.
• Avoid consuming large amounts of fruit at once (2–3 hours between servings).
• Select low FODMAP vegetables: spinach, carrots, capsicum, eggplant, bok choy, tomatoes, zucchini, potatoes.
• Use wheat and rye-free, all-purpose flour blends free of soy.
• Opt for low lactose dairy: ripened cheeses (parmesan, Swiss), lactose-free yogurt, lactose-free kefir milk.
• Include a variety of meats, fish, poultry, and oils.
• Choose low FODMAP nuts and seeds: walnuts, almonds, peanuts, pecans, pine nuts, macadamia nuts, sesame seeds.

Low FODMAP Bowlsome meals 

Bowlsome's nutritious range caters for individuals following a low FODMAP diet or who have trouble digesting certain high FODMAP foods, these are there 5 key options that have been identified as being low FODMAP;

• Chicken Caesar 
• Asian Chicken Slaw 
• Grilled/ Mediterranean/ Sous Vide/ Perri Perri chicken- sliced 
• Brown Rice Salad – 1kg 
• Chia Pots 

Note the below options would also be considered low FODMAP in the correct portions;

• Chicken Gado Gado - only 25g beetroot considered low FOD
• Rockmelon fruit pots – 120g or less considered low FOD

Want to learn more about FODMAPs?

• Monash University Low FODMAP Diet app: The app includes a FODMAP database which contains hundreds of foods tested for FODMAP composition and provides up-to-date information on managing gastrointestinal symptoms associated with IBS. Use this app in conjunction with a dietetic consultation http://www.med.monash.edu/cecs/gastro/fodmap/iphone-app.html 
• FODMAP Friendly: The FODMAP Friendly Certification Program, marked by the FODMAP Friendly logo, certifies low FODMAP food products that have been laboratory tested https://fodmapfriendly.com/ 
• FodShop: https://fodshopper.com.au/pages/about 

Are you struggling with IBS symptoms or not sure how to safely implement the low FODMAP diet? Book in with Aleesha below! 

REFERENCES

Burke, L., Deakin, V. and Minehan, M. (2015) Clinical sports nutrition. Sydney: McGraw-Hill Education/Australia. 

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) (no date) Dietitians Australia. Available at: https://dietitiansaustralia.org.au/health-advice/irritable-bowel-syndrome-ibs (Accessed: 24 June 2024). 

Monash University low Fodmap (no date) Low FODMAP Diet | IBS Research at Monash University - Monash Fodmap. Available at: https://www.monashfodmap.com/ (Accessed: 24 June 2024). 

What are fodmaps? (2020) FODMAP Friendly. Available at: https://fodmapfriendly.com/what-are-fodmaps/ (Accessed: 24 June 2024).