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See Also
See Again
© Shutterstock
0 / 30 Fotos
What are FODMAPs?
- FODMAP is an acronym for Fermentable Oligosaccharides, Disaccharides, Monosaccharides, and Polyols.
© Shutterstock
1 / 30 Fotos
What are FODMAPs?
- That's a bit of a mouthful! Basically, they are a group of fermentable carbohydrates found in many foods and are notorious for triggering digestive issues such as bloating, gas, and abdominal pains.
© Shutterstock
2 / 30 Fotos
IBS - FODMAPs are particularly problematic for those who suffer from Irritable Bowel Syndrome, or IBS. If you have these symptoms, then reducing your intake of high FODMAP foods can provide significant relief.
© iStock
3 / 30 Fotos
Who should try this diet? - The low FODMAP diet is very restrictive so it's only recommended for those with a very unhappy gut, when other measures have failed. It's best to speak with your doctor or a dietician before attempting it.
© iStock
4 / 30 Fotos
How it works - Thankfully, the low FODMAP diet is only for temporary use. The idea is to completely restrict the troublesome foods from your diet for a period to allow your gut to recover, and then slowly reintroduce them one by one so you can see which foods lead to unpleasant side effects.
© Shutterstock
5 / 30 Fotos
How it works - This method allows you to create a new diet for yourself which only restricts the foods that really cause problems. Every person is different and will have different levels of sensitivity to different foods. This is the best way to test it out!
© iStock
6 / 30 Fotos
How it works - Unlike most diets, it requires cutting out many foods that are generally considered to be healthy! But if you have a sensitive gut, certain healthy foods may still cause digestive trouble.
© Shutterstock
7 / 30 Fotos
What does the low FODMAP diet look like?
- A low FODMAP diet is rather restrictive, so it's easier to list the foods you can eat rather than the ones you can't!
© Shutterstock
8 / 30 Fotos
Starchy carbs - Most standard sources of carbohydrates like pasta, bread, and cereals are off the table. Luckily, rice is low in FODMAPs, so dinner isn't totally ruined! Quinoa, buckwheat, and oats are also good alternatives.
© Shutterstock
9 / 30 Fotos
Onions and garlic
- Devastatingly, garlic and onions are both very high in FODMAPs. Some low FODMAP alternatives to keep your meals flavorful include chives, chili, fenugreek, ginger, lemongrass, mustard seeds, saffron, and turmeric.
© Shutterstock
10 / 30 Fotos
Fruit - All fruits contain fructose, but luckily some have lower amounts so they can be considered low FODMAP.
© Yasmin Lourenço
11 / 30 Fotos
Fruit - Apples, pears, peaches, plums, mangos, and cherries are all high FODMAP.
© Shutterstock
12 / 30 Fotos
Fruit - But oranges, mandarins, strawberries, blueberries, kiwis, and unripe bananas are safe.
© Shutterstock
13 / 30 Fotos
Vegetables - For vegetables, it's best to cut out mushrooms, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, leeks, and asparagus.
© Shutterstock
14 / 30 Fotos
Vegetables
- Carrots, tomatoes, zucchini, eggplant, spinach, and kale get the green light.
© Shutterstock
15 / 30 Fotos
Protein sources
- Carnivores will be pleased to learn that unprocessed meats and fish are FODMAP free!
© Shutterstock
16 / 30 Fotos
Protein sources
- The vegetarians and vegans out there will have a harder time finding protein sources as most beans, chickpeas, and lentils are high in FODMAPs. Luckily, tofu, nuts, and seeds are generally safe.
© Shutterstock
17 / 30 Fotos
Dairy products - Many dairy products like milk, yogurt, and soft cheeses contain lactose, which make them high FODMAP.
© Shutterstock
18 / 30 Fotos
Dairy products
- Matured cheeses tend to lose their lactose, so they're a safer bet. Cheddar, feta, and Parmesan cheese are all low FODMAP.
© Shutterstock
19 / 30 Fotos
Drinks - Luckily tea and coffee are safe, as well as clear alcohols like gin and vodka! Sweetened drinks are more likely to cause problems.
© Shutterstock
20 / 30 Fotos
Drinks - Even orange juice, which is made from a low FODMAP fruit, can be dangerous. Sweeteners are usually added, which turn it into a high FODMAP beverage.
© Shutterstock
21 / 30 Fotos
What next?
- Once you've determined which foods are high FODMAP and which ones are low FODMAP, it's a good idea to plan out what you're going to eat while on the Low FODMAP Diet.
© Shutterstock
22 / 30 Fotos
Plan - As you may need to change your diet significantly for a few weeks, it's a good idea to plan out what interesting new recipes you'll make so you don't get bored and give up!
© Shutterstock
23 / 30 Fotos
Stage 1: Restriction
- The first step is to cut out all high FODMAP foods for 3-8 weeks, depending on how long it takes for your digestive system to recover and your symptoms to disappear.
© Shutterstock
24 / 30 Fotos
Stage 2: Reintroduction - Once you've been on your low FODMAP diet and start to have relief from your digestive symptoms, you can slowly start the second phase: reintroduction.
© iStock
25 / 30 Fotos
Stage 2: Reintroduction
- Reintroduce one specific high FODMAP food to your diet for three days. It should be an individual product like milk, white bread, or onions.
© Shutterstock
26 / 30 Fotos
Stage 2: Reintroduction
- Make note of whether that food caused digestive problems or not. After the three days, return to your low FODMAP diet and continue testing one food at a time.
© Shutterstock
27 / 30 Fotos
Stage 3: Personalization
- Once you've tried all of the high FODMAP foods you wanted to reintroduce to your diet, you should have a list of the foods that cause problems and the foods that don't. Now you can begin building your new diet based on the foods that work for you!
© Shutterstock
28 / 30 Fotos
Say goodbye to pain
- Hopefully your digestive discomfort will be a thing of the past. See also: How your lifestyle maybe be harming your gut.
© Shutterstock
29 / 30 Fotos
© Shutterstock
0 / 30 Fotos
What are FODMAPs?
- FODMAP is an acronym for Fermentable Oligosaccharides, Disaccharides, Monosaccharides, and Polyols.
© Shutterstock
1 / 30 Fotos
What are FODMAPs?
- That's a bit of a mouthful! Basically, they are a group of fermentable carbohydrates found in many foods and are notorious for triggering digestive issues such as bloating, gas, and abdominal pains.
© Shutterstock
2 / 30 Fotos
IBS - FODMAPs are particularly problematic for those who suffer from Irritable Bowel Syndrome, or IBS. If you have these symptoms, then reducing your intake of high FODMAP foods can provide significant relief.
© iStock
3 / 30 Fotos
Who should try this diet? - The low FODMAP diet is very restrictive so it's only recommended for those with a very unhappy gut, when other measures have failed. It's best to speak with your doctor or a dietician before attempting it.
© iStock
4 / 30 Fotos
How it works - Thankfully, the low FODMAP diet is only for temporary use. The idea is to completely restrict the troublesome foods from your diet for a period to allow your gut to recover, and then slowly reintroduce them one by one so you can see which foods lead to unpleasant side effects.
© Shutterstock
5 / 30 Fotos
How it works - This method allows you to create a new diet for yourself which only restricts the foods that really cause problems. Every person is different and will have different levels of sensitivity to different foods. This is the best way to test it out!
© iStock
6 / 30 Fotos
How it works - Unlike most diets, it requires cutting out many foods that are generally considered to be healthy! But if you have a sensitive gut, certain healthy foods may still cause digestive trouble.
© Shutterstock
7 / 30 Fotos
What does the low FODMAP diet look like?
- A low FODMAP diet is rather restrictive, so it's easier to list the foods you can eat rather than the ones you can't!
© Shutterstock
8 / 30 Fotos
Starchy carbs - Most standard sources of carbohydrates like pasta, bread, and cereals are off the table. Luckily, rice is low in FODMAPs, so dinner isn't totally ruined! Quinoa, buckwheat, and oats are also good alternatives.
© Shutterstock
9 / 30 Fotos
Onions and garlic
- Devastatingly, garlic and onions are both very high in FODMAPs. Some low FODMAP alternatives to keep your meals flavorful include chives, chili, fenugreek, ginger, lemongrass, mustard seeds, saffron, and turmeric.
© Shutterstock
10 / 30 Fotos
Fruit - All fruits contain fructose, but luckily some have lower amounts so they can be considered low FODMAP.
© Yasmin Lourenço
11 / 30 Fotos
Fruit - Apples, pears, peaches, plums, mangos, and cherries are all high FODMAP.
© Shutterstock
12 / 30 Fotos
Fruit - But oranges, mandarins, strawberries, blueberries, kiwis, and unripe bananas are safe.
© Shutterstock
13 / 30 Fotos
Vegetables - For vegetables, it's best to cut out mushrooms, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, leeks, and asparagus.
© Shutterstock
14 / 30 Fotos
Vegetables
- Carrots, tomatoes, zucchini, eggplant, spinach, and kale get the green light.
© Shutterstock
15 / 30 Fotos
Protein sources
- Carnivores will be pleased to learn that unprocessed meats and fish are FODMAP free!
© Shutterstock
16 / 30 Fotos
Protein sources
- The vegetarians and vegans out there will have a harder time finding protein sources as most beans, chickpeas, and lentils are high in FODMAPs. Luckily, tofu, nuts, and seeds are generally safe.
© Shutterstock
17 / 30 Fotos
Dairy products - Many dairy products like milk, yogurt, and soft cheeses contain lactose, which make them high FODMAP.
© Shutterstock
18 / 30 Fotos
Dairy products
- Matured cheeses tend to lose their lactose, so they're a safer bet. Cheddar, feta, and Parmesan cheese are all low FODMAP.
© Shutterstock
19 / 30 Fotos
Drinks - Luckily tea and coffee are safe, as well as clear alcohols like gin and vodka! Sweetened drinks are more likely to cause problems.
© Shutterstock
20 / 30 Fotos
Drinks - Even orange juice, which is made from a low FODMAP fruit, can be dangerous. Sweeteners are usually added, which turn it into a high FODMAP beverage.
© Shutterstock
21 / 30 Fotos
What next?
- Once you've determined which foods are high FODMAP and which ones are low FODMAP, it's a good idea to plan out what you're going to eat while on the Low FODMAP Diet.
© Shutterstock
22 / 30 Fotos
Plan - As you may need to change your diet significantly for a few weeks, it's a good idea to plan out what interesting new recipes you'll make so you don't get bored and give up!
© Shutterstock
23 / 30 Fotos
Stage 1: Restriction
- The first step is to cut out all high FODMAP foods for 3-8 weeks, depending on how long it takes for your digestive system to recover and your symptoms to disappear.
© Shutterstock
24 / 30 Fotos
Stage 2: Reintroduction - Once you've been on your low FODMAP diet and start to have relief from your digestive symptoms, you can slowly start the second phase: reintroduction.
© iStock
25 / 30 Fotos
Stage 2: Reintroduction
- Reintroduce one specific high FODMAP food to your diet for three days. It should be an individual product like milk, white bread, or onions.
© Shutterstock
26 / 30 Fotos
Stage 2: Reintroduction
- Make note of whether that food caused digestive problems or not. After the three days, return to your low FODMAP diet and continue testing one food at a time.
© Shutterstock
27 / 30 Fotos
Stage 3: Personalization
- Once you've tried all of the high FODMAP foods you wanted to reintroduce to your diet, you should have a list of the foods that cause problems and the foods that don't. Now you can begin building your new diet based on the foods that work for you!
© Shutterstock
28 / 30 Fotos
Say goodbye to pain
- Hopefully your digestive discomfort will be a thing of the past. See also: How your lifestyle maybe be harming your gut.
© Shutterstock
29 / 30 Fotos
A beginner's guide to the Low FODMAP Diet
The amazing diet that relieves a wide range of digestive problems
© Shutterstock
The Low FODMAP Diet is one of the trendy new diets doing the rounds, but it's not like the rest. The Low FODMAP Diet isn't about losing weight or gaining muscles: it's directed at those who suffer from persistent gastric problems like IBS. An unhappy gut can seriously impact your quality of life, limiting your social activities and frequently leaving you in pain and discomfort.
This groundbreaking new diet is really very simple: cut out all foods that might be causing the problem and then reintroduce them one by one to find the real culprit! It's the best way to improve your gut health without having to randomly cut out whole food groups from your diet long term. Click through the following gallery to get into the details, and possibly change your life!
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