FODMAP and Gut Health

Low FODMAP diet is a food plan that helps manage digestive issues and irritable bowel syndrome or IBS. This is done by lowering the high FODMAP foods in your diet. This unique diet is now often recommended for managing different digestive symptoms associated with IBS and SIBO or small intestine bacterial overgrowth.

What is FODMAP?

The acronym FODMAP stands for the following:

• Fermentable
• Oligosaccharides
• Disaccharides
• Monosaccharides and
• Polyols

FODMAP refers to the different kinds of sugars present in most natural foods known to trigger pain, gas, bloating, and fermentation in the gut.

Why Do You React to Foods with High FODMAP?

High FODMAP foods commonly cause bloating as a common reaction. It’s because your gut bacteria feed on these sugars and produce methane and hydrogen gases that cause bloating.
Bacteria in all the wrong places like the small intestine or having them in excessive amounts can lead to this sensitivity. It is what you refer to as SIBO or Small Intestine Bacterial Overgrowth that can be identified with the help of a breath test.
The following are other common causes of reactivity to foods that contain high FODMAP:

• Overgrowth of the fungi Candida in the gut
  Poor food digestion
  Emotional or psychological stress

Effects of Low FODMAP Diet on Gut Health

The latest studies revealed that most people suffering from IBS experienced improvements in their symptoms while following a low FODMAP diet.
However, the good news is that a low FODMAP diet is not only beneficial for IBS sufferers but it can also be great in addressing other gut problems including Colitis, Crohn’s, and celiac disease.
This special type of diet is also discovered to reduce inflammation measured by the gut’s histamine content. As a result, it helps cut down neurological symptoms like brain fog that is linked with IBS.
After receiving an examination from your GP for other conditions like celiac disease, the low FODMAP diet can reset your gut and ease your symptoms. It also works on the underlying culprits behind your gut problems at the same time, preferably with a healthcare professional. This also helps identify and isolate the specific food groups that cause your symptoms.

Common FODMAP Foods

You can find FODMAPS in a plethora of foods that don’t seem to be related at all. These include the following:

• Fruits

Fruits with high FODMAP include apples, cherries, dried fruit, mangoes, and pears.

• Cereals and grains

Rye and wheat are the cereals and grains with high FODMAP.

• High lactose dairy

Milk and soft cheeses are dairy foods high in lactose and FODMAP.

• High lactose nuts

Cashews and pistachios are good examples of high-lactose nuts.

• Legumes

Beans, chickpeas, and lentils are legumes with high FODMAP.

• Sweeteners and sugars

You can also find FODMAPS in common drinks and foods sweetened with sugar. These are usually available in the form of sugar polyols including erythritol, sorbitol, and xylitol as well as fructose.

• Vegetables

Cauliflower, garlic, leeks, mushrooms, and onion are high FODMAP veggies.