FODMAPs - Part 2
Your FODMAPs Guide
This is more of a reset diet than a permanent way to live. Be sure not to get stuck in Step 1! It can be tempting if you feel better and your symptoms are under control…but the lack of fibre can cause issues in the future. No more than 6 weeks at Step 1, please!
It’s important enough to be repeated – No more than 6 weeks in Step 1, please!
…and, if you’re struggling with moving onto Step 2 or 3, reach out for some help. I’d be happy to help you move through these stages as gently as possible :)
Overview
Step 1 – Eat a low FODMAPs diet for 2 – 6 weeks
Step 2 – FODMAP Reintroduction: Test each food one by one, separated by 3 days (may take 8 – 12 weeks)
Step 3 – Your Personalized Way of Eating: You’ll know which foods are still causing symptoms, but you’ve been able to add many/most back in. Try those symptomatic foods every 3 months or so to see if you’re tolerating them.
This food list was taken from Monash University. It’s an excellent resource for the FODMAPs diet.
High FODMAP foods:
These are foods to reduce/eliminate during Step 1. Be aware when you eat them so you can understand if/why you’re having symptoms.
Vegetables: Artichoke, asparagus, cauliflower, garlic, green peas, mushrooms, onion, sugar snap peas
Fruit: Apples, apple juice, cherries, dried fruit, mango, nectarines, peaches, pears, plums, watermelon
Dairy & Alternatives: Cow’s milk, custard, evaporated milk, ice cream, soymilk (made from whole soybeans), sweetened condensed milk, yogurt
Protein: Most legumes/pulses, some marinated meats/poultry/seafood, some processed meats
Grains: Wheat/rye/barley-based breads, breakfast cereals, biscuits, and snack products
Nuts & Seeds: Cashews, pistachios
Sugars and sweeteners: High fructose corn syrup, honey, sugar-free candies, sugar alcohols (anything ending with “-itol”, like maltitol, xylitol, etc)
The high FODMAPs foods that cause the most symptoms -
If you find this list overwhelming (ya, I do too) but want to test if FODMAPs affect you, start with onions, garlic, and sugar alcohols. These tend to trigger the most symptoms. Remove them for a week and then test them one by one.
If you get full relief of your symptoms when you remove just these 3 foods – that’s all you need to do!
If you get partial relief – then you’re a good candidate for a 2 – 6 week low FODMAPs diet to see if it helps.
Low FODMAP foods:
Enjoy these foods with wild abundance during Step 1 and continue focusing on these foods during Step 2.
Vegetables: Aubergine/eggplant, bean(green), bok choy, capsicum (bell pepper), carrot, cucumber, lettuce, potato, tomato, zucchini
Fruit: Cantaloupe, grapes, kiwi fruit (green), mandarin, orange, pineapple, Strawberries
Dairy & alternatives: Almond milk, brie/camembert cheese, feta cheese, hard cheeses, lactose-free milk, soymilk (made from soy protein)
Protein: Eggs, firm tofu, plain cooked meats/poultry/seafood, tempeh
Grains: oats, quinoa, rice, corn, rice cakes (plain), sourdough spelt bread, wheat/rye/barley free breads
Sugar & Sweeteners: Dark chocolate (yay!), maple syrup, rice malt syrup, table sugar
(table sugar is a very refined food, but low FODMAPs. Still keep it to a minimum as it’ll feed bad bacteria in your colon)
Nuts & Seeds: Macadamias, peanuts, pumpkin seeds, walnuts
TIP:
This app from Monash University can be really helpful when grocery shopping. You’ll find a longer and more extensive list, subtleties like how much of a food you can eat without worrying about symptoms, along with the medium FODMAP foods:
https://www.monashfodmap.com/ibs-central/i-have-ibs/get-the-app/
Where to find low FODMAP recipes:
This diet is very popular and has inspired a slew of low FODMAPs cookbooks. Your local library may have a bunch. Here are a few websites:
Monash University Low FODMAP Recipe Index:
https://www.monashfodmap.com/recipe/
Fun Without FODMAPs
https://funwithoutfodmaps.com
Desiree Nielsen’s Low FODMAP recipes:
https://desireerd.com/vegan-low-fodmap-lunches/
Low FODMAP recipes from the BBC
https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/collection/low-fodmap-recipes
One more thing before you start, Head over to Part 3 to read the FAQs!
Got any questions or comments? Comment below, jump to our private Facebook Group, or the Ask Lisa page :).