FODMAPS WTH?

SIBO loves high FODMAP apples.

It was recently brought to my attention that I've mentioned FODMAPs and the importance of eating low FODMAP foods for controlling SIBO many, many times on this blog without every actually explaining what the hell a FODMAP is.

In case you were wondering...

FODMAP is an acronym that stands for Fermentable Oligosaccharides, Disaccharides, Monosaccharides And Polyols.

These mysterious Os, Ds, Ms and Ps are compounds found in specific carbohydrate-containing foods, namely starches (oligosaccharides), sugars (mono and disaccharides) and sugar alcohols (polyols).

Being fermentable means the compounds are consumed by microbes such as yeast and bacteria—organisms which produce gasses as a byproduct of digestion. The more of these organisms you have in your gut (enter SIBO), the more your belly will fill up with gas when you eat FODMAPs.


 A few examples of different high FODMAP foods are:

• Fermentable....
• Oligosaccharides: wheat & rye, beans, onions, garlic, cashew, pistachio
• Disaccharides: Lactose (liquid milk, ice cream, soft unripened cheese)
• Monosaccharides: Fructose in fruits (esp apple, pear, mango), HFCS, agave & honey, asparagus, jerusalem artichokes,
• Polyols: Xylitol/sorbitol/mannitol, celery, mushroom, snow pea, stone fruits including avocado

The best place to learn more about FODMAPS is the Monash University website. Monash  has done most of the research in this field, notably by testing thousands of different foods for FODMAP content, and they have an awesome app you can buy for about ten bucks.

I also love registered dietitian Kate Scarlata's website and blog, dedicated to the low FODMAP diet. Kate also has created the best, free downloadable charts I've seen anywhere, plus she posts great recipes and wonderful articles that are informative and fun to read. Thank you, Kate!