FODMAPs

If you’re still having gut disorders or unexplained gastrointestinal or psychological symptoms after the first month of the Wellness Repair Plan, FODMAPs could be an underlying contributor. They are not the cause of IBS or other gut disorders, but can exacerbate those conditions.

FODMAP is an acronym that stands for:

  • Fermentable – short-chain carbohydrates that can be fermented by gut bacteria
  • Oligosaccharides – fructans & galactans
  • Disaccharides – lactose
  • Monosaccharides – fructose
  • And
  • Polyols – sugar alcohols

If you are following the Wellness Repair Plan, you’ll notice some of these foods are already eliminated. However, others are nutrient dense and should only be avoided or reduced if you discover a sensitivity to them.

A low FODMAP diet is a tool to manage symptoms while you work on the root cause of the symptoms (typically an infection of parasites, fungi and/or bacteria overgrowth). The goal is to continue to eat as many healthy whole foods as you can tolerate, fix the root cause of the symptoms and go back to enjoying higher FODMAP foods.

Functional medicine practitioner Kelsey Marksteiner, RD. reframes the importance of FODMAPs for health. “FODMAPs are fermentable carbohydrates that help to feed the beneficial bacteria in the large intestine. When you begin to think about them this way, it becomes a lot easier to understand why adhering to a diet low in the substrates that our healthy gut bacteria thrive on may not be a great idea.”

You’ll want to identify which types of FODMAPs you tolerate. Not many people are sensitive to all of them. It’s also likely you’ll be able to tolerate a small amount, even if you are sensitive. The amount you can tolerate is known as your “threshold level.” FODMAP Sensitivity can also fluctuate with other factors like stress and exposure to toxins.

High FODMAP Vegetables

  • Artichoke (Fructans)
  • Asparagus (Fructose, Fructans)
  • Baked beans (Galacto-Oligosaccharides – GOS)
  • Beetroot
  • Beets (Fructans)
  • Black beans
  • Black eyed peas
  • Broad beans
  • Broccoli
  • Brussels sprouts
  • Butter beans
  • Cassava
  • Cauliflower
  • Celery – greater than 5cm of stalk
  • Chickpeas (Galacto-Oligosaccharides – GOS)
  • Cho cho
  • Choko
  • Eggplant
  • Falafel
  • Fermented cabbage (ex, sauerkraut)
  • Garlic in large amounts (Fructans)
  • Haricot beans
  • Kidney beans (Galacto-Oligosaccharides – GOS)
  • Lentils (Galacto-Oligosaccharides – GOS)
  • Lima beans
  • Leek bulb (Fructans)
  • Mange Tout
  • Mixed vegetables
  • Mung beans
  • Mushrooms (Polyols)
  • Onions – Includes onion powder, pickled onions (Fructans)
  • Peas, sugar snap
  • Pickled vegetables
  • Red kidney beans
  • Savoy Cabbage
  • Soy beans / soya beans
  • Split peas
  • Scallions / spring onions (bulb / white part)
  • Shallots (Fructans)
  • Taro

High FODMAP Fruit

  • Apples (Fructose, Polyols)
  • Apricots (Polyols)
  • Avocado
  • Blackberries
  • Blackcurrants
  • Boysenberry
  • Cherries
  • Currants
  • Custard apple
  • Dates
  • Feijoa
  • Figs
  • Goji berries
  • Grapefruit
  • Guava, unripe
  • Lychee
  • Mango (Fructose)
  • Nectarines (Polyols)
  • Paw paw, dried
  • Peaches
  • Pears (Fructose, Polyols)
  • Persimmon
  • Pineapple, dried
  • Plums (Polyols)
  • Pomegranate
  • Prunes (Polyols)
  • Raisins
  • Sea buckthorns
  • Sultanas
  • Tamarillo
  • Tinned fruit in apple / pear juice
  • Watermelon (Fructose)

High FODMAP Nuts and Seeds

  • Cashews
  • Pistachio

High FODMAP Milk

  • Cow milk (Lactose)
  • Goat milk
  • Rice milk
  • Sheep’s milk
  • Soy milk made with soy beans

High FODMAP Dairy Foods

  • Buttermilk
  • Cheese, cream (Lactose)
  • Cheese, Halmoumi (Lactose)
  • Cheese, ricotta (Lactose)
  • Cream
  • Custard (Lactose)
  • Gelato
  • Ice cream (Lactose)
  • Kefir
  • Sour cream
  • Yogurt (Lactose)

High FODMAP Condiments

  • Hummus dip (Galacto-Oligosaccharides – GOS)
  • Jam (mixed berries)
  • Pasta sauce (cream based)
  • Relish
  • Tzatziki dip

High FODMAP Meat

  • Chorizo
  • Sausages
  • Processed meat (usually horrible for you for many reasons)

High FODMAP Breads, Cereals, Grains and Pasta

All not are not recommended.

  • Almond meal
  • Barley (Fructans)
  • Bran
  • Cous cous
  • Gnocchi
  • Granola
  • Muesli
  • Muffins
  • Rye (Fructans)
  • Semolina
  • Spelt
  • Wheat foods e.g. Bread, cereal, pasta (Fructans)

High FODMAP Sweeteners

  • Agave
  • High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) (Fructose)
  • Honey (Fructose)
  • Inulin (Fructans)
  • Isomalt (Polyols)
  • Maltitol (Polyols)
  • Mannitol (Polyols)
  • Sorbitol (Polyols)
  • Xylitol (Polyols)

High FODMAP Drinks & Protein Powders

  • Beer – if drinking more than one bottle
  • Coconut water
  • Cordial, apple and raspberry with 50-100% real juice
  • Cordial, orange with 25-50% real juice
  • Fruit and herbal teas with apple added
  • Fruit juices in large quantities
  • Fruit juices made of apple, pear, mango
  • Orange juice in quantities over 100ml
  • Rum
  • Sodas containing High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS)
  • Soy milk made with soy beans – commonly found in USA
  • Sports drinks
  • Tea:
    • Black tea with added soy milk
    • Chai tea, strong
    • Dandelion tea, strong
    • Fennel tea
    • Chamomile tea
    • Herbal tea, strong
    • Oolong tea
  • Wine – if drinking more than one glass
  • Whey protein, concentrate unless lactose free
  • Whey protein, hydrolyzed unless lactose free

High FODMAP Cooking Ingredients

  • Carob powder

Additional Information

IBSDiets.org has a printable chart.