Fermentable.Theseareallfoodsthatyourgutbacteriafeedon,convertingthemtogassesinachemicalprocesscalledfermentation.
Monosaccharides.Fructose,thesugarinfruit,isthefermentablesugarinthisgroup.Butonlyincertainquantitiesandproportions,sonotallfruitsareaffected.
Polyols.Thesearesugaralcohols,commonlyusedasartificialsweeteners.Theyarealsofoundnaturallyinsomefruits.
Certainfruits,vegetables,grainsandproteinsarehigherandlowerinFODMAPs.SomeareOKtoeatinlimitedamountsbutwillbotheryouinlargeramounts.Forexample,mostlegumesandprocessedmeatsarehighinFODMAPs,butplain-cookedmeats,tofuandeggsarelow-FODMAPproteinsources.Apples,watermelonandstonefruitsarehighinFODMAPs,butgrapes,strawberriesandpineapplesareOK.Aripebananaishighinfructose,butyoucanhaveuptoathirdcutupinyourcereal,oryoucanhaveawholeoneifit’snotquiteripe.Yourdietitiancanhelpprovideyouwiththesekindsofspecificguidelinesforyourdiet.
Planahead.Thisisatemporarydiet,butit’sasignificantinvestmentoftimeandtroubleinthemeantime.Makesureyoureserveachunkoftimetocompleteitwhenitwon’tconflictwithotherimportanteventsorobligations.Youcan’tcheatonaneliminationdiet—thewholeexperimentcollapsesifyoudo.Makeanintentionalcommitmenttoyourselftocompletetheprocessbeforeyoustart.Bedeliberateaboutsettingthestage.Clearyourfridgeandpantryofhigh-FODMAPfoodsandpreparesomemenuplansinadvance.Makesureyouhaveingredientsforafewsimplestandbymealsthatyouknowyoucanprepareandenjoyeasily.
Phase1:Healthcareprovidersrecommendatleasttwoweeksandnomorethansixweeksfortheeliminationphase.Itcantaketimeforthisphasetoworkandyoursymptomstosubside.IfyouhaveSIBO,theprocessofstarvingyourovergrowngutbacteriamayproducedetoxsymptoms,makingyoufeelworsebeforeyoufeelbetter.Butevenifyoufeelgreatontheeliminationphase,it’snotmeanttobepermanent.It’simportanttofindoutwhichfoodsyoumaybeabletoreintroduceandtolerate.Amoremoderatedietwillbeeasiertomaintainovertime,andinnutrition,varietyisalwaysthebestpolicyforgettingallofyourmicronutrients.
Phases2&3:Thelengthofthereintroductionphasecanvarydependingontheindividual,buttheaveragetimeisabouteightweeks.Duringthisphase,you’llstayonthelow-FODMAPdietwhilereintroducingahighFODMAPfoodfromeachFODMAPcategory,oneatatime.You’llspendafewdaystestingeachfoodinincreasingquantitiestofindyourtolerancethreshold.Betweeneachtest,you’llspendafewdaysbackonthestricteliminationdiettoavoidanycrossovereffects.Onceyoufindoutwhatworksforyouandwhatdoesn’t,youandyourhealthcareprovidercanputtogetherasustainable,nutritiousdietplanthatyoucankeepindefinitely,oruntilyouwanttoretest.
AnotefromClevelandClinicThelow-FODMAPdietisaspecificapproachtoidentifyingandreducingfoodsthatmaybeirritatingyourgutandcausingyougastrointestinaldistress.Ifyouhavechronicsymptomsorfoodsensitivities,youmightbenefitfromfollowingthesystematiceliminationprocess.Althoughit’sstrictintheshortterm,thisisnotalifestylediet.Theintentistoisolateyourfoodtriggersandthenreintroduceasmanyfoodsaspossible.ManyofthefoodsidentifiedasFODMAPsrepresentanormallyhealthydiet.Theyincludenutritiousvegetables,fruitsandwholegrains.Thesearen’t“bad”foods—buteliminatingtheonesthattroubleyoucanhelpyouenjoytheonesthatdon’t.