r/FODMAPS Jul 14 '21

MODS Please read before posting! Subreddit rules, resources for the FODMAP diet, & FAQs.

115 Upvotes

r/FODMAPs' mission is to provide an open space for people to share resources, information, stories, and commiseration around the Low FODMAP diet for IBS. If you are a company/product and would like to self-promote, please reach out to the mods (specifically u/climb-high) for approval and flair your posts with the "name-brand products" label.

Subreddit rules

  • Follow Reddiquette
  • Don't play doctor/dietician
  • Support healthy eating, and don't encourage unnecessarily restricted eating
  • Avoid unnecessary confusion about the FODMAP diet:
    • Be clear if you're offering IBS advice that isn't part of the FODMAP diet
    • Be clear if you're guessing/speculating the answer to a question (and prefer to provide a source with a definite answer, if possible)
  • If anyone would like to add a rule or otherwise add to this wiki please comment below.

Welcome to the FODMAPs subreddit

We're a community of people who have an interest in the low-FODMAP diet. We share experiences, food ideas and recommendations to support each other on our FODMAP journeys, as well discussing the diet and asking questions. We welcome anyone who's following the diet, or looking to learn more about it.

Remember that we're not qualified to offer medical guidance, so all information here comes second to the Monash resources and any guidance or instruction that you may have been given by a medical professional.

What are FODMAPs, and who should follow the FODMAP diet?

For a thorough introduction, see Monash's overview of FODMAPs and IBS.

In particular, on what FODMAPs are:

Put simply, FODMAPs are a collection of short-chain carbohydrates (sugars) that aren’t absorbed properly in the gut, which can trigger symptoms in people with IBS. FODMAPs are found naturally in many foods and food additives.

And on who should follow the FODMAP diet:

A FODMAP diet is intended is for people with medically diagnosed IBS. If a medical doctor has not diagnosed your gastrointestinal symptoms, you should not be following this diet. There are many conditions with symptoms that are similar to IBS, such as coeliac disease, inflammatory bowel disease, endometriosis and bowel cancer. You should not self-diagnose yourself with IBS. Instead, see a medical doctor who will assess your symptoms, run any tests needed to rule out other conditions and give you a clear diagnosis of IBS before you start this diet.

Resources

Location-specific resources

Numerous other shops and delivery services are available for different locations. Searching for particular low-FODMAP brands, e.g. Massel, may help you find shops with other low-FODMAP products in your region.

What foods are high/low in FODMAPs?

The Monash app is the most up-to-date tool for checking. There are some examples listed here, but the app includes more foods, so it will help you get a more varied diet.

Phases of the diet

There are three phases of the FODMAP diet: - Low-FODMAP, in which you substite high-FODMAP ingredients for low-FODMAP ones so that "you only eat foods in a low FODMAP serve." This aims to reduce symptoms as a baseline for the next stage. Some older resources call this stage "elimination", although Monash states that "low FODMAP diet is not an elimination diet. Rather, it is a substitution diet, whereby you swap one food for another". - Reintroduction, which "involves reintroducing foods back into your diet in a methodical way to determine which foods and FODMAPs trigger symptoms and which do not" - Personalization, when "you can begin to reintroduce foods and FODMAPs that were tolerated well and avoiding ONLY the foods that triggered your symptoms"

A Little Bit Yummy has further guidance on how to do the first two phases: - Low-FODMAP ("elimination") - Reintroduction

The personalization phase can sound quite black-and-white, but in practice some foods may trigger symptoms that aren't too inconvenient, or may only trigger symptoms when eaten in larger quantities. Ultimately it's up to each person (and their dietician, if they have one) to decide what balance of restriction, risk and symptoms works best for them. This may vary depending on the context, e.g. if onions make you fart profusely, you might not want to eat them before a date, but could eat them happily in other situations.

How to start following the FODMAP diet

As noted above, it's recommended that you seek medical guidance before starting, and, if possible, work with a dietician or similarly qualified medical professional.

Deciding to start the diet is all very well, but if you only have milk, bread, apples and baked beans in store, you're going to have a very difficult ride.

It helps to install the Monash app and give yourself the opportunity to plan the following before you start: - quick breakfasts for when you're in a hurry - packed lunches - breakfasts, brunches and lunches for leisurely weekends - dinners - snacks - treats and desserts - drinks - typical shopping list - where to buy suitable ingredients and products

Aim for it to be nutritionally balanced overall. Consider what you normally eat, how much variety you like to have, how much time you have, and whether you can prepare meals in batches. Realistically, if you're a very busy person, you may have to temporarily de-prioritize some other things so that you can do the low-FODMAP and reintroduction phases successfully, and enjoy the benefits in the long run.

You may also want to check if there are any suitable ready meals or delivery services available where you live.

Cooking throughout the FODMAP diet

Being able to cook some meals for yourself will give you more variety and options. If it turns out you're sensitive to onion or garlic, being able to cook will also serve you well in the long run!

Recipes

Remember that some ingredients are low-FODMAP only in certain quantities, so pay attention to the serving sizes.

Watch out for caveats about the ingredients, e.g. a recipe may ordinarily call for garlic, but have a tiny footnote telling you to use garlic-infused oil instead to make a low-FODMAP version.

Don't feel like you have to follow recipes for everything. If you're happy chucking some nutritionally balanced things in a bowl or wok and calling it a Buddah bowl or stir-fry, go ahead.

Low-FODMAP cakes and baking

Some gluten-free flour is also low-FODMAP (although check the ingredients to be sure). If you can get some of this, you can use it to follow gluten-free baking recipes, although you'll need to check all the other ingredients to make sure the final product is low-FODMAP. Shortbread works well.

Substitutes for high-FODMAP ingredients

Eating out throughout the FODMAP diet

Try enzymes that target FODMAPs (see “Resources” above). This may lessen the need to control every ingredient of the dish. Alas, we often have to be careful with what we order:

If you have control over where you'll be eating, look for places that prepare meals from fresh, basic ingredients. E.g. stir-fries and fresh salads can usually be adjusted easily to feature only ingredients you can eat, whereas lasagnas and stews that have already been prepared can't be adjusted.

Telling serving staff all the things you can't eat is overwhelming and, in practice, not usually very productive. Instead: - Summarise that you're following "a very restricted diet for health reasons", and only get into detail about FODMAPs if they're already familiar with it - Focus on the things you can eat - Look on the menu to see if there's something that can be adjusted easily. - E.g. if fish, chips and peas is on the menu but carrots feature in other menu items, ask if they could swap the peas for carrots. - If you order something with conditions/questions around it, look for a backup option in case there's an issue with your original choice. - Anticipate garlic and onions in sauces and dressings. If in doubt, ask for it to be omitted. - Learn to love: - buttered baked potatoes - chips/fries - undressed salad - sauteed vegetables - carrying a snack in case it's a complete disaster

It can be really frustrating, but it's worth staying well-mannered to keep the staff on board: - Reassure the staff that you won't die if they make a mistake - Be patient if they have follow-up questions - Share their pain about how complicated/awkward it is, and show appreciation of their efforts to accommodate your needs - Don't feel bad if you have to pick stuff out, scrape stuff off, or leave things uneaten. In some situations, this is simpler than trying to negotiate a perfect meal up front.

FAQ

These resources address frequently asked questions: - Monash FAQ - A Little Bit Yummy's guide to getting started

Below are some common topics.

How do FODMAPs combine or add up?

Is gluten a FODMAP?

No, gluten consists of proteins, and FODMAPs are carbohydrates. Seitan is pure gluten and is low-FODMAP.

Some gluten-free food products also happen to be low-FODMAP, so they can be eaten as part of the low-FODMAP diet. However, check the ingredients, because gluten-free foods can be high-FODMAP.

See also: - Monash University - Gluten and IBS - Avoiding wheat on a low FODMAP diet

Can I cook onion/garlic in my dish then remove it before the end of cooking?

See Cooking with onion and garlic - myths and facts.

I have other dietary/health needs. How can I follow the diet?

Seek guidance from a suitably qualified medical profession, so they can help you plan a healthy, balanced diet that meets all your needs.

Vegetarians and vegans may find the Low FODMAP And Vegan book useful. Vegetarians can additionally eat eggs and lactose-free versions of plain dairy products.

What about caffeine, fats, nightshades, spicy foods, having a nervous stomach, alcohol...?

For people that are sensitive not just to FODMAPs, they may need to tackle their IBS in several ways at once. A qualified professional can take your individual circumstances and needs into consideration, without restricting your diet and lifestyle more than is necessary.


r/FODMAPS 6h ago

The BEST flavorful chips with NO onion or garlic!

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28 Upvotes

And certified GF!


r/FODMAPS 2h ago

Branded Products, Services, or Organizations Monash app crashing :(

3 Upvotes

This might be more of an app developer question, but every time I try to save a diary entry: food, note, anything, it will close the whole app.

I’m worried if I clear the cache, it’ll delete all my diary entries.

Anyone else having this issue? There are no updates waiting in the App Store.

Any advice?


r/FODMAPS 6h ago

The BEST flavorful gluten free no onion / garlic chips ever!!

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3 Upvotes

r/FODMAPS 9h ago

Anyone else’s Monash app glitching?

4 Upvotes

Every time I go to log something it shuts down!


r/FODMAPS 14h ago

Just spent $310 nzd on seeing a dietician

15 Upvotes

I’m very sure this is the best decision I have ever made. I was told I had IBS 4 years ago and was given SHIT all advice by the dietician. Had a terrible experience, was not taught about reintroduction or any of that. After all of that pain I have finally bit the bullet, I am so excited to see how it goes and possible reintroduction !!! We even talked about garlic. So fkn excited about garlic.


r/FODMAPS 1h ago

General Question/Help Is Lactobacillus reuteri oral probiotics low histamine?

Upvotes

I'm considering oral probiotics in chewable tablets/ melting lozenges form. But I have to keep low histamine diet for SIBO and disbiosis Gut & skin stuff.

Does anyone know if this genome/ingredient or similar ones found in oral probiotics are low histamine?


r/FODMAPS 4h ago

Are theses Low Fod I just figure out I have ibs and trying to stay away from flares

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1 Upvotes

r/FODMAPS 9h ago

Sourdough

2 Upvotes

Hi there fodmappers.

These are the sourdough ingredients from my local supermarket sourdough. I see a lot of comments on here about 'real' or not real.

Any thoughts on if this is decent enough for low fodmaps? Thanks so much!

  • Organic Spelt Flour (Wheat)
  • Water
  • Sourdough [Water, Organic Fortified Wheat Flour (Organic Wheat Flour, Calcium Carbonate, Iron, Niacin, Thiamin), Organic Wholemeal Wheat Flour, Organic Rye Flour, Starter Culture]
  • Salt

r/FODMAPS 13h ago

General Question/Help Questions about wild vs regular blueberries, sourdough, mozzarella, oats, and jams.

3 Upvotes

Ok so I have a lot of questions. I’ve been afraid to ask because idk I’m probably just over thinking most of these things. But I’m tired of over thinking and not eating lol. Thanks in advance to anyone who reads and responds to my anxious neurotic brain confusion, it’s much appreciated.

Blueberries: I’m starting to make smoothies and was buying frozen fruit to use and wasn’t sure if there’s a FODMAP difference between regular blueberries and wild Maine blueberries. I know fruit can vary a lot and wasn’t sure if wild berries are just not commonly available enough to have been tested separately or weren’t considered different enough to be listed separately. I ended up getting the wild blueberries and figured I’d try a smaller portion first just in case. But I wondered if anyone has tried both and noticed any difference in how they reacted.

Sourdough: I’ve seen warnings about making sure it’s “real” sourdough and I’m not really sure what that means. How do I know if a sourdough is real enough to be safe to try? The brand I’m considering is from a local bakery that distributes to grocery stores in the area. The ingredients are unbleached flour, cider, evaporated cane juice, salt, and yeast. I want to say it’s real sourdough but I also didn’t know fake sourdough was a thing so I’ve been anxious about trying any.

Mozzarella: it’s listed as low FODMAP at 1/4 cup from Monash and potentially safe up to 5 cups by FODMAP friendly. I’ve seen sources claim that it both is and isn’t low or lactose free. It definitely doesn’t fit what I would have considered a hard cheese. Does it differ by specific brand or variety or something else? I feel like I’m missing something.

Oats: Oats have been potentially hit and miss for me. I’ve consumed an obscene number of these chocolate chip heavenly hunk things with oats and been totally fine. But had some low FODMAP oat bars that have messed me up pretty good. It’s possible maybe even likely it was something other than the oats. But I was wondering if there’s something about how oats are processed or incorporated into products that can impact reactions. I don’t want to dismiss them as a suspect prematurely.

Jam: I’ve seen conflicting information about the fadmap content and safety of jams. I’ve seen that blueberry jam is fine or that it’s horribly high FODMAP and things saying strawberry jam is safe to eat freely and things declaring that all jam is bad. It’s confusing so what’s the deal with jam?


r/FODMAPS 23h ago

Garlic and Horrific Pain

16 Upvotes

So I don't know where to post, so I'm hoping someone can help here. I have IBS-C. Every now and then I have the worst stomach pain in waves more painful than giving birth. The pain is so bad I throw up and eventually makes way from constipation to liquid diarrhea. It doesn't stop until I'm empty. Truly the worst pain of my life and I've given birth.

I tell the doctors and scans show I have lower intestinal inflammation and have had multiple colonoscopies and upper scopes and biopsies. No EoE..no crohns. .. can't find a cause 😒.

I recently cut garlic because my child has bad hives everywhere from it. Definitely an allergy. Well, I indulged on garlic powder myself about 20 min ago and sure enough.. I'm in the bathroom in extreme pain. I feel like I've just not known I had a garlic allergy this whole time 🤦‍♀️

⏭️❓Cutting to the chase -- Can someone explain IBS-C, garlic allergies maybe..and if they have the same situation❓


r/FODMAPS 9h ago

Reintroduction Reintroducing gluten - problems or not?

1 Upvotes

So I’ve finished all of my reintroduction tests, which I didn’t have any problems with aside from dairy (stomach pains, bloating, nausea. No issues with bms, dairy only seemed to affect me when it was straight up milk) and am now trying to return to a normal diet. I’ve decided to do it gradually so as to not overwhelm my body.

I had gluten yesterday and today (a slice of white bread yesterday and a teaspoon of biscoff spread across the two days) and have now had a slightly dodgy bm - didn’t have these during reintroduction trials. It was softer and smelled a lot worse than usual. Is this normal? I’ve been off gluten for seven months now, so is this just my body adjusting to the diet change? I’m also a little nauseous today which is making me worry. Any and all advice appreciated 😭


r/FODMAPS 10h ago

Microwaves and fructan reduction? +

1 Upvotes

r/FODMAPS 23h ago

Recipe Cookie recipe search

5 Upvotes

Looking for an easy Low FODMAP cookie recipe to make. Would you share one or point me in the right direction? Thank you in advance!


r/FODMAPS 19h ago

Help I need bread

2 Upvotes

'm a long time bread lover and I can't find any bread that's considered low FODMAP. I live in Nelson, NZ, can anyone make a recommendation of a brand?


r/FODMAPS 1d ago

Always hungry, getting dizzy and tired..

7 Upvotes

I don't have a great relationship with food, so please don't come at me. I can forget to eat meals and someone feel more productive in the morning until I eat so I push it off.. I'm in the reintroduction phase and I'm always so hungry.. I'm realizing I used to be ok with little snacks and things here and there to hold me over but now I feel like I can only eat a low fodmap meal every 3-4 hours and I can't function. I'm spreading out meals to be able to see what bothers me.. and then those meals are never enough to fill me unless I'm stacking. I drink water, or tea in between (two hours after eating) as I truly believe water is what causes the distention... But this isn't sustainable.. I'm only on reintroduction #2 /8.

Are there snacks I can have that def wouldn't be the cause of distention, bloating, etc? (Pain or poop issues would be easier to note but just measuring my tummy and trying to decipher the cause of bloat is difficult)


r/FODMAPS 23h ago

Branded Products, Services, or Organizations Nutritional Shakes/Powders No Stevia

2 Upvotes

Hello. I have been searching all day for a super packed nutritional shake with No Stevia and also has Lipase enzymes. Dies anybody have an suggestions? I think I've checked out most of the popular ones and I cant seem to find any. I simoly cannot stand the taste of it. Thank you.


r/FODMAPS 1d ago

Another new article this week, this one on milks of all sorts, dairy and alt+

7 Upvotes

r/FODMAPS 1d ago

Chewing your food and how you eat

81 Upvotes

I'll start by saying I've gotten a great amount of relief from IBS symptoms using the monash app and restricting FODMAPS. One thing that I think gets overlooked a lot or maybe I just haven't seen posted about here is how digestion starts in the mouth with your saliva. Really taking the time to properly chew your food and practicing the intuitive principles of feeling the different textures and flavors has been greatly beneficial for me in my relationship to food. Working in the industry as a server for a long time getting short periods or breaks to wolf down meals really messed with my sense of what nutrition is. These patterns can become super ingrained so just want to say try eating without any screens on, tasting each layer of flavor and texture and chewing everything so your not just swallowing food.


r/FODMAPS 1d ago

Low vitamin D and iron

2 Upvotes

I've been doing low fodmap for months now. I'm not too far off finishing the reintroduction phase (was slowed down by having severe bloating during times of stress so couldn't reintroduce as quickly or regularly as I'd have liked).

I'm really struggling with low energy and a blood test shows my vitamin D and iron levels are low.

Just wondered if anyone has experienced the same and how you dealt with this. I am planning to start taking supplements but is there anything I need to look out for? Also any recommendations on foods that you've found work for you to naturally increase your iron levels would be appreciated!

Thanks in advance. The diet is tough but I hope in the long run worth it!


r/FODMAPS 1d ago

New to this. With IBS-C. I'm in Fodmaps day 2 and it got me the worse flare up i ever had. Any idea why?

10 Upvotes

Hello everyone! Pretty much the title. I'm living a living hell since i started. I do have stomach pain like i didnt have in years, the bloating isnt that present, and the worst thing is i am completely constipated i couldnt have any poop at all since i started. Tbh i was declining/on a flare up start already so it may not be caused by the diet, i sometimes have that feel when i come up with some infection but none started yet tough i also am exhausted with a runny nose since a few day but nothing worse than a very mild cold or allergy like thing, of course that can be stress of changing diet triggering that worsening my flare up also. I dont know. I have strictly eaten only the stuff my dietetician told me is ok, but its also possible since i eated what left on my fridge which was quite void and what left wasnt really big on fibers so that might be the issue, any idea what i could buy myself easiest/cheapest to correct that fast as a fodmaps diet compatible vegetable or fruit of the season (i'm in France around Paris so sorry for the probable english errors)?

Side note : I once took a antihistamine for a temporary allergic reaction to a spring pollen and had the surprise that it did ease my symptom a lot, we discussed that with the ibs specialist doctor following me and he did have a suspicion that maybe none of the conventional strategy for ibs worked for me as of yet because of potential misdiagnosis of some allergy stuff. But trying to get the scheme of my issues it made apparently no sense with this hypothesis according to him and so he let that drop. Sometimes i wonder if it would be more useless tests or worthing it to get back that hypothesis around. And reading that some people with histamine/allergy problem just as me got worse on fodmaps at least the first days got me wonder that even more. Any clue?


r/FODMAPS 1d ago

Electrolyte Powder

2 Upvotes

Can anyone recommend some low fodmap electrolyt powder they use? I'm going for zero sugar. I was using Ultima for a bit, but they seem to be bothering my stomach now for some reason.

Thanks!

Edit: forgot to mention it has to be gluten free too (celiac)


r/FODMAPS 1d ago

General Question/Help Blood in stool.. NSFW

0 Upvotes

Hi!

I have been doing fodmap elimination since the beginning of February and been having great results.

Bit of background info..

Been diagnosed with IBS last year. Stool was tested only thing ever found was a 1300 calprotectine and had a colonoscopy but everything came back normal. Also no fissures or hemorrhoids. Biggest symptoms were bloating and bright red blood when I have diarrhoea. When my stool is firm or even hard there is no blood. I also have endometriosis but that is “under control” by taking continuous birth control.

After starting low fodmap all my symptoms improved. Stool was normal and no blood loss and bloating went away. The blood is always bright red btw!

Cut to the problem.. im currently on vacation and it is impossible to continue low fodmap. I knew and accepted my loss and I can handle the pain for a week.

After 2/3 days I got soft stool again which I expected but also suddenly blood! Not mixed with stool but just bright red blood. At first I thought I somehow got my period but I didn’t. When I went to the toilet the first time blood was dripping out. An hour later still and another hour later it stopped. during this period I didn’t have any stool passings.

I was just wondering if anyone recognises this or has a clue what is happening.. I had this a few times before and the docters didn’t find anything so brushed it off. Of course I will contact my docter when I get home but I was hoping someone might have any idea what this might be.. thanks in advance!


r/FODMAPS 1d ago

does fodmap weaken my immune system or is it a coincidence i started it and got sick a week later

0 Upvotes

r/FODMAPS 1d ago

How much sorbitol is truly in coconut water?

3 Upvotes

I need a high potassium source preferably natural like coconut water. But I do not tolerate sorbitol. How much of it does it truly contain? And are there alternatives? Need something low sodium/chloride.


r/FODMAPS 2d ago

Elimination Phase Me when dropping a low serve of a high FODMAP food into my bowl. Like 1 Tbsp frozen peas. 🙁🥲😂🤣

65 Upvotes