What are FODMAPs?

FODMAPs are a collection of short chain carbohydrates and sugar alcohols found in foods naturally or as food additives. FODMAPs include fructose (when in excess of glucose), fructans, galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS), lactose and polyols (eg. sorbitol and mannitol).

A detailed description of each of these, including the foods they are found in, is provided below. A diet low in FODMAPs (“a Low FODMAP Diet”) is scientifically proven1, and is now used internationally, as the most effective dietary therapy for Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) and symptoms of an irritable bowel. Such symptoms include excessive wind (flatus), abdominal pain, bloating and distension, nausea and changes in bowel habits (diarrhoea and/or constipation). A Low FODMAP Diet has also been proven, with solid scientific research2, to reduce symptoms of fatigue, lethargy and poor concentration. FODMAP is an acronym that stands for:

How do FODMAPs trigger symptoms of IBS?

When consumed in foods and/or drinks, FODMAPs can be poorly absorbed in the small intestine and pass through to the large intestine, where two major events happen:

The FODMAPs are readily fermented by bacteria in the large bowel, contributing to the production of gas. The FODMAPs are also highly osmotic, meaning that they attract water into the large bowel, which can alter how quickly the bowels move.

These two processes can then trigger symptoms including excess wind, abdominal bloating and distension, abdominal pain, constipation or diarrhoea, or a combination of both. Information about each FODMAP, and examples of foods that contain FODMAPs, are listed in the fodmap chart below: