I know there is some great research out there to show us the benefits of spending some time on a low FODMAP diet, but I am going to tell you some of the reasons why I don’t like them. Now, before you get cross with me and change the page – please do read it ALL because there’s some stuff in here that you NEED to know.
(If you want to know what FODMAP foods are, have a scroll to the bottom for the info).
Ok, so you have IBS and you’ve been told to try a low FODMAP diet. Here are some of the advantages to switching yourself to a low FODMAP diet –
- It could well ease your IBS symptoms.
BUT, the thing is, that there’s lots more to consider than just getting rid of your symptoms, so here are some of the disadvantages and things I want you to consider –
- Low FODMAP diets are ultimately guessing which foods may not suit you and then cutting them ALL out without actually knowing what your specific triggers are. (Yes, there’s science behind the logic – but that science does not take into account that you are an individual with individual triggers and issues).
- Whilst higher FODMAP foods can exacerbate your symptoms, many many of those foods are actually very important prebiotic foods – meaning that they are basically amazing fertilisers for your good gut bacteria, and you don’t want to miss out on keeping on eating the ones that do suit you.
- Going low FODMAP is a symptom management solution. Please take a minute to consider the implications of that. It is a sticking plaster, only pausing symptoms. You are NOT dealing with the root cause.
- By cutting out lots of high FODMAP foods, you are missing out on key things that could actually be working towards rebuilding your gut – which has the potential for you to actually help heal the gut – this is very different to just avoiding symptoms. By healing your gut, your symptoms don’t even need to show themselves in the first place.
- If you pause the high FODMAP foods, you pause your ability to work on the actual, underlying gut problem (which could be a myriad of things); but ultimately by limiting your ability to fertilise your good gut bacteria, you are absolutely not helping yourself in the long run.
- A low FODMAP diet should be a short term solution only. Yet, I have seen many clients who’ve been trapped on low FODMAP diets long term because as soon as they start reintroducing the foods they cut out, their symptoms come back and they don’t know what to do, so they remain stuck eating like this.
- Many people who’ve been following a low FODMAP diet really struggle at the reintroduction phase – finding they can’t figure out which foods were actually the problem and they then develop major food anxieties, too scared to continue trying reintroduction. I have seen clients who start to get sweaty palms just thinking about opening the fridge.
- It is a complex diet to navigate because there’s so much to avoid. Many people are told to go on it or try it themselves without the help of a professional, making it a minefield.
So what on earth is the solution?? Should you go low FODMAP or not? Well, here’s the thing you need to know. Yes of course, there is validity and importance in sometimes pausing SOME of the higher FODMAP foods, BUT – you only want to pause the ones that are a problem for you as an individual. Remember, there is no one size fits all solution when it comes to your gut health and yet a low FODMAP diet is designed to fit all and it is not individual to you and your gut problems. That’s where you end up in a pickle.
Ultimately, your gut needs to be being fed a variety of good, healthy prebiotic foods and fibres, allowing diversity to grow and building up the population of good guys so that you protect yourself from long term issues. Going low FODMAP makes this very difficult for you.
What do I recommend?? Well, the absolute best possible thing you can do for yourself (in my opinion) is to get a food sensitivity test (whether that be from myself or someone else is up to you).. An individual food test will enable you to identify your PERSONAL triggers so that you can pause only those foods that upset YOU. This means that whilst you maybe need to pause onions and garlic (for example), you may well find out you can still be eating cauliflower and broccoli – giving you much more freedom, empowerment, less food anxiety and more VARIETY in your diet – enabling you to keep eating some of the key things that will help that process of rebuilding your gut.
Not only that, but whilst you are pausing your trigger foods, find and work with a professional (such as myself) who can decipher what is at the ROOT of your gut problems. Once we understand what truly needs fixing inside (is it parasites? Is it a candida overgrowth? Is it SIBO? Is it LIBO? Do you just have poor diversity in your gut? Etc. etc.) then we can sort out the root cause of the problem, work on rebuilding your gut and THEN we can re-test your food sensitivities, getting those healthy foods you’ve been avoiding, back into your diet, safely and with total confidence that they now do suit you and you can handle them without a symptom flare up.
So you see, my point is, yes high FODMAP foods may trigger your symptoms, but not all of them will. I know you are an individual and I will treat you as such. By making your life easier, limiting only the foods that don’t suit you, we can make healing your gut and getting back to good health, and being IBS free super easy and with no stress.
Want to work with me to heal your IBS? Check out my Gut Health Boxes in the menu at the top of the page.
Lucy x
Ps. If you’re wondering what I’m badgering on about, here is a little bit more on what FODMAPs are –
FODMAPs stand for Fermentable Oligosaccharides Disaccharides Monosaccharides and Polyols. Yikes. They are short chain carbohydrates (sugars) that don’t get absorbed very well into the small intestine. They are 6 different types –
Fructose – things such as apples, grapes, mangos and watermelons
Sorbitol – things like avocado, apricots, peaches, strawberries
Mannitol – things like mushrooms, cauliflower, celery, peas
GOS – things like lentils, chickpeas, cashews and red kidney beans
Fructans – things like onions, garlic ripe bananas and brussel sprouts
Lactose – basically things that have an animal milk basis like cream, milk, ice cream, butter
