Certain carbohydrates called “FODMAPs” can be hard to digest and cause some people’s stomachs to feel all wrong.
FODMAPs are carbohydrates that some people's bodies can't digest very well.
Not all carbohydrates are FODMAPs. FODMAP is an acronym for the science-y names of certain carbohydrates people are sensitive to: Fermentable, Oligosacchardies, Disaccharides, Monosaccharides, and Polyols. When FODMAPs aren’t absorbed correctly in the small intestine, they “continue along their journey along the digestive tract, arriving at the large intestine, where they act as a food source to the bacteria that live there normally," states Shepherd Works, a website from Dr. Sue Shepherd who developed the low-FODMAP diet.
If your body can't absorb FODMAPs correctly it can cause gas, bloating, cramping, and/or diarrhea.
“FODMAPs may not be digested or absorbed well and can be fermented by bacteria in the intestinal tract when eaten in excess amounts,” says Lauren Elkins, RDN and director of nutrition for the Marina Del Rey Hospital. And then: PAIN. “The fermentation and osmosis caused by these undigested sugars are a cause of major IBS symptoms such as gas, pain, and diarrhea,” says Carolyn Dean, MD, ND, a Medical Advisory Board Member of the non-profit Nutritional Magnesium Association.
A low-FODMAP diet is therefore used to treat people with symptoms of IBS or similar to IBS. But you should not try a low-FODMAP diet without consulting a doctor because that might lead to nutrient deficiency.
“The low-FODMAP diet is very restrictive and only for people diagnosed with a digestive disorder,” says Karen Kafer, an RDN and VP of Health & Wellness Partnerships with the National Dairy Council. “In working with an RDN, [people who are FODMAP sensitive] will find they can likely enjoy varying levels of FODMAP foods or build diets that include versions of their favorite foods which are lower in FODMAPs.”
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