Australian researchers have come up with this novel approach to treat IBS. Duh. They should have just asked me. They coined the term FODMAPs to describe a series of short-chain carbohydrates found in many common foods. The theory is that if you follow a special diet, avoiding foods containing FODMAPs, you'll alleviate the symptoms of IBS, Lactose & Fructose Intolerance/Malabsorption and other gastrointestinal disorders like Crohns, SIBO, Celiac disease, etc.
FODMAP is an acronym for Fermentable Oligosaccharides Disaccharides Monosaccharides And Polyols. It's all the stuff that aggravates the heck out of your insides, wrapped up in one cute little name. Here's a link, I'll summarize:
Fermentable: degradable by bacteria yielding abdominal bloating & gas.
Oligosaccharides: include fructans and galactans like stachyose & raffinose.
Disaccharides: lactose
Monosaccharides: fructose
Polyols: all the sugar alcohols ending in "-ol"; sorbitol, mannitol, xylitol, erythritol, arabitol, glycol, glycerol, lactitol, ribitol, maltitol & isomalt.
Read my Delicate Guts page.
Books on the subject: Sue Shepherd's Low FODMAPs Diet books and Patsy Catsos' book; IBS-Free At Last! A Revolutionary New Step-by-Step Method for Those Who Have Tried Everything ~ Control IBS Symptoms by Limiting FODMAPs Carbohydrates in Your Diet. (I have not read these books).
