Say Bye to Abdominal Pain with the Low FODMAP Diet

The FODMAP acronym stands for:

F = Fermentable;
O = Oligosaccharides;
D = Disaccharides;
M = Monosaccharides;
A = And;
P = Polyols

These are carbohydrates that ferment in the gut

The diet was developed by two Australian researchers, Peter Gibson, Gastroenterologist, and Sue Shepherd, Registered Dietitian, from Monash University in Melbourne. Their first publication was in 2005. Since then, scientific data on the effectiveness of the diet has accumulated, leading to more and more gastroenterologists and dietitians around the world prescribing it successfully.

In March 2015, researchers from the University of Michigan published the results of their analysis of 139 studies on IBS in the Journal of the American Medical Association, concluding that there was enough evidence to confirm that a Low FODMAP diet is effective in diminishing symptoms considerably in 75% of cases:
Chey, W. D., Kurlander, J., & Eswaran, S. (2015). Irritable Bowel Syndrome – A Clinical Review. Journal of the American Medical Association, 313(9), 949.

In people suffering from IBS, certain FODMAPs are only partially digested and absorbed. This leads to distension of the intestine and the production of gas, which creates pain, cramps, and flatulence. To ease these symptoms, it’s recommended to limit the intake of fermentable carbohydrates, i.e. FODMAPs.

It all depends on your health condition! The FODMAP diet is ideal for you if you meet the following criteria:

See a list of the main High-FODMAP foods.

Remember that several other foods do contain medium amounts of FODMAPs and should be limited to avoid problems. This is exactly what our Low FODMAP meal plans do for you.

See a list of the main Low FODMAP foods.

A gluten-free diet is indicated for people who suffer from Celiac Disease. They have to eliminate gluten from their diet. Gluten is a protein in many grains and it’s why these people have to avoid wheat, rye, barley, etc. On the Low FODMAP diet, wheat, barley, and rye also have to be eliminated, but due to their fructan (a type of carbohydrate) content, not gluten. Furthermore, the Low FODMAP diet also limits the consumption of other types of carbohydrates (lactose, polyols, etc.) that are not limited in the gluten-free diet.

Our low FODMAP meal plans are based on the Mediterranean diet, known to help reduce the risk of several cancers, prevent diabetes, prevent cognitive decline and reduce the risk of dementia. However, it is not recommended to follow a low FODMAP diet over the long term so as not to deplete the microbiota. In fact foods which contain FODMAPs also contain prebiotics, which feed the good bacteria in our guts.

Following this diet without help is a real challenge, because you have to eliminate all foods that are high-FODMAP and limit those that contain moderate quantities of FODMAP. With our program, not only do you have meal plans and recipes that fully meet the demanding criteria of this diet, but you also have simple tools to make this diet your own: our book, articles on the blog and a dietitian-led support group on FACEBOOK. In other words, you have at your disposal a truly reliable and effective source.

Absolutely not! Our meal plans are made with common ingredients that you can easily find in supermarkets, all-natural or organic grocery stores, or at your local grocers and markets.

Of course! We want you to reduce your symptoms and we’re here to help. As a subscriber to our Low FODMAP program, you’ll have access to our private forum moderated by our team. You can ask your questions and our dietitians will respond. If you need more complete support, we offer the VIP dietitian service which includes, among other things, 3 one-on-one consultations with a dietitian.

DUX is a Canadian program aimed at rewarding companies, organizations and institutions for their leadership and innovation in improving the health of the population. We won the 2017 Award in the Projects – Non-Food Business (SME) category for our initiative the “FODMAP Diet”! read this article .