FODMAP is an acronym for Fermentable Oligo-saccharides, Disaccharides, Mono-saccharides and Polyols. If you split that out, it means:
| Fermentable | This group of sugars is degraded by gut bacteria to produce gases. | (gassy) |
| Oligo-saccharides | Saccharide means sugar; Oligo means they belong to the fructo (wheat, rye, onions and garlic) and galacto (legumes/pulses) groups. | (sugars) |
| Disaccharides | Another sugar called lactose; which is found in milk, soft cheese, yoghurts etc. | (lactose) |
| Mono-saccharides | Another sugar called fructose; which is found in honey, apples etc. | (fructose) |
| Polyols | Sugar alcohols, often used as artificial sweeteners, and which are not broken down by bacteria in the mouth or metabolized to acids. | (sweeteners) |
Looking at the big picture: FODMAPs are a collection of “sugars” found in foods naturally or as food additives. They aren’t always in the stereotypical sugary foods though, and are often in foods you’d never thought of as sugary.
Essentially the fuss is about a collection of “bits” that are found in various foods, that tend to upset tummies that are a bit vulnerable. The real killer here is that the “bits” are seemingly so small, that it’s really hard to know what’s OK and what isn’t. In fact, there are conflicting stories around some foods and whether they’re FODMAP friendly or not (capsicum, I’m looking at you!).
What to do? Pick a chart, and stick with it… then develop some recipes, test them, and stick with the ones that work.
A low-FODMAP diet is as much a battle of will as anything else – be courageous, stick at it, and your body will thank you!