The Low FODMAP Diet
Reviewed by: HU Medical Review Board | Last reviewed: March 2024 | Last updated: March 2024
If you live with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), your doctor might suggest a special diet to help figure out which foods may be triggering your symptoms. One of these diets is called the low FODMAP diet.
What are FODMAPs?
FODMAP stands for fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols. These are all sugars (carbohydrates) that the small intestine has trouble absorbing. Examples of foods that contain FODMAPs include:1,2
- Oligosaccharides – Wheat, beans, garlic, and onions
- Disaccharides – Dairy products like ice cream and milk
- Monosaccharides – Foods with a lot of fructose, including apples, mangoes, and honey
- Polyols, or sugar alcohols – Foods like avocados and mushrooms; also artificially added to chewing gum and other products
Some people who eat high FODMAP foods have digestive symptoms such as:1
- Cramping
- Loose, watery bowel movements (diarrhea)
- Trouble having a bowel movement, or not doing so often enough (constipation)
- Bloating
- Gas
What is the low FODMAP diet?
The low FODMAP diet is a type of temporary eating plan to help people with IBS and other gastrointestinal disorders learn which foods could be causing their digestive symptoms. First, you stop eating high FODMAP foods for 2 to 6 weeks. Then, you slowly add them back in 1 by 1 every few days.1
If you begin to have symptoms after adding particular foods back into your diet, then you know that you may not be able to digest the type of sugar they contain. Once you figure out your problem foods, you can remove them from your diet.1
Foods to avoid on a low FODMAP diet
Foods that are high in FODMAPs include the following.1,3
Vegetables
- Artichokes
- Asparagus
- Onions
- Garlic
- Cauliflower
- Green peas
- Mushrooms
- Sugar snap peas
Fruits
- Apples and apple juice
- Cherries
- Pears
- Peaches
- Mangoes
- Nectarines
- Plums
- Watermelon
- Dried fruit
Dairy and dairy alternatives
- Milk, yogurt, and ice cream containing dairy
- Soy milk made from whole soybeans
- Sweetened condensed milk
Proteins
- Some marinated meats
- Poultry
- Seafood
- Some processed meats
- Beans and lentils
Breads and cereals
- Cereal, bread, crackers, and other products made with wheat, rye, or barley
Sugars and sweeteners
- High-fructose corn syrup
- Honey
- Sugar-free sweets
Nuts and seeds
- Cashews
- Pistachios
Best foods to eat on the low FODMAP diet
Here are some examples of low FODMAP foods you can focus your meals on instead.1,3
Vegetables
- Eggplant
- Green beans
- Bok choy
- Bell peppers
- Carrots
- Cucumbers
- Lettuce
- Potatoes
- Tomatoes
- Zucchini
Fruits
- Grapes
- Oranges
- Strawberries
- Blueberries
- Pineapple
- Cantaloupe
- Kiwifruit, or kiwi
- Mandarins
Dairy and dairy alternatives
- Brie, Camembert, cheddar, and feta cheeses
- Almond milk
- Lactose-free milk
- Soy milk made from soy protein
Proteins
- Eggs
- Firm tofu
- Meat, poultry, and seafood marinated in lemon juice with olive oil, black pepper, or Italian herbs
- Tempeh
Breads and cereals
- Cornflakes
- Oats
- Plain rice cakes
- Sourdough spelt bread
- Bread without wheat, barley, or rye
Sugars and sweeteners
- Dark chocolate
- Maple syrup
- Rice malt syrup
- Table sugar
Nuts and seeds
- Macadamias
- Peanuts
- Pumpkin seeds
- Walnuts
Grains
- Rice, quinoa, and oats
Talk to your doctor or dietitian before starting a low FODMAP diet. Because it requires you to eliminate several foods all at once, it can lead to nutritional deficiencies. A healthcare professional can make sure you follow the diet the right way and maintain a healthy weight.1-3
The low FODMAP diet and IBS
Researchers have looked at whether a low FODMAP diet helps people with IBS. In the UK, 1 group of researchers gathered information from different studies to compare how effective a low FODMAP diet is compared to other IBS diets or treatments.4
They found that a low FODMAP diet worked the best to improve overall IBS symptoms compared to other diets or treatments. It also helped ease the severity of stomach pain and bloating better than other approaches. But the low FODMAP diet did not improve bowel habits better than other diets and treatments.4
While the study shows the low FODMAP diet works well, researchers noted that most of the studies they looked at were conducted in special healthcare settings. These studies also did not look at the long-term effects of reintroducing high FODMAP foods into the diet.4
