What is a low-FODMAP diet, and can it help IBS?
A low-FODMAP diet temporarily reduces certain fermentable carbohydrates that can worsen IBS symptoms in some people. It is followed by food reintroduction and personalisation, rather than permanent restriction, and does not suit everyone.
Details
How the diet works
Some poorly absorbed carbohydrates increase water and gas in the bowel. They occur in foods such as onions, garlic, certain fruits and lactose-containing dairy products. Portion size and preparation matter; foods are not simply divided into universally good or bad choices.
Three stages, not indefinite restriction
A dietitian can guide a temporary reduction, followed by gradual challenges with particular food groups and then a personalised long-term diet. The purpose is to identify tolerable foods while improving symptoms and preserving nutritional variety, not to remove as many foods as possible.
Before starting
Discuss the diagnosis first, especially with bleeding or weight loss. Low-FODMAP eating is not the same as a gluten-free diet, and improvement does not diagnose wheat allergy. If it does not help, reassess the approach instead of extending restriction and risking nutritional deficiencies.
Related reading: What are IBS symptoms, and how is it diagnosed?.