preview

Irritable Bowel Syndrome Research Paper

Decent Essays

FODMAP are a group of short-chain carbohydrates and sugar alcohols that are naturally found in foods or food additive and are poorly absorbed within the body. A diet low in FODMAPs, usually known as the “low FODMAPs diet”, is scientifically proven as the most effective dietary therapy for Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS).(1) Following a low FODMAP diet can reduce symptoms related to IBS including excessive wind, abdominal pain, bloating, nausea, diarrhea and constipation and has also been proven to reduce symptoms of fatigue, lethargy and poor concentration.(2) So what does FODMAP stand for? Fermentable, meaning they are broken down by bacteria in the large bowel, Oligosaccharides, molecules made up of individual sugars joined in a chain, Disaccharides, double sugar molecules, Monosaccharides, single sugar molecules, And Polyols, sugar alcohols. A table has been added at the end of this article that outlines each group with examples of foods. …show more content…

These two processes then trigger IBS symptoms. It is believed that around 35% of Australians have intolerances to one or more of the FODMAP containing foods. By controlling and managing the consumption of these foods you can significantly reduce and even eliminate IBS symptoms. Once you have decided to try out the FODMAPs diet there are two phases. Phase 1 involves the strict restriction of all FODMAP foods for 4-6 weeks. Phase 2 involves gradually reintroducing the foods back into your diet and taking note of which foods can be tolerated and which cause symptoms. Below are examples of a day on the gut-healing program whilst avoiding FODMAP foods:

Get Access