It’s thought that some 3.9m people in England and Wales may be suffering from irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
There are likely many more that haven’t been officially diagnosed - in fact, NICE believes many of those with the condition (women are more likely to have it than men) “rely on self-care and do not seek medical advice. People with IBS tend to alter their diet to alleviate its symptoms.”
One such option is the FODMAP diet, which takes high fibre and sugary food that could irritate the gut off the menu.
What is a FODMAP diet?
Short for fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides and polyols (catchy, eh?), the Australian-born Fodmap diet cuts out food with sugars that could irritate the gut.
Broadly speaking, these are things like carbs, and high-fibre foods like beans and certain fruit and vegetables. The elimination diet is recommended for the short term only (most experts agree eight weeks or less) and is meant to be a way to discover which foods are causing so much upset in your stomach.
Johns Hopkins gastroenterologist Hazel Galon Veloso, MD says: “We recommend following the elimination portion of the diet for only two to six weeks.This reduces your symptoms and if you have SIBO [small intestinal bacterial overgrowth], it can help decrease abnormally high levels of intestinal bacteria.
Then every three days, you can add a high FODMAP food back into your diet, one at a time, to see if it causes any symptoms. If a particular high FODMAP food causes symptoms, then avoid this long term.”
Who should try a FODMAP diet?
It is designed for people who are experiencing gut issues like IBS and want to root out the cause to try to stop the horrible symptoms. If you’ve got IBS or find that you’re suddenly having a reaction to something, eliminating carby high FODMAP foods and then reintroducing them slowly can help you find the culprit.
What are the high and low FODMAP foods?
High FODMAP foods include a swathe of carbohydrates as well as things like milk, lentils, onions, garlic, mushrooms, certain nuts, most types of beans, rye grain and lots of lactose products including yogurt and custard.
Even certain fruits are high FODMAP: apples, pears, watermelon, mango, peaches, plums and nectarines are just a few. The sugars in these foods can cause bloating, gas and pain for some people. Bad times all around.
If you’re looking to try a low FODMAP diet, it is vital to consult a dietician first, or at least your GP. It’s not about cutting out carbs forever because they’re needed to create good bacteria that leads to a happy and healthy gut.
Eating low FODMAP items for a short time gives your system a chance to reset if it needs to and takes the edge off some IBS symptoms.
While you will likely follow a strict recipe plan, we’ve rounded up some of the snacks with low FODMAP to help you get started once you have seen a medical professional.
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Kallo Organic Dark Chocolate Ricecakes 90g
If you’re craving something sweet, chocolate-topped rice cakes are a good way to get some fibre and sweetness in without overstimulating your gut. Kallo’s organic bites are made with Belgian chocolate and are veggie and coeliac friendly.
Buy now £1.85, Tesco
M&S Collection Giant Nocellara Olives
Not just to dirty your martini, green pitted olives in brine make a tasty low FODMAP snack. Have a small serving of around half a cup to satisfy savoury cravings.
Buy now £3.80, Ocado
Vive Better Brownie, Low Calorie Chocolate Treat
A low FODMAP diet can be testing, so when you find a treat that ticks the dietary boxes it only makes sense to stock up.
The no-bake brownie comes in delightful flavours with chocolate orange as the one with the least carbs. Ingredients include plant proteins and immune system-bolstering vitamins, with the whole lot wrapped in a thin layer of Belgian chocolate.
Buy now £5.99, Amazon
Trek Cocoa Coconut Protein Flapjack 50g
A good thing to stash in your bag in case of emergencies, TREK’s protein bars are some of the best around. Be selective with the flavours though, as not all are low FODMAP. Rest assured the Cocoa Coconut is.
Buy now £1.25, Holland & Barrett
M&S Roasted & Salted Macadamia Nuts
Releasing energy slowly, macadamia nuts are a great go-to when you want a salty snack. Have around 40g to satisfy your cravings.
Buy now £3.20, Ocado
Knotty's Nutri-Butter Gut Friendly Peanut Butter with Turmeric & Ginger 180g
This delightfully strange peanut butter from Knotty’s contains a blend of turmeric, chicory, cayenne pepper, and ginger oil combined with Ganedan BC30 (gut-friendly live cultures).
It’s a good rice cake topper as well as a tahini-like ingredinet to use while cooking.
Buy now £3.00, Holland & Barrett
ChicP Turmeric and Ginger hummus 150g
If you can’t stand having a crunchy snack alone, or you simply cannot stomach chopped celery without a chaser dip, try this scrummy turmeric and ginger hummus by ChicP. The brand is 100 per cent natural, vegan, gluten-free and zero-waste. Now that’s impressive. Full of wonderfully gut-loving ingredients, we love this take on the classic side dip.
Buy now £2.40, Ocado
Propercorn Sweet & Salty Popcorn 6 x 14g
Calories: 64
Not just for the cinema, popcorn is an excellent alternative to crisps when you fancy something crunchy. Wholegrain kernels are popped in rapeseed oil before being covered in a sprinkling of salt and Demerara sugar to offer a satisfying crunch. High in fibre and palm oil-free, this vegan snack comes in at 64cals a pack.
Buy now £1.80, Tesco
