FODMAPs tend to be short carbohydrate chains and are easily fermentable by bacteria in the small intestine.
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Thelow-FODMAP dietrestricts these carbohydrates to ease stomach and bowel symptoms.
If you’re among these people, it can be frustrating and confusing.
The problem: You don’t follow the diet correctly.
The first and most important thing to check is that you have actually followed the diet correctly.
You may have grabbed gluten-free crackers or salad dressing that also have dehydrated or powdered onion or garlic.
Or maybe you had a healthy energy bar that is sweetened with pear or apple concentrate.
Even a small amount of these ingredients can cause a problem.
The threshold varies from one person to another.
The problem: You’re eating too many allowed starches.
While these carbohydrates are not considered FODMAPS, they can still be difficult to digest.
The problem: You’re eating too much sugar.
Sugars and carbohydrates, whether they are low or high in FODMAPs, feed yeast.
It’s possible that your symptoms are related to yeast overgrowth.
Antibiotics that wipe beneficial bacteria can lead to yeast overgrowth.
Estrogenpromotes the growth of yeast3, and the use of hormonal contraceptives can affect yeast balance in the gut.
Try removing all sugars and carbohydrates for two weeks, and see how that makes you feel.
The problem: you could’t tolerate foods that are allowed on the low-FODMAPs plan.
Nuts, leafy greens, and raw vegetables may be difficult to digest due to their hard cell walls.
Instead, try soaking nuts, sticking to nut and seed butters only, or removing them altogether.
Avoid raw salads and cook all vegetables, especially leafy greens.
High fat intake can slow down gastric emptying and give you the feeling of indigestion and bloating.
The problem: You have food allergies or sensitivities.
The low-FODMAPs diet doesn’t account for individual food sensitivities or allergies.
Or your immune system may be reacting to the casein in dairy, not just the lactose.
Consult with a dietitian who can help you identify and test your own individual food sensitivities.
The problem: You have histamine intolerance.
It also has an immune role as it’s released by mast cells when exposed to foreign substances.
Histamine is also found in certain foods.
A healthy body can keep histamine levels in check.
The result is a condition known ashistamine intolerance.
The low-FODMAPsdiet can reduce histamine levels4in the body.
Leftover foods, even a day or two later, can accumulate enough histamine to trigger symptoms.
Remove the foods that contain or release histamine mentioned above for two weeks, and eat only same-day-cooked meals.
Consider consulting with a medical professional who can help diagnose and manage histamine intolerance.
The problem: You have SIBO.
SIBO stands forsmall intestinal bacteria overgrowth.
It’s characterized by the excess of pathogenic bacteria or even normal healthy bacteria in the small intestine.
It’s estimated that4% to 78% of people with IBS have SIBO5.
The low-FODMAPs diet tends to help people who have SIBO.
People with SIBO also have a hard time with the reintroduction phase.
A last word on FODMAPs.
The diet can affect the composition of the gut microbiome, which can lead to other health implications later.
One study found that following the low-FODMAPs diet for 21 daysreduced total bacteria abundance6in the gut.
