We’ve all known someone who heard about a new diet with amazing results and dived into it, only to wind up burning out a few weeks later.
While a low FODMAP diet can provide complete symptom relief for IBS sufferers, it’s also one of the more complex dietary regimes to jump into. Starting a FODMAP elimination diet without proper research and preparation is a formula for failure.
If you’ve started or are considering a low FODMAP diet plan, take care to avoid these common mistakes!
Unlike weight-loss diets, living low FODMAP isn’t about eliminating FODMAPs from your body entirely for the long-term. FODMAPs contain positive gut bacteria necessary for a healthy digestive system…it’s just that some people can’t digest excess amounts of them.
The key word there is “excess.” You can and should include certain high FODMAP foods into your FODMAP diet, but you need to be aware of how much your body can handle. For instance, maybe you can handle fructose alright, but lactose sends you running for the nearest bush. This is why it’s important to follow the 3 phases of the diet with the help of a registered dietitian.
So while you should include some high FODMAP foods on the peripheries of your low FODMAP diet, don’t take that as a thumbs-up to hit-up the drive-through every week!
In contrast to eating too little high FODMAP foods, your FODMAP elimination diet can also be derailed by eating too many low FODMAP foods! A mistake many rookie FODMAP dieters make is getting over-fond of a few favourite low FODMAP snacks and eating them in excess, causing the FODMAPs to pile up and ultimately give you the same stomach troubles you would have experienced with a burger and fries. Again, moderation is important in a low FODMAP diet, but you can get help keeping track of your intake of both high and low FODMAP foods with the Monash FODMAP App.
A FODMAP elimination diet means cutting out or reducing your intake of many different food groups, and then reintroducing them steadily into your meals. When you do this, you need to find alternate sources of those same nutrients in order to keep your body working right (not to mention avoiding scurvy).
Managing your nutrient intake during a low FODMAP diet will require the help and advice of a registered dietician who can guide you towards the right low FODMAP foods. You can also take a look at our recipe compendium to a diverse array of FODMAP diet recipes.
