Is the low FODMAP diet a healthy one?

The low FODMAP diet can sometimes be wrongly placed into the ‘quick fix’ category with a range of fad diets (think sugar free, keto, paleo, 5:2, lemon detox). However, it is far from a quick fix. Unlike claims surrounding fad diets, a low FODMAP diet won’t help you lose 5kg overnight, heal your liver or make you feel permanently energised.

How do you define ‘healthy’?

‘Healthy’ is a broad adjective that encompasses far more than just nutrition. Someone may have a nutritious diet but have unhealthy behaviours in other aspects of their lives such as high stress levels, lack of sleep or a largely sedentary lifestyle. At its core, to be healthy is to be in a good state of physical and mental wellbeing. Physical health includes domains such as nutrition and movement, while mental health encompasses areas such as stress management, social wellbeing and feeling of accomplishment in our everyday lives. As we discuss the healthfulness of the low FODMAP diet, we will explore both aspects of health.

What is healthy about the low FODMAP diet?

It gets you in the kitchen: research tells us that frequent cooking and cooking from scratch is associated with a healthier diet.  Generally, we are far more aware of what we are putting in our own home-cooked meals as opposed to purchasing takeaway or store-bought meals. From a mindfulness perspective, cooking is an act of self-care. When you’re mindful of the ingredients you use (which is important on the low FODMAP diet!), the food you prepare will be deeply satisfying.

All food groups can be included in the diet: although the low FODMAP requires watching the types of fruits, vegetables, dairy and grains that are consumed, it does not exclude whole food groups. Dairy, grains, fruits and vegetables can be consumed on the low FODMAP diet. In fact, low FODMAP serves of these foods are of the utmost importance in ensuring you can meet your dietary needs.

You may eat less processed food: Following a low FODMAP diet for IBS usually leads to a great reduction of processed foods in the diet that carry little to no benefit for our gut. Even if you’re not following a low FODMAP diet, reducing the amount of processed foods in your diet is beneficial. Additionally, getting on top of your IBS symptoms may lead to better digestion overall. This is inherently healthy for both your gut and quality of life.

Your symptoms may reduce: A diet low in FODMAPs (the ‘low FODMAP diet’) has been scientifically proven for the management of the uncomfortable digestive systems associated with IBS. The protocol is evidenced to help up to 80% of people with IBS manage their symptoms by reducing osmotic load and gas production in the distal small intestine and large bowel. The goal of a low FODMAP diet is not to cure IBS, but to identify which FODMAP groups are involved in triggering or exacerbating IBS symptoms. This information is used to personalised your diet to ensure as much variety and as little symptoms as possible. By doing this, you’re ultimately aiming to improve your overall gastrointestinal health, which in itself has beneficial outcomes to both your physical and mental wellbeing.

What do I need to be mindful of?

You may be at risk of inadequate intake of certain nutrients: Particular nutrients of concern are fibre, calcium, protein, iron and Vitamin B12. For more information on nutrients you may be missing, read our post dedicated to this topic here. To make sure you are achieving adequate nutrient intake on the low FODMAP diet, speak to your FODMAP trained Dietitian for support.

Many high FODMAP foods are good for the gut: many high FODMAP foods actually promote good gut health because they are prebiotics. Prebiotics are a type of non-digestible fibre that pass through out gastrointestinal tract undigested and act as food for our good bacteria. Examples of prebiotic, high FODMAP foods are onion, garlic, artichoke, asparagus, legumes and wheat. These foods are typically removed when completing the initial phase of the low FODMAP diet. Following a low FODMAP diet may also reduce the variety of plant foods we consume, simply because some fruits and vegetables can contain FODMAPs that trigger IBS symptoms. Some high FODMAP foods are highly nutritious foods that our gut bacteria love. In fact, many FODMAPs act like prebiotics and have a positive effect on our gut health. This is why the re-introduction phase is so important, to re-introduce these FODMAPs that do not trigger your symptoms, back into your diet.

The social aspect: to properly follow the three phases of the low FODMAP diet, you will likely have to work around social events or functions where food is involved. Often, people may choose to minimise attending such events, which can impact both social and mental health. Food is a connector and following the low FODMAP diet can temporarily restrict us from experiencing this connection.

It may be stressful at times: Done properly, the low FODMAP diet involves some ‘short term pain for long term pain relief’. Although the low FODMAP diet works to reduce physical discomfort, there can be some stress involved – remember to take care of your mental health.

The importance of the initial low FODMAP phase

You’ve completed the initial phase of the low FODMAP diet and you’re feeling fantastic. Then, your Dietitian asks you to begin your FODMAP challenges. Surely it would just be easier to stay on the low FODMAP diet forever, right? Not so fast! Following a low FODMAP diet is a diagnostic tool, not a forever diet.

By completing the challenge or re-introduction phase, a FODMAP trained Dietitian may help you establish which exact foods trigger your symptoms and what your individual threshold is. Through challenging your thresholds, you may be able to reintroduce some of these beneficial foods and plant diversity back into your diet.

Putting it all together – how do I make the low FODMAP diet a healthy one?

It is completely possible to be healthy in both the physical and mental sense when following the low FODMAP diet. Focus on the variety within the temporary restriction – try not to eat the same meals for weeks in a row, instead challenge yourself to experiment in the kitchen and try different low FODMAP foods and a huge range of FODMAP Friendly certified products which have been laboratory tested as low FODMAP and suitable on the low FODMAP diet. Try your best to attend social events as usual – although food is a connector, you can still experience the social connection through great conversation and perhaps altered meals.

Don’t forget that the low FODMAP diet is not the only IBS strategy proven to be effective. Mindfulness, stress management and regular movement in addition to dietary changes often produce the best results as this three-phase approach encompasses our physical, mental and social health. You can read more about regular movement for those with IBS here.

Finally, a FODMAP trained Dietitian is a great person to have on your team. A Dietitian can perform a full assessment, including a symptoms and diet. They will be able to answer all of your FODMAP questions, help you choose the best course of action when it comes to the way in which you’d like to implement the diet and help you to meet your nutrient requirements.

Written by: Charlotte Barber (Student Nutritionist)

Reviewed by: Kiarra Martindale (Accredited Practising Dietitian)