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If you’re one of the 12 million people in Britain living with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) you might have heard of the lowfodmap diet. For the uninitiated, fodmap stands for fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides and polyols - quite a tongue-twister. But what is it? The diet is now recognised by medical professionals worldwide as an effective treatment for IBS symptoms, yet doctors and dietitians are worried that, as its success becomes more well known, the low-fodmap approach is turning into a potentially unhealthy diet fad. They report growing numbers of people with IBS, as well as some with no real gut problems, putting themselves on the diet without medical supervision or guidance. Instead, they’re turning to Google and a profusion of blogs and websites that have popped up on the topic, which are mostly written by unqualified ‘experts’.
One website wrongly suggests the low-fodmap approach works for everyone: “If you’ve got an irritable digestive tract, fodmaps are definitely something you want to avoid.” Another incorrectly frames the low-fodmap approach as a lifestyle choice rather than a treatment: “Will low-fodmap be the new gluten free?” Worryingly, many websites falsely infer that the lowfodmap approach involves going on a highly restricted diet forever.
WHAT ARE FODMAPS?