6 LOW FODMAP MISTAKES (and how to avoid them)

You start off great, notice your symptoms are starting to go away and boom they come back. Why? Here are the biggest mistakes people make when following the low FODMAP diet.

1. Not working with a FODMAP trained dietitian

Going it alone may seem like the easier option, but honestly, it's not. People are generally getting their information from Dr. Google or your mum's friends second cousin from work (of course her name is Karen) who doesn’t have adequate training in nutrition (I'm talking a proper university qualified training). There are so many complexities to this diet and I get it, it may seem expensive to see a dietitian, but by the time you have spent money on 'magic tablets' and 'gut healing powders', it will be cheaper and more effective to bite the bullet and see a dietitian. Get it sorted. Done. Plus, they can also make sure you are meeting your nutritional needs whilst undertaking the low FODMAP diet.

2. Staying in the elimination phase

The low FODMAP diet is a short term diet, people should only stay into the elimination phase for about 4 weeks, until they are symptom-free, then under the guidance of a digestive dietitian, move onto Phase 2: Challenge Phase. Staying in the elimination phase will more than likely lead to nutritional deficiencies because you are removing core foods from your diet.

3. Jumping straight into the low FODMAP diet

The low FODMAP diet is works for about 70% of people.

Why?

FODMAPs aren't triggers for your IBS. It is a restrictive diet which can have an impact of your lifestyle, particularly in social situations which can lead to a bad headspace/mindset and therefore, should only be undertaken at a time point which best suits your lifestyle AFTER working through everything else, for example, caffeine, spicy foods, strategies for stress and anxiety, coeliac disease.

4. FODMAP stacking

It’s all about the quantity & timing to prevent those symptoms creeping up on you

Quantity: lots of low FODMAP foods in the same meal = a high FODMAP meal. You're eating each FODMAP food in the right quantities (eg. 2 kiwi fruit and 1/4 cup blueberries as a snack), but your including them all in the one meal.

Timing: aim to keep 3-4 hours between FODMAP foods to avoid 'stacking'

5. Low FODMAP, not No FODMAP

HIGH FODMAPS are beneficial for our gut microbes and help them to thrive. The point of this diet is to identify your tolerance level to food triggers, not to identify and completely eliminate them. There are also misconceptions around food groups,

6. Food group confusion

Low lactose doesn't mean no dairy eg. hard cheeses or yoghurts with added lactase (click here to read more of lactose intolerance and amount of lactose in dairy foods) and wheat free doesn’t mean gluten free. Some gluten containing products are wheat free which means you can still enjoy tasty spelt sourdough on the low FODMAP diet.

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Kindest,

Sarah