The low-FODMAP diet is a simple treatment for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), a condition that affects one in seven people worldwide. If you’re reading this, you may already have been formally diagnosed with the condition, or you may suspect you have it (in which case, you should see your doctor for investigations and diagnosis). The classic symptoms of IBS are abdominal pain, bloating, distension, excess wind and altered bowel habits (constipation or diarrhea or a combination of both). Sufferers of fructose, lactose and wheat intolerances may also experience similar symptoms. These days, these various conditions are seen as closely related, and the low-FODMAP diet is effective in treating the symptoms of all of them (except celiac disease).
The diet works on identifying then eliminating or restricting certain kinds of food that cause bowel symptoms. In the last decade, the low-FODMAP diet has come to be regarded as the most effective dietary treatment for the symptoms of IBS, providing relief in 75 percent of patients.
… the low-FODMAP diet has come to be regarded as the most effective dietary treatment for the symptoms of IBS, providing relief in 75 percent of patients.
In 2011 I coauthored The Complete Low-FODMAP Diet, which outlined the principles of the diet for a general audience. Since then, the term “low-FODMAP” has become well known in the medical community and among IBS sufferers. This book is a step on from the last, offering an additional 80 brand-new low-FODMAP recipes, updates on developments, and advice on how to phase in certain kinds of foods safely in order to make the diet as accessible and sustainable as possible.
Although it may have a technical-sounding name, the low-FODMAP diet owes much of its success to its simplicity. It has clear rules that are easy to follow; all ingredients can be purchased in the supermarket; and the recipes are straightforward and suitable for the whole family. In this book I’ve included meal plans, advice for eating out and traveling, and lists of restricted and non-restricted foods.
For many, a FODMAP-modified diet will be a diet for life. After years of working as a practicing dietitian and teaching the low-FODMAP diet, I know from experience that people are more likely to stick to diets that have fewer restrictions. The idea of the two-step approach outlined in this book is to show you how to reintroduce certain restricted ingredients into your diet gradually.
The two-step eating plan and all recipes are designed to support the individualized reintroduction of FODMAP-containing foods, as tolerated, so the diet is not restricted unnecessarily.
