Experts decode all you need to know about the FODMAP diet

The growing emphasis on gut health has also spurred a renewed interest in eating patterns and foods that fortify the gut from intermittent fasting to probiotics and glutenfree foods healthconscious individuals are leaving no stone unturned in their quest for a healthier gut and as a byproduct a smaller clothing size and improved fitness levels The latest diet to catch the fancy of the nutritional space is the FODMAP diet Only like the Keto diet before it this diet isnrsquot particularly newBlake Lively chose the diet to lose her baby weight PicInstagramldquoThe FODMAP diet was developed roughly 15 years ago to treat symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome IBS FODMAP is an abbreviation for Fermentable Oligosaccharides Disaccharides Monosaccharides and Polyols shortchain carbohydrates and sugar alcohols that are poorly absorbed by the body Consuming high FODMAP foods can result in abdominal pain and bloatingrdquo explains Jinal Patel a dietician at Apollo Spectra HospitalTyra Banks eats low FODMAP foods for her IBS PicWikimedia CommonsWhy then has such a specialised diet become so popular that many food aggregators are now marking menu items as being FODMAPfriendly Consider also that less than 15 per cent of the total population of the country suffers from IBS according to a 2018 study by the DMIMS University The answer may lie in the celebrity endorsements of this diet after the birth of her second child Actor Blake Lively reportedly stuck to a lowFODMAP diet to shed her postpregnancy kilosKarishma ChawlaSupermodel Tyra Banks has also spoken about consciously choosing lowFODMAP foods But how effective is a FODMAP diet in terms of longterm and sustainable weight loss Further is it healthyLuke CoutinhoThe hard factsldquoFODMAPs typically ferment in the large intestine during the process of digestion drawing in all the water content and producing carbon dioxide hydrogen and methane gas This causes the intestine to enlarge leading to inflammation of the stomach These carbohydrates are present either naturally or as additives in foods and include fructose which is present in fruits and vegetables fructans which are a part of certain vegetables and grains lactose which is present in dairy galactans which are a part of legumes and polyols the main component of artificial sweetenersrdquo says Karishma Chawla a nutritionist Low FODMAP foods include meat and meat substitutes fats and oils nuts and seeds except pistachios fruits lactosefree dairy and grains except wheat says nutritionist Ruchi SharmaSuniel SharmaDoes it workDr Siddhant Bhargava a nutritional scientist at Food Darzee cautions that high FODMAP foods such as garlic onion wheat rye dairy products figs honey agave nectar and sugarfree gums are not necessarily unhealthy In fact some of these foods contain fructans inulin and galactooligosaccharides which are wholesome prebiotics that facilitate the growth of beneficial gut bacteria While many of these foods are otherwise healthy in certain people consuming them can cause gastral symptoms While not specifically designed as a weightloss programme the restrictive nature of this diet can lead to people losing weight as essential foods are eradicatedDr Siddhant BhargavaA FODMAPbased dietary plan involves temporarily eliminating high FODMAP foods says Luke Coutinho a holistic lifestyle coach These foods are slowly reintroduced to pinpoint specific triggers for IBS He shares ldquoA FODMAP approach only works at a symptomatic level as it helps you to feel better by relieving discomfort It does not address the root cause of IBS which is a faulty lifestyle that includes processed foods chronic emotional stress mindless use of medicines sedentary days binge drinking too much tea or coffee chronic acidity and inflammation If you are using a FODMAP approach to improve your quality of life you must also make parallel lifestyle changesrdquoRuchi SharmaConfusing and restrictiveI had gained some weight during the lockdown When flights resumed I experienced bloating and acidity This inspired me to explore the FODMAP diet Irsquove found the diet to be very confusing as many healthy foods such as broccoli are now offlimits As a Punjabi I enjoy eating paneer which I can no longer indulge in Most of the available literature about this diet has been written by nutritionists living abroad and include foods that are either not available here or are very expensive After a fortnight of this diet I have lost less than 1 kg Suniel Sharma flight attendant