FODMAPs

I realised I found garlic difficult to digest when I lived in France. Then, when I moved back to the UK, I found apples were giving me IBS type symptoms (particularly when juiced and fermented - I was going out socialising with friends a lot!). I added onions to the list shortly after ... did some online research and discovered the low FODMAP diet which is used to treat IBS and gets rave reviews. Around the same time, I was having a regular follow-up with a dietitian at the local hospital and mentioned the IBS symptoms and FODMAP. Fortunately, my local hospital is one of the few in the UK pioneering the diet and she had loads of information to help me get started and then follow the regime. 

It's a two-stage elimination diet and quite difficult to follow (especially in winter in the UK) however it's well worth the effort. I can now eat small amounts of garlic and onion and thankfully drink cider without too drastic an effect! I can't tell you the science bit very accurately but FODMAP stands for some sugars which are present in the following fruit and veg and which can cause fermentation in the gut which leads to the symptoms - mine were bloating, wind, alternating diarrhea and constipation, discomfort, etc.

FRUIT
Low FODMAP	High FODMAP (avoid)
Banana (ripe only) Blueberry Cranberry Clementine Gooseberry Grapefruit Grape (max 10) Kiwi Lemon Lime Melon (cantaloupe only) Orange Papaya Passion fruit Pineapple Pomegranate Raspberry Raisins Rhubarb Strawberry	Dried fruit (exc raisins) Chutney Apple Apricot Blackberry Cherry Date Fig Lychee Mango Nectarine Peach Pear Plum Prune

VEGETABLES
Low FODMAP	High FODMAP (avoid)
Alfalfa Aubergine Beansprouts Carrot Celery Chili Chives Cucumber Kohlrabi Lettuce Green beans Olives Parsnips Peppers Potato Pumpkin Marrow Courgettes Spinach Squash Swede Sweet Potato Sweetcorn Tomato Turnip Watercress	Asparagus Artichoke Avocado Beetroot Broad beans Brussel sprouts Broccoli Cauliflower Chicory Fennel Leek Mange tout Mushroom Okra Onion (even small qty) Peas Shallot ALL pulses