Infuse Issue 6 December 2018 | Page 34

I do recommend in most cases, people
revert to a low FODMAP in-between
each challenge phase, rather than
leaving something in the diet if there
was no reaction, because of potential
cross-reactivity and simplicity. That
said, sometimes we recommend leaving
things in. An example being those
following a vegan or vegetarian diet,
where I’d recommend to do the galacto-
oligosaccharide challenge first to see if
we can leave in foods to help them meet
protein needs.
Do you give them recipes to follow?
Image courtesy of @thefodmapchallenge
Yes, we do provide recipes and meal plans
to follow. However, the way we’ve set up
the challenge is with flexibility, so that
if other recipes are desired they can be
easily included. Also, written and verbal
instructions on how people might modify
their own recipes to make them low
FODMAP are provided. For example, if they
have a “go-to” stir-fry, it’ll be easier for
them to just swap ingredients in and out.
Definitely. It’s uncommon for someone
to not have done some research into IBS.
Most people have been online to see what
FODMAP, is whether it's because their doctor
mentioned it or they have read something.
I think one of the difficulties with FODMAP
specifically, is it's still relatively new for
those outside the dietetics world. One of
the most common complaints from clients
is the number of contradictory food lists
available. I usually take the time to explain
it's because foods are still being tested,
more research is coming to light, and not all
the information you read online you
can trust.
There are so many great websites with low
FODMAP recipes, so I often encourage use
of these to help with variety and meal ideas.
You mentioned earlier, there's a bunch
of information available online for IBS,
most of which isn’t evidence-based. Do
you think people are learning more about
FODMAP?
© Dietitian Connection
It must be quite overwhelming for clients
who haven't heard of FODMAP before and
don't have a nutrition background to work
through all that information?
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Infuse | December 2018