Using Technology to Help you on your Low FODMAP Journey

Hi there! Sorry that I didn’t get a blog last week, life took over so I simply didn’t have the time! However, today’s post makes up for it because it is an informative piece about how technology, namely App’s can help you on your low FODMAP journey.

The App that I am going to tell you about today is the FODMAP Friendly App. This App is a fantastic resource to learn about FODMAP Friendly Foods and what portions of each food are considered to be FODMAP Friendly.

You can purchase the App in the App store for $2.49, a bargain considering how much easier it will make your life.

If you are looking for it in the App store type in ‘FODMAP Friendly’ into the search bar and you should see this icon pop up.

When you open the App the front page will look like this….

There are four different categories: Food List, About, Products and Dietary Specialists.

Let’s take a look at ‘About’ first….

In this section you can find fantastic information about FODMAP testing, the low FODMAP diet, breath testing and much more.

In the Food Testing section you can find out about how the foods are tested and what constitutes a FODMAP Friendly Food. Each food is broken down into its individual levels of each particular FODMAP sugar, which is particularly handy for those who are more/less sensitive to particular sugars. You can find out if you are more/less sensitive to particular sugars by doing a hydrogen/methane breath test or by doing the low FODMAP diet elimination and then reintroduction phrase with your dietitian. I will do some blog posts about both these methods at a later stage.

In this ‘About’ section there is also information about what the Low FODMAP Diet is and what are FODMAPs along with interesting information about how the consumption of FODMAPs can trigger symptoms of IBS. Did you know that when various FODMAP sugars are malabsorbed in the small intestine that they pass into the large intestine where they are readily fermented by bacteria, resulting in gas production? And it is this gas production that can lead to numerous IBS type symptoms including: flatulence, bloating, stomach cramps, stomach noises, constipation and diarrhoea. Interesting huh? So when you go on a diet which is low in FODMAPs you are aiming to reduce these sugars that are susceptible to bacterial fermentation, ultimately reducing the gas produced and reducing your overall IBS type symptoms.

Back in the main menu the products section will help you find baking, sauces, snacks, beverages  and meal option products which have been certified as FODMAP Friendly. All products which have been certified have been tested in a laboratory for their FODMAP levels and will wear the little green FODMAP Friendly logo on their packaging. By clicking on a particular product you can also find where they are available for purchase.

If you are simply looking to see whether a particular food has been tested then you can use the search bar to type in what food you are looking for.

Otherwise you can go into the Food List section and look through an extensive list of foods to see what is FODMAP Friendly. For example, if you wanted to buy some fruit at the supermarket but you weren’t sure what fruits are low in FODMAPs you can click on the fruit section, which will then open up a list of fruits which have been tested. You can then click on the particular fruit you want to buy i.e. blueberries and see that it passes all FODMAP categories if you have a 1 cup serving. You can also see that the levels of each FODMAP in the blueberries are listed to help you navigate what you can pair the blueberries with, without consuming too much of one particular FODMAP. For example, the  highest FODMAP in blueberries is excess fructose so you would look to pair the blueberries with a food which does not have a high percentage of excess fructose like Greek Yoghurt. Yes greek yoghurt is considered to be FODMAP Friendly! even though it is a dairy product. The bacteria present in the yoghurt help to breakdown the lactose to ultimately make it a low lactose product.

If you clicked on white peaches you would see that it immediately fails in excess fructose quantity. Therefore, one medium white peach is high in FODMAPs and may cause you to have symptoms.

Still not sure what FODMAPs are? Look no further than the dietary specialists section. Here you can find dietitians and nutritionists who specialise in the field of IBS and the low FODMAP diet. You can search and find a specialist near you in numerous different countries. It is extremely important to see a low FODMAP dietary specialist if you are commencing a low FODMAP diet as with any restrictive diet there is a risk of nutritional inadequacy.

You can see that FODMAP Dietetics appears in the world expert section! We provide in clinic and skype consultations to help people suffering from IBS and sugar malabsorption/intolerance issues to help relieve their symptoms through the implementation of a low FODMAP diet. Want to know more? Go to our website homepage and click on services or feel free to give us a call on
03 9845 7144.

I hope this helps you with your low FODMAP journey. If you want us to write about a particular topic please follow us on facebook ‘FODMAP Dietetics’ and send us a facebook message.

Until next time I am Atlanta Miall, Good Eating!