Eat To Beat IBS

There are a group of foods you need to know about if you suffer from uncomfortable symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome

If you get IBS or bloating, FODMAPs should be on your radar, because avoiding them could see your symptoms disappear.

But what exactly are they? Well, FODMAPs are a group of sugars found in a large number of foods. The name is a shortened version of their full title – Fermentable Oligosaccharides, Disaccharides, Monosaccharides and Polyols – which shows why they go by an abbreviation!

They were first studied by Australian researchers, who found that cutting out these foods reduced IBS symptoms in a large number of people. Now they’ve been researched around the world – one UK trial showed reducing intake helped 76% of people with IBS, while a recent US study found more than 50% of sufferers improved – and as such, experts agree there’s a definite link between FODMAPs and IBS and bloating.

Why do they cause symptoms?