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What are FODMAPs?

Sugars found in many everyday foods, well tolerated by most people, but which can cause bloating, gas and pain in sensitive people. Explained with diagrams.

FFermentablegut bacteria ferment them

OOligosaccharidesfructans and GOS

DDisaccharideslactose

MMonosaccharidesexcess fructose

AAnd

PPolyolssorbitol, mannitol…

A FODMAP’s journey through your gut

1. On the plateFODMAPs are everywhere: wheat, onion, garlic, apple, milk, chickpeas, mushrooms… They are not bad in themselves.

2. In the small intestineThey are poorly absorbed. They stay in the gut and draw in water, which can speed up transit.

3. In the large intestineGut bacteria feast on them: they ferment them and produce gas. The gut stretches.

Why do some people react more than others?

Everyone ferments FODMAPs. But people with a sensitive gut, especially those with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), feel this stretching more strongly: bloating, pain, gas, diarrhoea or constipation. That is why the low FODMAP diet is used in IBS care, alongside a health professional.

The 6 FODMAP groups

🌾Fructans

Wheat, rye, barley, onion, garlic, leek (white part), artichoke.

🫘GOS

Chickpeas, lentils, dried beans, some nuts.

🥛Lactose

Milk, yoghurt, soft cheese, cream. Hard cheeses contain very little.

🍎Excess fructose

Apple, pear, mango, honey, high-fructose syrups.

🍑Sorbitol

Apricot, plum, blackberry, avocado, sweetener E420.

🍄Mannitol

Mushrooms, cauliflower, sweet potato, sweetener E421.

The catch: FODMAPs add up

Each food has an amount up to which it stays “green”. But in a meal, the FODMAPs of every food add up. Two or three green servings together can go over the cut-off and turn the meal orange or red. That is exactly what FODMAP Scanner works out.

See the list of 293 FODMAP foods

PastaSauceWhole meal

The low FODMAP diet in 3 steps

Elimination
For about 2 to 6 weeks, high FODMAP foods are limited to see whether symptoms improve.
Reintroduction
Groups are brought back one by one, with increasing amounts, to find out which ones you tolerate and how much.
Personalisation
You return to the most varied diet possible, limiting only what causes problems. FODMAPs also feed good bacteria: they should not be cut out for life.

⚠️ The low FODMAP diet is best followed with a doctor or dietitian. Persistent digestive symptoms should always be checked by a doctor. FODMAP Scanner is a help tool and does not replace advice from a health professional.

FODMAP Scanner does the maths for you

Scan products in the shop, build your meal, set your tolerances after reintroduction: the app tells you whether the whole meal is fine.

Download on theApp Store Get it onGoogle Play

See the list of 293 FODMAP foods → · Our sources and method →