Forget FODMAP. Med diet could be just as effective for IBS

IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) sufferers are often put on the restricted FODMAP diet—but the richer Mediterranean Diet could have the same healing benefits.

Researchers from Michigan Medicine at the University of Michigan have tested the two diets on a group of 20 IBS sufferers, and they found that both helped achieve the aim of decreasing bad abdominal pain intensity by 30 percent in a month.

FODMAP was marginally better—it helped 81 percent of patients improve, compared to the 73 percent success rate of the Med Diet—but it’s very restrictive and hard to maintain, the researchers say.  There’s also the danger that the diet can create nutritional deficiencies.

The Med diet is less restrictive and fewer foods are eliminated.

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