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FODMAP Challenge Phase
The challenge phase is designed to help you figure out which types of FODMAPs you may be sensitive to. If someone is sensitive to high-FODMAP foods, they are usually not sensitive to all types of FODMAPs. The goal is to have the least restrictive and nutrient rich diet as possible without producing undesirable symptoms.
The challenge phase consists of the following steps:
- Reintroduce each type of FODMAP one at a time, while continuing to restrict all other types of FODMAPs. If there are any types of FODMAPs you think you may not be sensitive to, it is recommended to start with testing those.
- On day one of testing, consume a small amount of food/drink rich in the type of FODMAP you are testing. This should be consumed in the morning. See the chart below for options.
- If you do tolerate the test food/drink on day one, gradually increase the amount to see if you can tolerate larger amounts of that FODMAP. Only increase the amount to a typical portion that you may consume. If at any point you do not tolerate the FODMAP consumed, stop the challenge and restrict all high FODMAP foods until your symptoms are under control (usually 2-3 days) before moving on to testing the next type of FODMAP. Note that not tolerating refers to a significant and noticeable change in symptoms.
*Lactose, fructose, and polyols (sorbitol and mannitol) can be tested on consecutive days (i.e. 3 days in a row) whereas fructans and GOS (galactooligosaccharides) should be tested every other day with a rest day in-between, as they can produce symptoms for up to 48 hours after consumption.
- If testing gets interrupted at any point, testing can be resumed once symptoms are under control.
- It is important to be aware that there are multiple factors that can have an impact on your gastrointestinal symptoms. You are encouraged to record your symptoms throughout the challenge phase and make note of whether there were any stressors at that time that may have influenced your symptoms.
- If you do not tolerate certain types of FODMAPs, it is recommended that you retest them every few months as tolerance can change over time. You may also wish to test various foods/drinks within the same FODMAP category as it is possible to have non-FODMAP-related sensitivities.
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| Type of FODMAP | Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 |
| Lactose | ¼ cup milk ¼ cup plain yogurt |
½ cup milk ½ cup plain yogurt |
1 cup milk 1 cup plain yogurt |
| Symptoms?
Stressors? |
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| Fructose | ½ tbsp honey ¼ cup mango ½ fresh fig ½ cup orange juice |
¾ tbsp honey ½ cup mango ¾ fresh fig ¾ cup orange juice |
1 tbsp honey ¾ cup mango 1 whole fresh fig 1 cup orange juice |
| Symptoms?
Stressors? |
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| Mannitol | 1 white (button) mushroom ¼ cup cauliflower ¼ cup celery |
2 white (button) mushrooms ½ cup cauliflower ½ cup celery |
4 white (button) mushrooms ¾ cup cauliflower ¾ cup celery |
| Symptoms?
Stressors? |
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| Sorbitol | 1/3 cup peach 5 blackberries ¼ avocado |
¾ cup peach 10 blackberries ½ avocado |
1 cup peach 15 blackberries ¾ avocado |
| Symptoms?
Stressors? |
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| Type of FODMAP | Day 1 | Day 3 | Day 5 |
| GOS | ¼ cup soy milk ½ cup chickpeas 15 almonds ¼ cup silken tofu |
½ cup soy milk ¾ chickpeas 20 almonds ½ cup silken tofu |
1 cup soy milk 1 cup chickpeas 30 almonds 1 cup silken tofu |
| Symptoms?
Stressors? |
|
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| Fructans: Garlic | ½ clove garlic | ¾ clove garlic | 1 whole clove garlic |
| Symptoms?
Stressors? |
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| Fructans: Onion | 1 tbsp onion | 2 tbsp onion | 3 tbsp onion |
| Symptoms?
Stressors? |
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| Fructans: Grain | 1.5 slices white bread (yeast risen) | 2 slices white bread (yeast risen) | 2.5 slices white bread (yeast risen) |
| Symptoms?
Stressors? |
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| Fructans: Fruit | 1.5 tbsp raisins ½ medium grapefruit |
2 tbsp raisins 1 medium grapefruit |
3 tbsp raisins 1 large grapefruit |
| Symptoms?
Stressors? |
After testing the FODMAPs individually, you may wish to test foods that contain more than one type of FODMAP. It is recommended that you test foods that contain the types of FODMAPs you tolerated. For example, apples contain both sorbitol and fructose. If you passed the sorbitol and fructose challenges, it is likely that you will be able to tolerate apples. However, you may have to play around with serving sizes as FODMAP stacking can occur (the cumulative effect of FODMAPs). See the table below for testing options that contain multiple FODMAPs.
| Types of FODMAP | Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 |
| Fructose and Sorbitol | ¼ red apple 4 cherries ¼ pear |
½ red apple 8 cherries ½ pear |
1 red apple 10 cherries 1 pear |
| Symptoms?
Stressors? |
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| Types of FODMAP | Day 1 | Day 3 | Day 5 |
| Fructan and GOS | 20 cashews 15 pistachios ¼ cup pearl barley |
25 cashews 30 pistachios ½ cup pearl barley |
30 cashews 40 pistachios 1 cup pearly barley |
| Symptoms?
Stressors? |
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