FODMAP Friendly App Reviews

Let’s be honest, the last thing anyone wants to be told is they have to start an elimination diet. 

Whether you are in agony or just frustrated, having to figure out a new way of feeding yourself is overwhelming and scary. The good news, following these restrictions, may offer the relief you have been desperately searching for. 

The biggest question you may be asking is, “Where the heck do I begin?”

Here's some help you can App-reciate!

With the FODMAP diet becoming the new standard for GI complications there have been a lot of advancements in technology to make things easier. Just going into your App store you can find free or subscription-based applications that help clear the murky waters of the FODMAP diet. 

The various features provided by some apps include food scanning, category labeling of high, moderate, or low FODMAP foods, recipes, food lists, symptoms, and food intake trackers, and some can even chart your symptoms over time to show trends. Some of these applications have one of these features and some have a combination. Though you get what you pay for, the more features an application offers, the higher the prevalence there may be to purchasing a subscription. 

The following is an overview of the various FODMAP applications I have found, as well as a description of each (click on the name of the app for the direct link to see the app for yourself). Think of this as a one-stop shop for reviewing applications that you can get right in the palm of your hand.

Fig - While this app is still in the Beta phase you can still get some great information and assistance from it. This application is a food scanner and discovery tool that allows the user to find foods in the grocery store or out at restaurants that they can safely eat. The idea is this app covers multiple complex dietary needs, with FODMAP being one of them. It can even assist once you have determined specific food intolerance after the elimination phase of FODMAP. Free on Android and iOS.

FODMAP A to Z - Created by a sufferer of IBS who followed a Low FODMAP diet and had great success. This application breaks foods down into color-coded categories of red, yellow, and green (high, moderate, low). This app will also divide foods into their separate sugar classes: Oligos, fructose, polyols, and lactose, and tailor food ratings once intolerances are determined. Free on Android and iOS.

Fast FODMAP - This application focuses on four major navigational tabs: Look-up, List, Learn, and Diary. The Look-up tab allows you to search the database for any food you can think of. The List tab uses food categories to break information down. The Learn tab provides the educational aspect of FODMAPS and IBS. The Diary tab allows the user to maintain a log of foods consumed, symptoms, exercise, and how you are feeling that day. Free on Android and iOS.

Cara Care - If you are a sufferer of IBS, IBD, GERD, or dyspepsia then this app is for you. This app is similar to the Fast FODMAP app with some extra features. You can track food, exercise, mood, stool type, medication, etc. This app will take the information you provide and give you a breakdown of the best and worst days. There is a recipes section as well. Free, with in-app purchase options for Android and iOS.

MONASH - If you have heard of FODMAP then you have probably heard of the MONASH University website and app. You can find categorized lists of high, low, and moderate FODMAP foods, including color coding and serving sizes. The app also contains recipes and a diet guide booklet. You can also create shopping lists, amongst other features. Cost is $12.99 for Android and iOS.

FODMAP Helper - Features associated with this application are very similar to the other apps listed, with food lists, ranking, and FODMAP breakdown. If you are willing to invest in the premium subscription you can create personal symptom-tracking logs. This analysis allows you to determine where your sensitivities lie once you track your intake and symptoms over time. Free on Android only at this time (or you can upgrade to a subscription).

It is my hope that this review can assist in guiding you toward the best tool for your symptoms allowing you the ability to focus your effort on getting your body back to a happy and thriving state. 

As a clinician, it is exciting to see more tools being developed and becoming available to assist with restricted eating. These applications help you to focus your attention on the positive aspects of what you CAN eat. Maintaining a healthy and optimistic mindset when facing adversity can make a huge impact on symptom relief and best of all, quality of life.