This new diet can could cure your bloating for good

A bout of bloating can be a total confidence killer—especially if it's coupled with IBS, which affects one in five Americans. That's pretty pervasive for something we pretty much never talk about. (Squatty Potty habits aside.) "Most people are suffering in silence because it isn't really something you discuss at a cocktail party," explains Kate Scarlata, RDN. As a remedy, many try cutting out dairy. Others try gluten. Sometimes it works, and sometimes it doesn't, she says.

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What gives? It turns out, often the cause lies in short-chain carbohydrates, also called high FODMAP foods. FODMAP stands for Fermentable Oligosaccharides, Disaccharides, Monosaccharides, and Polyols. (See why it's an acronym?)

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If you've never heard about it, you're not alone—while it's popular in other countries, it's only recently landed on the radar of healthy Americans. But if you suffer from regular bloating, IBS, or other can't-get-to-the-bottom-of-it health issue, a low FODMAP diet could totally change your life.

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Scroll through for everything you need to know about the FODMAP Diet:

Ready to become a healthy gut expert? Here are seven things you need to know. Plus, there's how to identify which gut type you actually have.

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Why Splenda is worse for you than sugar
Is the 80/20 diet actually a diet?
Your guide to Natural Sweeteners

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