The low-FODMAP approach, developed at Monash University, is the gold standard for one specific thing: identifying fermentable carbohydrates (the sugars and fibres behind a lot of gas and bloating). It's excellent at that job, and the GASP Score uses Monash-style thresholds as one of its inputs.
But fermentable carbs aren't the only reason a food can upset a sensitive or surgically altered gut. Fat stimulates bile and can speed things up; capsaicin (chilli heat) and caffeine can trigger urgency; alcohol loosens output; coarse, raw or peel-on foods add physical residue. The GASP Score rolls all of that into one estimate across five axes — Gas, Agitation, Stool-loosening, Particle load, plus the protective Binding axis.
| Low-FODMAP | GASP Score | |
|---|---|---|
| Question it answers | How fermentable are the carbs? | How will a serving affect comfort and output overall? |
| What it weighs | Fermentable carbohydrates (FODMAPs) | FODMAPs + fat, spice, caffeine, residue, binding |
| Best for | Pinpointing carb triggers, structured elimination | Comparing whole foods and meals at a glance |
They're complementary, not rivals. If you're doing a formal low-FODMAP elimination with a dietitian, keep going — GASP can sit alongside it to flag the non-FODMAP triggers (fat, spice, residue) that a FODMAP list alone won't. Where we've made a judgement call beyond the FODMAP data, we say so, and every food carries a confidence grade. See how the score works for the full method.