Modifying high FODMAP recipes
Whether you are new to the low FODMAP diet, working through the elimination phase or already know your triggers, understanding what to cook can be tricky. When I first started my gut health journey I worried that all the cookbooks in my kitchen would be wasted as I simply wouldn’t be able to cook those recipes any longer. But don’t fear, once you start adapting a recipe or two, you’ll find there are still plenty of ways to enjoy your favourite recipes. We’ve put together some simple steps you can take to keep cooking and ensure you don’t have any IBS symptoms flare up.
1. Identify any high FODMAP ingredients
Start by taking a look at the recipe and reading through the full ingredients list. Identify any high FODMAP ingredients used and make a note of them. Some key items to look out for are onion, garlic, wheat products and dairy products. If you’re unsure of any items we recommend checking against the Monash FODMAP app to see recommended serving sizes. If you have already undertaken the low FODMAP diet elimination and reintroduction phases and identified your FODMAP triggers you only need to remove any ingredients that are problematic for you. For example I know that I can still tolerate lactose so when I am adapting recipes I don’t need to remove or substitute ingredients that contain lactose.
2. Check for FODMAP stacking and quantities
Once you’ve identified any high FODMAP ingredients it’s also important to take a look at any ingredients that have moderate FODMAPs to ensure you don’t end up stacking your FODMAPs. FODMAP stacking can affect some individuals when multiple foods that have a low to moderate FODMAP rating are consumed and the accumulation of eating these simultaneously results in IBS symptoms. For example, both almonds and hazelnuts are considered low FODMAP in serving sizes of up to 10 nuts. However some individuals may experience IBS symptoms if they consume 10 hazelnuts and 10 almonds at the same time due to the GOS content present in these nuts.
3. Remove or Substitute
Now that you’ve identified any high FODMAP ingredients that you are unable to tolerate and ingredients that may cause FODMAP stacking, you can now look to remove or substitute these. We recommend swapping high FODMAP containing vegetables with ones where no to low FODMAPs have been detected. Carrot, parsnip, potatoes, red capsicum and Japanese pumpkin are all vegetables where FODMAPs have not been detected. If you’re interested in some easy substitutions you can take a look at our blog on top swaps for high FODMAP foods. You can also adjust the quantity of higher FODMAP containing ingredients, such as reducing the amount of sweet potato in a recipe from 100g to 75g per serve. If you’re worried about your recipe not being as tasty as the original there are still plenty of ways to create flavour on a low FODMAP diet such as using infused oils or incorporating umami flavours.
4. Cook and enjoy
Once you’ve made your adjustments, all there is left to do is cook and enjoy! We recommend writing down your favourite tweaks you’ve made to recipes so that you can easily make them again.