Easy Low Fodmap Meals

If you have IBS, a low-fodmap elimination diet may be helpful to reduce your symptoms, and having ingredients ready to make easy low-fodmap meals to eat can help.

 By posting this recipe, I am entering a recipe contest sponsored by Nestlé Health Science and am eligible to win prizes associated with the contest. I was not compensated for my time.

How Low Fodmap Diet Can Help Decrease Symptoms of IBS

According to Monash University, a low FODMAP diet may help nearly three out of four people find relief for IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) symptoms. For the last four years, I have been working with clients to help them with this way of eating, finding the foods that cause their discomfort and helping them create their individualized eating plan to be symptom-free while having the most flexibility with food.

With time, many foods that once bothered someone may be better tolerated. During this time of discovery with my clients, I found the GI symptoms that I have had for years were a form of IBS, and I also have benefited from this elimination diet myself.

What are FODMAPs?  This acronym for Fermentable Oligosaccharides, Disaccharides, Monosaccharides, And Polyols is a classification of certain short-chain carbohydrates that may trigger GI distress in some people.

Clients first need to rule out serious medical issues. Then, they can begin working with a registered dietitian nutritionist to help them identify their individual FODMAP triggers while not limiting foods that they can tolerate that add to the nutritional quality of their diet.

Many people finding easy low fodmap meals a challenge.

Low Fodmap Nutrition Supplements

When looking for a protein powder or bar, be sure to look carefully for ingredients that may be high fodmap. If you have already gone through the three phases of the low fodmap diet, your list may be much shorter than those in the elimination phase.

Some ingredients to watch that may be triggered are inulin, pea protein, high fructose corn syrup, sugar alcohols, wheat, rye, and barley.

It is helpful to work with a registered dietitian specializing in the low-fat diet to determine the best way to personalize it.

Low Fodmap Grains and Bread

Another challenge clients find when following a low FODMAP diet is finding appropriate grains and breads. Fructans are a carbohydrate that bothers many folks with IBS, and these include wheat, rye, and barley. In fact, many clients who have IBS discomfort with these grains believe that they are intolerant to the protein gluten, when more than likely, they are intolerant to the carbohydrate portion of the food called fructan.

For many people with IBS, going gluten-free may not be enough because some gluten-free grains may still have fructans. Amaranth is one of the most common grains in gluten-free products that is high in FODMAPS.

Small servings of whole oats and rice can be part of a low-FODMAP diet, but once they are processed into flour and oats are made into oat milk, they can become high-FODMAP and cause GI symptoms.

Millet, quinoa, buckwheat, sorghum, and ground corn are low in FODMAPS, and these grains can often be creatively substituted in recipes for those high in FODMAPS.

Knowing which grains are low fodmap can be a way to build easy low fodmap meals.

Easy Low Fodmap Meal Recipes

Quinoa Tabouli with a Southwest Twist

Six servings

If you are looking for easy low-FODMAPS meals, try this! During the last of the summer, tomatoes, cucumbers, and basil were low in FODMAPs and plentiful in our little urban garden. The green portion of scallions is a great way to get the onion flavor without the FODMAPs! I changed the herbs and spices for a new flavor in this latest twist!

1 cup quinoa, rinsed

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup olive oil that has been infused with garlic

Two tablespoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon freshly, ground cumin

Two stalks of the green portion of scallion only sliced thinly

One large cucumber, seeded and chopped (We grew the Jin Lang, a Chinese variety)

Two chopped and seeded heirloom tomatoes (We grew Cherokee and Hillbilly varieties)

1/2 cup chopped basil

2/3 cup chopped cilantro

Add 1 1/4 cups water to a medium saucepan over high heat. Add quinoa and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer gently until the quinoa is tender, about 10 minutes.

Remove from heat, cover, and let cool for 5 minutes. Fluff the grains with a fork. While the quinoa is cooking, whisk lemon juice and garlic in a small bowl, then gradually whisk in olive oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Add to a large bowl; add 1/4 cup dressing. Chill the quinoa. When closer to serving, add cucumber, tomatoes, herbs, and scallions to the bowl; toss to coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Drizzle the remaining dressing over the tabouli.

This recipe was developed using low FODMAP ingredients but has not been tested for its FODMAP content.

Additional Easy Low Fodmap Meal Ideas

Here are some additional easy low-fodmap meal ideas:

Low Fodmap Pasta Recipe – Vine Ripe Nutrition %

Low Fodmap dinner recipes (vineripenutrition.com)

Health Benefits of Polyphenols in Gut Health – Vine Ripe Nutrition

Make Some Easy Low Fodmap Meal Ideas to Reduce IBS Symptoms

I hope you enjoy these easy low fodmap meal ideas as much as my family and I do! As a registered dietitian in Asheville, I love teaching people how to make easy and tasty recipes and plan healthy meals with fresh ingredients to help keep them healthy! I hope that you check out some of my other recipes. If you are looking for a dietitian with expertise working with clients with IBS and the low fodmap diet, you might be interested in a Fresh Approach to Digestive Wellness.

Here are more recipes that the dietitians submitted for the group collection.