If you're living with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) or small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO), you may have heard about eating a low FODMAP diet. According to Dr. Hazel Veloso, gastroenterologist at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, “The low FODMAP diet is a temporary eating plan that’s very restrictive. It’s always good to talk to your doctor before starting a new diet, but especially with the low FODMAP diet since it eliminates so many foods — it’s not a diet anyone should follow for long. It’s a short discovery process to determine what foods are troublesome for you.”
According to Dr. Veloso, “FODMAP stands for fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides and polyols, which are short-chain carbohydrates (sugars) that the small intestine absorbs poorly.” People who are sensitive to FODMAPs may experience gas, bloating, constipation, cramping, and/or diarrhea after eating FODMAP foods. Eliminating these foods and then slowly reintroducing them to find the culprit of your symptoms can help you develop a nutrition plan that allows you to feel your best.
Here, we'll explore some low FODMAP diet recipes you can enjoy while you're on a low FODMAP diet.
Breakfast ideas: Low FODMAP recipes to start the day
Fuel up without FODMAPs with these baked oatmeal cups.
Ingredients:
- Nonstick cooking spray
- 1 cup unsweetened almond milk (or lactose-free milk)
- ½ cup mashed ripe banana (about 1 large banana or 1 ⅓ medium bananas)
- ¼ cup avocado oil (or canola oil)
- ¼ cup pure maple syrup
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups rolled oats
- 1 cup gluten-free baking flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon table salt
- 12 pecan halves, optional
Optional toppings: additional maple syrup or peanut butter
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly coat a muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, whisk almond milk, mashed banana, oil, maple syrup, egg, and vanilla.
- Add rolled oats, gluten-free flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt and stir to combine.
- Divide the batter into the prepared muffin tin, filling about halfway. Top each with an optional pecan halve.
- Bake for 20–22 minutes or until the center is set, and the edges are golden brown. Cool slightly before serving warm. Optionally, drizzle warm cups with extra maple syrup and/or top with a thin layer of peanut butter.
For a low FODMAP breakfast, you can also enjoy a veggie egg scramble, a fruit bowl loaded with pineapple, bananas, blueberries, strawberries, grapes, and oranges, or a smoothie with almond milk and low-FODMAP fruits.
Lunch recipes: Gut-friendly options for midday meals
Try this decadent sushi bowl for a low FODMAP lunch.
Ingredients:
Sushi rice
- 1/2 cup short grain sushi rice (uncooked)
- 4 tsp rice wine vinegar
- 1 1/2 tsp white sugar
Glazed Salmon
- 2 fresh salmon filets
- 2 tsp garlic infused oil
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1/4 tsp grated/crushed ginger
- 2 tsp brown sugar
- 1/2 tsp rice wine vinegar
- 1/2 tsp sesame oil
Additional ingredients
- 1 cup cucumbers (peel & slice)
- 4 radishes
- 4 tbsp avocados
- 1 nori seaweed sheet
- 1/2 tsp sesame seeds
- 2 tsp green onions/scallions (green leaves only, finely chopped)
Lime mayonnaise
- 3 tbsp mayonnaise
- 1 large lime
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 390ºF.
- Cook the sushi rice according to package directions.
- Line a shallow roasting pan with baking paper.
- In a small bowl, mix the garlic oil, soy sauce, ginger, brown sugar, vinegar and sesame oil.
- Place the salmon, skin side down, in the roasting pan and brush over half the soy sauce mixture. Place in the oven and bake for 6 minutes, brush with more soy glaze, then bake for a further 6 minutes. Once the salmon is cooked, grill/broil in the oven for 1 to 2 minutes to caramelize the glaze.
- While the salmon cooks, make the lime mayo and prep the vegetables. Zest the lime. Add the zest and juice to the mayo and mix well.
- Peel and slice the cucumber into chunky sticks. Thinly slice the radish, slice and measure out the avocado.
- Cut the nori into small strips.
- Once the sushi rice is cooked, fluff with a fork and then mix through the rice wine vinegar and white sugar.
- Place the cooked sushi rice, glazed salmon, and veggies in bowls. Garnish with nori strips, sesame seeds and finely sliced spring onion/scallion leaves. Add a drizzle of lime mayo and serve with extra slices of lime.
For lunch, you can also enjoy a shrimp and veggie stir-fry, a quinoa bowl topped with chicken and roasted broccoli, or an egg salad sandwich on low-FODMAP bread.
Dinner suggestions: Delicious and easy low FODMAP dinners
Try this comforting cilantro lime chicken bowl for dinner.
Ingredients:
- ½ bunch fresh cilantro (about ⅓ to ½ cup, chopped)
- ¼ cup fresh lime juice (about 2 limes)
- 2 tablespoons garlic-infused olive oil
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 teaspoons packed brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt or sea salt
- 1 to 1.5 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 2 large or 4 small)
Instructions:
- Place cilantro, lime juice, garlic-infused oil, olive oil, brown sugar, cumin, and salt in a blender. Blend until the cilantro is processed into tiny pieces.
- In a sealable container, place the chicken on the bottom. Pour cilantro lime marinade over the chicken and turn to coat. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, but no longer than 24 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 450°F. Transfer the marinated chicken to a baking dish and discard any remaining marinade. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, or until a food thermometer inserted into the thickest part reads 165°F. Let rest for 5 minutes. Slice and serve warm.
For dinner, you can also try a brown rice and chicken bowl topped with feta and seasoned with coconut aminos, or a charcuterie board with hard cheeses, sliced chicken and turkey, and low FODMAP veggies.
Snack options: Healthy, low FODMAP snacks
Keeping snacks that fit into your plan on-hand is key for sticking to your diet.
Try these low FODMAP snack ideas:
- Hard-boiled eggs
- Sliced kiwi, pineapple, and cantaloupe
- Gluten-free toast with peanut butter and banana slices
- Mixed nuts
- Rice crackers topped with hard cheese
Tips for meal prepping on a low FODMAP diet
Preparation is key when it comes to sticking to a balanced, healthy, low FODMAP diet. It's smart to pre-make dressings and sauces, as this part of meal prep can be more time-consuming. Preparing your grains (like rice and quinoa) in bulk can be easier than cooking these items as needed. Pre-cooking proteins like chicken and lean beef can also help you stay on track when life gets busy.
Sticking to FODMAP: You can do this!
While eating a low FODMAP diet can present challenges, it's well worth it to discover the culprit of your digestive distress. Follow your doctor's instructions carefully, and try to use this time as an opportunity to discover healthy new recipes that you may not have tried otherwise.
At Evidation, we're here to help you feel your best
No matter what nutrition plan you're following, Evidation is here to support you on your journey toward becoming your happiest, healthiest self. With our free app, you can choose to share the data you're already tracking to improve your health (like your nutrition, activity levels, sleep, etc.). We'll analyze your data to give you personalized, content-based insights with the information you need to keep making progress. We're excited to support you! Click here to learn more about how Evidation works and download our app today.
