10 Low FODMAP Foods you Didn’t Know you Could Eat

Nov
01

10 Low FODMAP Foods you Didn’t Know you Could Eat

 

“If onions, garlic, wheat and cheese are off the table… what’s left?”

As a dietitian so many people come to me with increasingly narrow food choices and focusing on what not to eat. It’s no wonder they feel restricted, anxious, isolated and have, honestly, lost so much joy around food.  

Truth is, low FODMAP is actually far more flexible (and flavoursome) than most people realise. In reality, it is after all a “low” FODMAP diet, not a “no” FODMAP diet. Understanding portion sizes, being a little creative and finding your individual tolerance is where you find joy in the balance between managing symptoms and enjoying food, and life again.

This article reflects current Monash University low FODMAP data and portion guidance. Please refer to your Monash app for more detail.

 

10 foods you may be surprised to learn are low FODMAP.

 

1. Fruit

Fruit often gets labelled as “risky” for people with IBS and in reality, too much fruit will cause an increase in gut irritability in most people. We advise aiming for 2 serves spread over the day. Low FODMAP options include citrus, kiwi fruit, pineapple, blueberries, papaya, firm banana, rock melon and passionfruit. Many other fruits can also be included in smaller serves e.g. raspberries, strawberries, apricots, cherries and more.

Tip: Stick to one serve of fruit (approx. 1 medium piece or 1 cup chopped) per meal or snack to avoid a high total fructose load.

Try this: blueberry smoothie with ½ cup blueberries and ½ a firm banana

 

2. Cheese

A low FODMAP diet is not automatically dairy-free. Many cheeses are naturally low in lactose because most of the lactose-rich whey is removed during the cheese-making process. Low FODMAP options include cheddar, colby, feta, mozzarella, Swiss, brie, blue, camembert and tasty cheese.

Tip: if you can slice or grate it, its lactose free. If you can swish it with your finger, check the serve size in your Monash app

Try this: Toasted cheese & tomato sandwich

 

3. Onion – yes really!

Onion is one of the most infamous high foods for people with IBS, but it’s no longer a blanket “avoid.” Certain types of onion are low FODMAP in small serves:

  • Brown onion: 2 tablespoons (20g)
  • Red or white onion: 1 tablespoon (10g)
  • 2 large pickled onions (60g)

Tip: When used mindfully, onion can still add flavour without upsetting your gut

Try this: BBQ sliced onion in a burger 

 

4. Sweet chilli & satay sauce (even with garlic)

Seeing garlic in an ingredient list doesn’t automatically make a food high FODMAP. Many commercial sauces containing garlic, including sweet chilli and satay sauce, have a low FODMAP serve of 2 tablespoons (40g) according to Monash FODMAP.

Tip: This is a great example of why portion size often matters more than ingredients alone.


Try this: Drizzle over noodles, tofu, chicken or vegetables

 

5. Leek & Spring onion

Good news for flavour lovers, the white part of both leek and spring onion now have confirmed low FODMAP serves of 2 tablespoons (14g) and 1/3 of a cup (32g) respectively.

Tip: These are excellent alternatives to onion while still providing depth and aroma.

Try this: Leek and feta omelette or spring onion sprinkled over meals

 

6. Chickpeas

Chickpeas are well known as a gassy food and are often labelled “off limits,” but preparation changes everything. FODMAPs are water soluble so when they sit in the can with brine, the FODMAPs leach into the liquid. Drain your canned chickpeas and they are low FODMAP at ¼ cup. 

Tip: Chickpea pasta is high in fibre and protein and low FODMAP at 1 cup (100g) cooked.

Try this: Add to chickpeas to a salad with chicken, tomato and cucumber

 

7. Wheat Sourdough bread

Not all bread is created equal. When sourdough bread goes through the leavening process, the sourdough bacteria breaks down the fructans making it low FODMAP at 2 slices. Get more info on choosing a low FODMAP sourdough here.

Tip: As long as your sourdough contains sourdough culture, its low FODMAP at 2 slices regardless of if it has yeast or not. 

Try this: Sourdough toast with eggs & grilled tomato for brunch

 

8. Avocado (it’s all about the serve)

Avocado is often misunderstood. While larger amounts are high FODMAP, Monash list avocado as low FODMAP at 3 tbsp or 60g.  

Try this: Avocado on sourdough toast

9. Ice Cream (with a lactase tablet)

Ice cream is often assumed to be off limits on a low FODMAP diet due to the lactose content.

For people with lactose intolerance, taking a lactase enzyme tablet with the ice cream breaks down the lactose, meaning ice cream can often be enjoyed without triggering symptoms. This is a useful tool for increasing flexibility and reducing unnecessary restriction.

Tip: you can purchase lactase tablets at the pharmacy and carry them in your bag for ice cream emergencies. 

Try this: A scoop of vanilla ice cream with strawberries

10. Chocolate

While many assume dessert is off the table, dark chocolate is actually Low FODMAP because it contains significantly less milk. 

Tip: dark chocolate is low FODMAP at 30g and doesn’t become moderate until 80g.

Try this: Melt your portion of dark chocolate and drizzle it over a handful of strawberries or a low-FODMAP serving of walnuts for a fancy, gut-friendly treat.

 

Takeaway

If you started this article wondering, “What’s left if onions, garlic, wheat & cheese are off the table?”, hopefully you now have your answer: when you check serve sizes, plenty

The low FODMAP diet isn’t designed to be restrictive or lifelong. It’s a short-term tool to help identify your individual triggers, not eliminate enjoyment from food. Many foods restricted during the elimination phase can be reintroduced later, often in flexible amounts.

With the right guidance, eating low FODMAP can feel normal, satisfying and empowering.

 

Need personalised support?

If you’re feeling overwhelmed, confused, or stuck in food fear, working with an Accredited Practising Dietitian can make all the difference. I specialise in IBS and food intolerance and can help you navigate the low FODMAP diet with clarity, confidence and far less stress.

👉 Book an appointment with me here to get personalised guidance and a plan that works for your gut and your life.

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54 Comments

  • Grapes are high in fructose, not low. I have fructose malabsorption and I cannot eat them due to the fructose content being high.

    • Grapes have been reclassified since this article was published, so thanks for remiding me to edit it. They do have a small low fodmap serve, so they dont need to be completley avoided though.

  • This is excellent. There is so much misinformation out there. I just read on WebMD that applesauce is great for IBD flare-ups. HA! I’d be in the bathroom all night if I ate some. I used to think citrus must be bad for my stomach because of all the acid. Turns out I can have as much as I want! You really have to read the fine print with this….thank you!

    • From what I’ve read not all citrus is created equal, oranges ,clementines, mandarins, lemons and limes are ok, but grapefruit is too high in those tricky sugars …pink pomelo has been tested and is ok in a small serving, but where I am I can only ever find white… so I treat it like grapefruit and be Cautious . ?

    • I eat applesauce everyday and it doesn’t bother me a bit. It is no sugar added applesauce and I love it. I was on it as part of the BRAT diet my doctor on before finally giving me the diagnosis of IBS and I’ve stuck with it, only now I eat oat toast

  • This information has been really helpful. My Gastroenterologist diagnosed me with IBS. I am on the FODMAP diet. I’m lactose intolerant. Really working hard with such a strict diet plan. I’m keeping a journal of everything I eat and amount. Should be eating lots of fresh veggies/green leafy ones. Not tolerating the green leafy veggies raw or cooked!
    Any suggestions ?.

    • Interesting, sounds like you might be reacting to some low fodmap foods. Have you seen a dietitian to troubleshoot this? We’re happy to see you and get to the bottom of whats going on if that helps?

    • I “lived” on dark green lettuce and other lettuce salads with a little other veges mixed in for most of my ’20s and ’30s and did very well with weight management and health. In my ’70s, I was diagnosed with IBS. I had to totally stop lettuce and other veges completely for a while, because my symptoms became intolerable every time I ate them. Over a period of years, I have re-introduced them, but can eat them only occasionally and only in small quantities. Strangely, I now do better on chicken, eggs and regular bread. I never did like most dairy products and still don’t eat them often, except for cheddar cheese, gorgonzola, brie, and cambinzola. I don’t know whether these cheeses, except for cheddar, are hi fodmaps or low. I have heard that new research has shown IBS does not result from food at all, but don’t know whether that has been substantiated. This entire IBS stuff is awfully dubious.

  • I’m presently on prednisone for a torn shoulder, minimally taking prednisone short term. I’ve been eating and eating, then taking miralax for constipation which really makes me poop too much. Been eating rice cakes with grape jelly, too, which I just learned is high Fodmap. I’m in terrible pain. Better today. Tapering down on the prednisone. Any suggestions how to control the pain? Hoping tomorrow’s better with less prednisone. Didn’t eat but one rice cake today. Help!

    • Hi Barbara, im sorry to hear about your shoulder. Its hard enough having a sensitive gut without adding an injury and medication to the picture. Maybe its worth checking in with your doctor or dietitian for advice on what to do about the pain. They know you and your situation, so can make suggestions targeted at your needs.

  • I am in the elimination phase with fodmap now but I have to say I am confused about the list…on one hand, I read no tomatoes at all, then another says only canned tomatoes or fresh Roma ones…other foods also but too many to list…doing this on my own until I see my Doctor. There is improvement so far luckily. Any advise please…

    • Hi Angela, glad youre seeing an improvement. There are lots on conflicting lists around and many are out of date or just incorrect. Monash FODMAP designed the diet and test the food, so the Monash FODMAP app is the gold standard and the most reliable resource. While many people try on their own, people who work with a dietitian find the whole process easier, less confusing, they get better results and restrict less food as a specialist dietitian is able to adapt things to their specific situation. There is even some indication that working with a dietitian saves money in the long run due to reduced spending on unnecessary products and less need for future healthcare.

  • Thank you for this site. I too have been trying to figure out what to do about my self diagnosed IBS. My doctor said, it’s possibly what is going on with my bowel. About a year ago I started a Fasting diet and it really helped with the IBS, actually stopped it. But now, it is back and has been difficult to handle. The Fodmap diet has really helped as I learn more, has gotten much better. Thanks everyone for posting.

  • I was diagnosed with IBS 3 weeks ago. Still learning what I can eat that’s low fodmap. I stick with chicken and/or fish. Baked. And a side dish. My question is, is it OK to eat cummubers, and /or pickles?

    • Hi Diane, great question. Do you have the Monash University low FODMAP app? This is the best resource for what is high and what is low fodmap. Both cucumbers and pickles have low fodmap serves ☺️

  • First I think there must be a distinction between IBSD and IBSC. Opposite issues. I’m finding it hard to distinguish between the FODMAPs, as I know I do not have a gluten issue. A probiotic is not for IBSD. My insurance only pays for a dietitian if they are diagnosed with heart disease or diabetes. My Gastroenterologist gave me a short list of FODMAPs, but there are so many conflicting or out dated listing online, I fear this will soon turn deadly. I’m in elimination stage and I am fine for about 10 days. Then it starts all over again. Just keep popping pills to avoid painful and debilitating diarrhea that keeps me in the bathroom for hours. Just too much.

    • Im sorry to hear this, it sounds like you’re struggling without much help. Can you see a dietitian privately to troubleshoot?

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