Colleen Woods, MS, RDN, CLC
May 12, 20233 min
FODMAP stands for Fermentable Oligosaccharide Disaccharide Monosaccharide and Polyols. These are short-chain sugars that the small intestine poorly absorbs. [1]
While FODMAP foods provide many healthful benefits, some people with IBS have trouble tolerating them, resulting in uncomfortable symptoms like diarrhea, constipation, (or both), gas, bloating, or cramps. [1,2,3, 4]
In fact, so many people have trouble with these sugars, a low FODMAP diet, courses, and apps have been dedicated to helping people avoid these foods.
Below is a list of fruits and vegetables considered low FODMAP.[5] Everyone is different and you may be able to tolerate fruits and vegetables not on this list. If so, feel free to keep them in your diet or talk to a Registered Dietitian about customizing your diet. The less restrictive your eating habits, the better.
This list is set-up to help you choose fruits and vegetables of each color at the market or grocery store each week. The goal is to eat the rainbow of colors throughout the week, aiming for 2 servings of fruits per day (2 whole fruits or 1 cup of berries/grapes) and 3 servings of vegetables (2-3 medium carrots, 1 cup of cooked or raw chopped vegetables, or 2 cups of lettuce).
Red: tomatoes, strawberries, red grapes, raspberries, red bell pepper, radishes, radicchio lettuce
Orange & Yellow: oranges, lemons, pineapple, cantaloupe, fresh papaya (not dried), tangerines, passion fruit, carrots, rutabaga, sweet potato (up to 2/3 cup), butternut squash/pumpkin (up to 1/2 cup), orange or yellow peppers, under-ripe banana
Green: arugula, spinach, lettuce, cucumber, broccoli, celery, cabbage (not fermented as kimchi or sauerkraut), bok choy, zucchini, green beans, canned peas (up to 1/2 cup), okra, scallion tops, chives, green grapes, kiwi, green bell pepper
Black & Blue: blueberries, purple/black grapes, purple potatoes, black olives, eggplant
White & Brown: under-ripe banana, potatoes, turnips, parsnips, oyster mushrooms
Typically, dried fruits don't make the list of low FODMAP fruits because of their fructans. Other high FODMAP fruits and veggies are a problem due to their excess fructose or polyols.
High FODMAP fruits and veggies that many people with IBS want to avoid include:
apples
apricots
artichoke
asparagus
blackberries
boysenberries
cauliflower
dried fruits
figs
garlic
mango
mushrooms
nectarine
onions
peaches
pears
persimmons
plums
sugar snap peas
watermelon
There are some fruits and veggies not listed because they may be tolerated in small amounts or prepared in a certain way.
For more information or to customize your diet for IBS, work with a Registered Dietitian. Schedule your free virtual consultation with ZEST Nutrition online at: www.ZESTNutritionService.com
[1] Galon Valoso, H. (2021). FODMAP Diet: What you need to know. Johns Hopkins Medicine. https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/fodmap-diet-what-you-need-to-know
[2] Monash University. Functional bowel disorders and IBS. Preview of Module 1. [Online course]. Monash University. https://monashfodmapcourse.s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/dietitian_preview/index.html#/
[3] Shepherd, S. J., Parker, F. C., Muir, J. G., & Gibson, P. R. (2008). Dietary triggers of abdominal symptoms in patients with irritable bowel syndrome: Randomized placebo-controlled evidence. Clinical gastroenterology and hepatology: The Official Clinical Practice Journal of the American Gastroenterological Association, 6(7), 765–771. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cgh.2008.02.058
[4] Eswaran, S., Tack, J., & Chey, W. D. (2011). Food: the forgotten factor in the irritable bowel syndrome. Gastroenterology Clinics of North America, 40(1), 141–162. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gtc.2010.12.012
[5] Low FODMAP Diet A to Z. (2021). [App].