Most people don\’t eat enough fibre (i.e. 80% of Irish adults don\’t!). Put IBS into the mix and the challenge gets harder as many people find high fibre foods are not well tolerated. A low FODMAP diet can then be a double whammy as it excludes a whole raft of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, and legumes and foods with added prebiotic fibers.
For example wholegrains such as wheat, barley & rye are reduced due to high levels of fructans; pulses are limited due to galactooligosaccharides; some fruits and vegetables are reduced due to polyols and fructose
However there are still plenty of foods that are high in fiber and low in FODMAPs! It’s recommended to continue to aim for high fibre to manage your IBS long term, as well as ensure you feed your gut bugs when following alow FODMAP diet. The following tips can help:
- Choose wholegrains e.g. oats, millet, or quinoa porridge, buckwheat flakes, wholegrain rice and gluten free pasta, multigrain FODMAP friendly breads, oat crackers
- Fill half your plate with veg at main meals e.g. carrosts, parsnips, spinach, red and white cabbage, courgette, aubergine, kale, tomotoes, broccoli*, sweet potato*, Bok choy, beetroot, green beans, peppers, butternut squash*
- Include 2-3 portions of fruit per day e.g. kiwi, berries (excluding blackberries), unripe banana, oranges, grapes, rhubarb, passion fruit, melon
- Include \’allowed\’ portions of legumes e.g. approx. 2 tbs or 40g rinsed and drained canned beans and pulses. Add to curries, bolognese, stews, soups, casserols, salads, smoothies or make hummus
- Add nuts and seeds to meals and snacks e.g. flaxseeds/linseeds to cereal, smoothies or yoghurt; scatter macadamia nuts on cereal or porridge; toast pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds or sunflower seeds and add to salads, soups adn stri-fries; add peanuts to curries; add pinenuts on pizza; thorw peacans and walnuts into salads; make chia seed pudding; add walnuts and seeds to baking e.g. bread, muffins
To maximize your intake, try to be mindful to add some fibre to every meal and snacks!
I hope you benefit from these tips!
*portion controlled
