Carrots are a FODMAP-free food. Enjoy according to your appetite.
Yes, carrots are low FODMAP. At the time of writing, Monash lists carrots as low FODMAP in servings of up to 500g carrot per person. This makes carrots an excellent vegetable to include in your diet. I use carrots a lot in my low FODMAP cooking.
Low FODMAP foods to enjoy instead include:
Fruit: Bananas, blueberries, cantaloupe, grapefruit, honeydew, kiwi, lemon, lime, oranges, and strawberries. Vegetables: Bamboo shoots, bean sprouts, bok choy, carrots, chives, cucumbers, eggplant, ginger, lettuce, olives, parsnips, potatoes, spring onions, and turnips.
Broccoli can be low FODMAP, depending on the part and serving size. Florets (or the darker green heads) are lower in FODMAPs than the stalks (the lighter green part). Broccoli florets are low FODMAP in servings of ¾ cup or 75 grams. Broccoli stalks have a smaller low FODMAP serving of ⅓ cup or 45 grams.
Greens: Your Go-To Base
While iceberg lettuce is certainly low FODMAP, there are so many other greens to choose from. Many of the darker greens contain more antioxidants, minerals, and fiber which helps us stay fuller longer. These greens have no FODMAPs detected so pile them on!
Cucumbers are a FODMAP-free food. Enjoy according to your appetite. Garlic-infused oil is a popular way to add low FODMAP garlic flavor on the low FODMAP diet.
Fresh tomatoes are in the low FODMAP category, so can be eaten freely and according to appetite.
High-FODMAP vegetables include: Asparagus, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, chicory leaves, globe and Jerusalem artichokes, karela, leeks, mushrooms and snow peas (7, 8). Low-FODMAP vegetables include: Bean sprouts, capsicum, carrot, choy sum, eggplant, kale, tomato, spinach and zucchini (7, 8).
Rice is a great staple food on the low FODMAP diet. To date, Monash University has tested white, brown, basmati, and red rice and each is low FODMAP in 1 cup or 190-gram servings of cooked rice.
Aged cheeses include Cheddar, Camembert, Cheshire, Pecorino Style, Swiss, Brie, Blue Cheese, Havarti, or Parmesan. These are low FODMAP cheese options and they are normally well tolerated by people with lactose intolerance.
Greek yoghurt is higher in fat and protein than natural yoghurt as much of the lactose has been strained out of it, which is why it is low FODMAP. So when choosing yoghurt, make sure to opt for Greek, or lactose-free options to ensure that you are sticking to low FODMAP options.
Zucchini can be low FODMAP, but it's one of those foods where serving size matters. Per Monash University, zucchini is low FODMAP in small servings of ⅓ cup, diced, or 65 grams. The FODMAP Friendly Food Program has also tested zucchini and they give it a pass at a slightly larger ½ cup or a 75-gram serving.
Baked and Boiled Potatoes
Some people with IBS find cooked potatoes are easy to digest, which is good news because baked or boiled potatoes are a natural source of nutrients like potassium. Depending on how well a person with IBS tolerates fiber, the skin of the potato may need to be removed before it's cooked.
A standard serve of sweet potato, ½ cup (75g), is low in FODMAPs, so given an overall green light on the app.
Craving fruit? These fruits are a great place to start as they contain no FODMAPs or only trace amounts: Sugar Banana (firm only), breadfruit, carambola, clementine, durian, guava (ripe), papaya, prickly pear, plaintain, rhubarb, starfruit (1).
Traditional sourdough breads made from wheat, wholemeal wheat, and spelt flours are low FODMAP because they contain reduced levels of fructans (2). This means they can make a great low FODMAP bread option.
Coffee is low FODMAP, but caffeine can be an irritant for many people, those with IBS and even those without, hence the confusion. Coffee contains caffeine, which is a gut irritant,so although it may be low FODMAP, there are still other issues to address.
Great questions! And the answer is, YES, you can eat apples on the low FODMAP diet.
Feta: low FODMAP at 1 ½ ounces (40 grams) per serving.
Green capsicum/bell pepper is now low FODMAP in much higher serves and a serving size of 1 green capsicum/pepper should be within low FODMAP limits. This vegetable now contains fructans in larger serves instead of sorbitol (1).