Category: Low FODMAP

How To Manage Diarrhoea

What is Diarrhoea?

Diarrhoea is a relatively common digestive issue that most people will experience at some stage throughout their lives. Diarrhoea is when we pass loose or watery stools more than 3 times a day, or more often than what is normal for you. It can range from being mild to severe and is some cases even life-threatening due to dehydration. Diarrhoea related illnesses are one on the highest causes of death worldwide. There are a few factors that can contribute to the occurrence of diarrhoea including changes to diet and lifestyle, medical conditions, stress and anxiety, infection and some medications.

Diarrhoea occurs when our intestines are unable to properly absorb the nutrients and fluid during digestion. The nutrients in the food that we eat are absorbed in our small intestine. The undigestible parts of our food then pass through to the large intestine, or colon, which absorbs most of the remaining fluid. The remaining waste is then formed into stools and collects in the end of the colon and rectum and passed out of the body during a bowel movement.

Diarrhoea can be described as being either acute or chronic. So, what’s the difference?

Acute diarrhoea: This occurs suddenly and is when we experience 3 or more loose watery stools a day which lasts for less than 2 weeks. Most of the time acute diarrhoea will resolve itself after 1-2 days. It is usually treated by replacing any fluid or electrolytes that have been lost.

Chronic diarrhoea: This is when we have had diarrhoea lasting more than 4 weeks. Chronic diarrhoea may be caused by an underlying condition such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), coeliac disease or irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

What is Functional Diarrhoea?

What this means is that there is not a physical or physiological cause for your diarrhoea. A person may be otherwise healthy, however despite this, is still having trouble with experiencing a normal bowel movement. Although the prevalence of functional diarrhoea hasn’t been well studied, it is reported to occur in 1.5% to 17% of people. It is characterised by ongoing loose watery stools that do not meet the criteria for IBS, however you may experience abdominal pain or bloating.

Once other conditions have been ruled out a set of diagnostic criteria called the Rome IV Criteria for Diagnosing Functional Diarrhoea will be used to confirm if you have this. This includes whether you have had;

  • Loose or watery stools occurring in more than 25% of stools without predominate stomach pain or bloating.

You must also meet the following;

How Often Should I Have a Bowel Movement?

This is a question that I get asked quiet frequently by my clients. What is considered normal can be different from person to person as everyone’s gut and lifestyles are different, but it can range from multiple times per day to three times per week.

What’s important to remember is that occasional changes to your bowel habits are normal and having more frequent bowel movements does not mean that you have diarrhoea, as long as you are not experiencing any pain and are following your usual bowel habits. You only need to keep an on eye out for it if you start experiencing changes to your bowel habits. As I have mentioned, everyone is different, so if you have been having more than what’s “normal” for you, it may mean that you have diarrhoea.

How Do I Know if My Stools Are Normal?

The Bristol Stool Chart below is a great tool to use help you figure out if your stools are healthy or if there is anything to be concerned about. It shows the different types of stools that you can have.

  • Types 1 or 2 indicate that you have constipation.
  • Types 3 and 4 are healthy stools.
  • Type 5 means that your stools are progressing towards diarrhoea.
  • Type 6 or 7 indicate that you have diarrhoea.

Bristol Stool Chart

Symptoms of Diarrhoea

There are so many different symptoms that can be experienced with diarrhoea and it’s important to remember that these will vary from person to person.

Common symptoms can include;

  • Frequent loose, watery stools
  • Urgency to have a bowel movement
  • Bloating
  • Abdominal pain or cramps
  • Nausea
  • Vomiting

Serious symptoms can include;

  • Blood in your stools
  • Fever
  • Pus in your stools
  • Painful bowel movements
  • Ongoing vomiting
  • Unable to keep fluids down

Causes of Diarrhoea

Causes of Acute Diarrhoea

  • Stress and anxiety
  • Gastroenteritis
  • Food poisoning
  • Viruses such as calici virus, adenovirus and rotavirus
  • Travelling, this is sometimes referred to as “travellers’ diarrhoea”
  • Tropical diseases such as typhoid and cholera
  • Bacteria such salmonella, campylobacter and shigella
  • Parasites such as giardia lamblia, cryptosporidium and tapeworm
  • Alcohol
  • Caffeine
  • Medications such as antibiotics which have short-term use

Causes of Chronic Diarrhoea

  • Food Allergies
  • Food intolerances such as lactose intolerance
  • Irritable bowel syndrome, particularly IBS-D
  • Bile acid malabsorption
  • Coeliac disease
  • Inflammatory bowel disease (crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis)
  • Chronic constipation
    • This can cause the bowel to become blocked with hard stools. This can lead to the bowel leaking watery stools around the blockage. This is called overflow diarrhoea.
  • Hormonal disorders such as hyperthyroidism & diabetes
  • Bowel Cancer
  • Medications including antibiotics, antacids that contain magnesium, laxatives and those to treat cancer

My Expert Tips to Help You Manage Diarrhoea

  1. Choose foods that are high in soluble fibre.
    • These include oats, high-fibre cereals, barley, white bread, white rice, pasta and bananas.
    • Peel the skin off fruit and vegetables.
    • Soluble fibre slows digestion which helps with absorbing excess fluid in your bowel and makes your stools firmer.
  2. Eat foods with protein every day.
    • Choose lean meats including chicken and beef, fish, eggs and tofu.
  3. Drink plenty of fluids to avoid dehydration.
    • This can include water, diluted juice or cordial and herbal teas.
    • Drink them at room temperature.
    • If you are experiencing severe diarrhoea, oral rehydration solutions such as Hydralyte may be helpful.
  4. Eat small, frequent meals throughout the day rather than large meals.
    • Try to eat every 2-3 hours.
    • Be sure to include a range of foods from all the 5 food groups including grains, proteins, dairy and alternatives, peeled fruit and vegetables.
  5. Take time to relax and decrease stress and anxiety.
    • This can include relaxation tapes, yoga, or massage as these may help improve gut symptoms.
    • Try gentle exercise such as walking.
  6. Avoid alcohol, juice, soft drinks and caffeinated drinks such as tea and coffee.
  7. Reduce your intake of insoluble fibre.
    • Avoid unpeeled fruits and vegetables, bran, wholemeal bread, wheat-based cereals, brown rice, dried beans, nuts and seeds.
    • You can replace wholegrain breads and cereals with white versions of these.
  8. Fibre supplements containing soluble fibre may also be helpful.
    • These include psyllium, oats and methylcellulose.
    • Make sure to increase your intake of these slowly.
  9. Limit your intake of high fat and spicy foods.
    • Avoid take-away and deep-fried foods, pastries, cream sauces, chips, butter and sausages.
    • Avoid foods with chilli in them.
  10. Avoid “sugar free” foods and those with artificial sweeteners such as chewing gum and lollies.
  11. Try a probiotic. Although everyone is different and what works for one person may not work for another, there is some evidence to suggest that probiotics containing Bifidobacterium infantis 1×108 may help improve diarrhoea.
  12. Manage any underlying conditions that may be contributing to your diarrhoea such as IBD or speak with your doctor about investigating and eliminating any potential medical conditions that may be causing your diarrhoea.
  13. If you have IBS go back to basics by following the low FODMAP diet until your diarrhoea has improved.
  14. Speak with an Accredited Practising Dietitian to get tailored advice and management strategies to improve your diarrhoea.
  15. If diarrhoea is severe you may need anti-diarrhoeal medication. Make sure to speak with your doctor to see which is most suitable for you.

If you’re struggling with diarrhoea and aren’t sure what to eat, I show my clients step by step how to follow the FODMAP diet to eliminate diarrhoea and live their best life. Being diagnosed with IBS doesn’t have to be a punishment when you know what to do, how to eat and how to live your best life and I’ll show you that when we work together, apply for coaching.

References

  1. Bijkerk CJ, Muris JWM, Knottnerus JA, et al (2004). Systematic review:the role of different types of fibre in the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome. Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics. 19:245–51.
  2. Chey WD, Kurlander J & Eswaran S (2015). Irritable bowel syndrome: a clinical review. The Journal of the American Medical Association. 313:949-58.
  3. Drossman DA (2016). Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders: History, Pathophysiology, Clinical Features, and Rome IV. Gastroenterology. 150:1262–1279.
  4. Gandy J & the British Dietetic Association. Manual of Dietetic Practice–Fifth Edition. 2014: 420-467.
  5. Gorbach SL (1997). Treating diarrhoea. BMJ. 314(7097):1776-7.
  6. Lacy BE, Mearin F, Chang L et al (2016). Bowel Disorders. Gastroenterology. 150:1393-1407.e5.
  7. Longstreth GF, Thompson WG, Chey WD, Houghton LA, Mearin F, Spiller RC (2006). Functional bowel disorders. Gastroenterology. 130: 1480–149.
  8. National Health and Medical Research Council. Eat for Health-Australian Dietary Guidelines. Canberra; 2013.
  9. National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) (2008). Irritable bowel syndrome in adults: Diagnosis and management of irritable bowel syndrome in primary care. CG61.
  10. Schmulson MJ & Drossman DA (2017). What Is New in Rome IV. Journal of Neurogastroenterology and Motility. 23(2): 2093-0879.
  11. Thomas PD, Forbes A, Green J et al (2003). Guidelines for the investigation of chronic diarrhoea, Second edition. Gut. 52(Suppl V): v1–v15.
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How To Eat Healthy To Manage Bloating On a FODMAP Diet

In Australia, this week in Smart Eating Week which aims to help increase awareness of health and nutrition within the community. We often talk about healthy eating for the general population, but what about those with specific medical conditions needing to follow a specific diet?

In this blog I will focus on irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and the FODMAP diet. The FODMAP diet can be challenging to follow. I often get new clients, who have tried it own their own, saying that they struggle with limiting the different foods and have been restricting their diet more than they need too. In this blog I will share with you some simple smart eating tips to help you eat healthy and meet all your nutritional needs while on the FODMAP diet.

What are FODMAPs & What is The FODMAP Diet?

IBS is a common functional gastrointestinal disorder that affects 1 in 7 adults or 15% of the population worldwide. It is described by symptoms that are not explained by other conditions such as coeliac disease and inflammatory bowel disease. To learn more about IBS read my “Identify Your IBS Type To Manage Bloating & IBS)” blog here. Through changes to your diet and lifestyle, the nutritional management of IBS aims to improve your quality of life and decrease the frequency and severity of your symptoms.

The dietary cause of the symptoms associated with IBS is largely due to a group of carbohydrates called FODMAPs. This sounds like a really technical word, but it is just an acronym used to describe a group of carbohydrates, or sugars, which are found in a lot of everyday foods including fruit, vegetables, grains and dairy. It stands for;

  • Fermentable
  • Oligosaccharides
  • Disaccharides
  • Monosaccharides
  • And
  • Polyols

Examples of FODMAPs include fructose, lactose, fructans and sorbitol. Although these carbohydrates are poorly absorbed in everyone, they are believed to affect and cause symptoms in people with conditions such as IBS as their guts are more sensitive. It’s important to remember that FODMAPs are not the cause of IBS, however limiting these in the diet can help control IBS symptoms.

The FODMAP diet is a therapeutic diet and is often recommended to those who have IBS. This means that it is actually used as part of the medical management or treatment for those with IBS. A low FODMAP diet can help improve gut symptoms in up to 75% of people with IBS. To learn more about FODMAPs and the FODMAP diet read my “The Journey Towards Managing Your Bloating (FODMAP Phase 1-3)” blog here.

Why is Healthy Eating on a FODMAP Diet Important?

When following a low FODMAP diet it is important to plan ahead as the diet can be quite restrictive and involves a number of changes to your diet. This means that you are more at risk of nutrient deficiencies. Therefore, it is recommended that the FODMAP diet be completed under the supervision of a specialised Accredited Practising Dietitian (APD), such as myself, as we are able to provide you with appropriate low FODMAP substitutes to your favourite foods while ensuring you are getting all the nutrition you need with a healthy, balanced diet and a wide variety of foods. Studies also show that those with IBS who follow the FODMAP diet with the assistance of an APD can get better relief from their symptoms.

For those with IBS, it can be difficult to eat enough fibre when following a low FODMAP diet because they are eating less of these carbohydrates that contain fibre and natural prebiotics. Prebiotics are known for promoting diversity and increase the number of bacteria in our gut which assists with improving our overall gut health. Prebiotics have
been scientifically shown to impact the gut microbiome in healthy people. So, a big consideration is the long-term consequences of a low FODMAP diet. And this is one of the reasons why it is only recommended for a short period of time of 2-6 weeks.

Healthy eating is also the key to feeling your best, both now and in the long-term. Nutrition plays an important role in the everyday functions of our bodies. Maintaining a healthy diet gives your body the energy and nutrients it requires to function. It also has numerous health benefits including lowering your risk of developing diabetes, heart disease, excessive weight gain and some cancers. A healthy diet can also improve your mental health by improving your mood, increasing your concentration and decreasing feelings of fatigue, anxiety and depression. The best way to get in all the nutrients you need is to eat a variety of low FODMAP foods from the five different groups every day. I will discuss these is detail below.

Healthy Eating on a Low FODMAP Diet – The 5 Food Groups

Vegetables and Legumes

Including these in your diet can provide a range of nutrients as they are a good source of vitamins, minerals and dietary fibre. Vegetables can help decrease the risk of developing some chronic diseases including heart disease and some cancers. They are low in energy/calories, so incorporating a high variety of these into your diet can help to maintain a healthy weight. All vegetables also provide vitamin C. Low FODMAP vegetables including capsicum, broccoli, bok choy and tomatoes are particularly high in vitamin C. Legumes and beans, such as canned lentils, are also a good source of protein, iron, zinc and carbohydrate.

How Much Should You Aim For?

  • Women 19 years old & above = 5 serves per day.
  • Men aged 19-50 years = 6 serves per day.
  • Men aged 51-70 years = 5½ serves per day.

What is a low FODMAP Serve?

  • ½ cup cooked green or orange vegetables
    • Whole broccoli, spinach, carrots or kent pumpkin.
  • ½ cup canned lentils
  • 1 cup green leafy or raw salad vegetables
    • Most lettuce varieties and leafy greens are low FODMAP at this serving size.
  • ½ cup or ½ cob sweet corn
  • ½ medium potato or other starchy vegetables
    • Sweet potato, taro or cassava are low FODMAP at a serving size of ½ cup.
  • 1 medium common tomato

Fruit

Fruit are a good source of vitamins, including vitamin C, and folate and provide potassium, dietary fibre and carbohydrates in the form of natural sugars. As with vegetables, including fruit in your diet each day can help reduce the risk of some chronic diseases, including heart disease and some cancers. They are also low in energy, so including these in your diet can help maintain a healthy weight.

How Much Should You Aim For?

  • Men & Women 19 years old & over = 2 serves per day.

What is a low FODMAP Serve?

  • 1 medium unripe banana or orange
  • 2 small kiwi fruits or mandarins
  • 1 cup diced fruit
    • Cantaloupe, pineapple, strawberries, grapes
  • Or only occasionally: 125ml (½ cup) cranberry juice (with no added sugar)

Grains (Cereal)

Grain foods provide us with a range of different nutrients including carbohydrates, protein, dietary fibre and a wide range of vitamins and minerals including folate, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin E and iron. Try and include a wide variety of wholegrain breads, cereals and pastas in your diet. These provide more dietary fibre, vitamins and minerals than refined or white versions of these foods. Eating wholegrain and/or high fibre cereal foods will not only keep your gut bacteria happy but can help reduce the risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, excessive weight gain, and some cancers. Low FODMAP options include spelt and gluten, wheat and rye free products.

How Much Should You Aim For?

  • Men aged 19-70 years & Women aged 19-50 years = 6 serves per day.
  • Women aged 51-70 years = 4 serves per day.

What is a low FODMAP Serve?

  • 1 slice bread
    • Keep in mind that although most breads are low FODMAP at 1 slice, they can become high FODMAP at 2 slices.
    • Low FODMAP options at 2 slices include sourdough, spelt and gluten free white bread.
  • ½ medium roll or flat bread
    • As above regarding low FODMAP options.
  • ½ cup cooked rice, gluten free pasta, gluten free noodles, quinoa
  • ½ cup cooked porridge
  • 2/3 cup low FODMAP cereal flakes
  • ¼ cup fruit free muesli
  • 3 low FODMAP crispbreads or crackers

Lean Meats & Alternatives

These are a good source of protein, iron, zinc and other minerals and B group vitamins. Great substitutes for lean meats are poultry, fish, eggs, tofu, nuts and seeds, and legumes/beans. Just remember that vitamin B12 is only naturally found in animal-based foods, but can also be found in fortified plant-based products. The iron and zinc in animal-based foods is also more easily absorbed by the body than the iron and zinc from eggs and plant foods.

It is currently recommended that no more that 350g of cooked lean red meat is eaten per week as eating larger amounts can be linked with a higher risk of developing chronic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes and bowel cancer. Eating large amounts of protein from animal sources has also been shown to alter our gut microbiome. This can decrease the amount and diversity of the gut bacteria found in our gastrointestinal tract.

Fish and seafood are sources of long chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids. Eating fish regularly is linked with a lower risk of heart disease, stroke, dementia and age-related macular degeneration.

How Much Should You Aim For?

  • Women aged 19-50 years & Men aged 51 years & above = 2½ serves per day.
  • Men aged 19-50 years = 3 serves per day.
  • Women aged 51 years & above = 2 serves per day.

What is a low FODMAP Serve?

  • 65g cooked lean meats such as beef, lamb, veal, pork, goat or kangaroo
  • 80g cooked lean poultry such as chicken or turkey
  • 100g cooked fish fillet or one small can of fish
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 cup or canned legumes/beans such as lentils
  • 170g firm tofu
  • 30g low FODMAP nuts, seeds, peanut butter

Dairy & Alternatives

These are an excellent source of calcium and very few other foods in the Australian diet are as high in calcium as dairy foods. They are also a good source of other nutrients including protein, potassium, magnesium, iodine, riboflavin, zinc and vitamin B12. Eating dairy foods and alternatives also help lower the risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and some cancers. The best choices for those with high cholesterol are low or reduced fat varieties. Many dairy products also contain prebiotics which means they help to increase the diversity of your gut bacteria and keep your gut microbiome healthy.

How Much Should You Aim For?

  • Men aged 19-70 years & Women aged 19-50 years = 2½ serves per day.
  • Women aged 51 years & over = 4 serves per day.

What is a low FODMAP Serve?

  • 1 cup fresh lactose free milk
  • 2 slices of hard cheese
  • ¾ cup lactose free yoghurt
  • 1 cup soy (made from soy protein) or rice milk with added calcium

15 Smart Eating Tips on a FODMAP Diet

  1. Plan ahead and stock up on easy nutritious foods like;
    • Low FODMAP wholegrain cereals and other grain foods.
    • Lactose free milk
    • Canned lentils
    • Eggs
    • Frozen or canned foods without added sugars or added salt
    • This way you can eat at home more often and cook meals yourself by adding fresh ingredients that you know will be low FODMAP.
  2. Choose a variety of different types and colours of fresh vegetables and fruits that are in season.
  3. Try new ways of cooking with low FODMAP vegetables like roasting, baking, barbequing and stir-frying.
  4. Add extra low FODMAP vegetables and legumes to your recipes.
  5. Include at least 1-1.5 cups of low FODMAP vegetables with your lunch.
    • Such as whole broccoli, spinach, potatoes, carrots, tomatoes, red capsicum, eggplant and bok choy.
  6. Include at least 1.5-2 cups of low FODMAP vegetables with your dinner.
  7. Try and eat at least 2 pieces of low FODMAP fruit each day.
    • Such as strawberries, unripe bananas, grapes, cantaloupe, pineapple, oranges and kiwifruit.
  8. Add fruit to your breakfast cereal, smoothies or yoghurt.
  9. Keep edible skins on your fruit and vegetables.
  10. Try having a small handful of nuts or seeds as snacks.
  11. Use fruit for snacks and desserts.
  12. Include 2 serves of fish or seafood into your diet per week.
  13. Include at least 1 or 2 meat-free and plant-based meals each week.
    • You can include eggs, legumes (like canned lentils) and firm tofu, nuts and seeds.
  14. Include small amounts of foods rich in unsaturated fats such as;
    • Oils, spreads, nut butters/pastes and avocado.
  15. Limit your intake of packaged and processed foods as these can often be high in saturated fat, sodium and added sugar and also hidden FODMAPs.

If you’re newly diagnosed with IBS and bloating and told by your doctor to follow the FODMAP diet, but now you have no idea where to start, you’re not alone because 1 in 5 Australians have IBS. But you don’t have to be that person that lives with it for the rest of your life uncontrolled. You can manage it by following the FODMAP diet so that you can eliminate bloating and go out and enjoy the weekend with your friends, apply for coaching.

References

  1. Brown K et al (2012). Diet-induced dysbiosis of the intestinal microbiota and the effects on immunity and disease. Nutrients. 4:1095– 119.
  2. Collins SM (2014). A role for the gut microbiota in IBS. Nature Reviews Gastroenterology & Hepatology. 11: 497-505.
  3. Gandy J & the British Dietetic Association. Manual of Dietetic Practice–Fifth Edition. 2014: 460-466.
  4. Gibson PR & Shepherd SJ (2010). Evidence-based dietary management of functional gastrointestinal symptoms: The FODMAP approach. Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology. 25: 252–258.
  5. Heart Foundation. Dairy and Heart Healthy Eating: Position Statement. National Heart Foundation of Australia; 2019.
  6. Heart Foundation. Meat and Heart Healthy Eating: Position Statement. National Heart Foundation of Australia; 2019.
  7. Hills RD et al (2019). Gut Microbiome: Profound Implications for Diet and Disease. Nutrients. 11:1613.
  8. National Health and Medical Research Council. Eat for Health-Australian Dietary Guidelines. Canberra; 2013.
  9. National Health and Medical Research Council. Eat for Health-Educator Guide. Canberra; 2013.
  10. National Health and Medical Research Council. Nutrient Reference Values for Australia and New Zealand-Executive Summary. Canberra; 2006.
  11. National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) (2008). Irritable bowel syndrome in adults: Diagnosis and management of irritable bowel syndrome in primary care. CG61.

Gluten Free, Low FODMAP Banana Muffins with Lemon Icing

Makes 12Muffins
Gluten Free
Dairy Free
Low FODMAP
Vegetarian
Low Natural Food Chemical Option Available

Ingredients:

Cake:
125g Nuttelex Lite (or other dairy free spread)
¾ cup raw sugar
2 eggs
2 cups mashed ripe bananas (around 4 bananas)
1 tsp baking soda
2 tbsp hot rice milk
2 cups gluten free plain flour
1 tsp baking powder

Icing:
2 cups icing sugar
¼ cup softened Nuttelex Lite (or other dairy free spread)
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp grated lemon rind

Method:

  1. Preheat oven to 180ºc.
  2. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
  3. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
  4. Add mashed banana and mix thoroughly.
  5. Stir baking soda into hot milk and add to creamed mixture.
  6. Sift flour and baking powder and fold into mixture.
  7. Lightly grease a 12-hole muffin tray and fill holes evenly with mixture, around 2/3 of the way.
  8. Place in the oven and cook for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.
  9. Remove from oven, allow to cool in the tray for 5 minutes, then place on a cooling rack until completely cooled.
  10. Sift icing sugar into a bowl.
  11. Add Nuttelex.
  12. Add enough lemon juice so that it is a spreadable consistency when mixed.
  13. Add lemon rind and mix.
  14. Ice each muffin, use around a 1 tbsp quantity per muffin.
  15. Serve and Enjoy!

Tips:

  1. To make this recipe low in natural food chemicals;
    • Swap the banana for tinned pears in syrup or poach 4 pears until soft and mash.
    • Replace lemon juice and lemon rind in icing for 1 tsp of citric acid or serve without icing.
  2. Once cooled these store really well in the freezer in either a zip lock bag or airtight container, just leave the icing off.
  3. If you are wanting a simpler version of this, you can replace the baking soda, rice milk, baking powder and plain flour with gluten free self-raising flour.

Nutritional Information (Per Serve):

nutrition info

Food Group Servings (Per Serve):

food group info

If you’re looking for support on how to follow the FODMAP diet so that you can eliminate your bloating and live your best life, apply for coaching.

Cashew & Chive Hummus (Low FODMAP Option)

Serves 10Dip
Gluten Free
Dairy Free
Low Natural Food Chemical
Vegetarian & Vegan
Low FODMAP Option Available

Ingredients:
½ cup unsalted cashews
1 x 420g can chickpea, rinsed and drained
1 tbsp fresh chives
¼ cup rice bran oil
¼ cup water
Pinch of salt

Method:

  1. Place all ingredients into a food processor and process on high until blended together and smooth.
  2. Serve and Enjoy!

Tips:

  1. Serve this dip with some tasty wholegrain crackers and/or vegetables sticks.
    • Peeled carrot, cucumber and celery are great moderate natural food chemical choices.
    • If you are very sensitive, celery is a low food chemical option.
  2. This dip is also great to use in sandwiches in the place of butter or margarine.
  3. To make this recipe low FODMAP;
    • Either remove the cashews or replace them with unsalted peanuts.
    • Keep your serving size to ¼ cup or less.

Nutritional Information (Per Serve):

nutrition info

Food Group Servings (Per Serve):

food group info

If you’re struggling with bloating and aren’t sure what to eat, I show my clients step by step how to follow the FODMAP diet to eliminate bloating and live their best life. Being diagnosed with IBS doesn’t have to be a punishment when you know what to do, how to eat and how to live your best life and I’ll show you that when we work together, apply for coaching.

Cheesy Cauliflower & Broccoli Fritters (Low FODMAP Option)

Makes 8
Gluten Free
Vegetarian
Low FODMAP Option Available

Ingredients:
½ head of cauliflower
½ head broccoli
2 large eggs
½ cup grated light tasty cheese
½ cup of gluten free breadcrumbs
½ tsp cayenne pepper
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Salt to taste

Method:

  1. Cut cauliflower and broccoli into florets and cook in boiling water until tender. This will take about 10 minutes.
  2. Drain in a colander and then place into a large bowl and mash while they are still warm.
  3. Stir cheese, eggs, breadcrumbs, cayenne pepper and salt to taste.
  4. Coat the bottom of a fry pan with olive oil over medium-high heat.
  5. Divide mixture into 8 and form the cauliflower and broccoli mixture into fritters.
  6. Cook on each side until golden, about 5 minutes on each side.
  7. Keep each batch warm in the oven while the rest are cooking.
  8. Serve and Enjoy!

Tips:

  1. Serve these delicious fritters with steamed vegetables or a salad of your choice.
  2. This recipe is high in FODMAPs. To make this recipe low FODMAP replace the cauliflower and broccoli with kent pumpkin and zucchini or click here for a low FODMAP version of this recipe.

Nutritional Information (Per Serve):

Cauli & Broc Nutrition Info

Food Group Servings (Per Serve):

Cauli & Broc Food Groups

If you’re newly diagnosed with IBS and bloating and told by your doctor to follow the FODMAP diet, but now you have no idea where to start, you’re not alone because 1 in 5 Australians have IBS. But you don’t have to be that person that lives with it for the rest of your life uncontrolled. You can manage it by following the FODMAP diet so that you can eliminate bloating and live your best life, apply for coaching.

Golden Syrup & Pear Muffins (Low FODMAP Option)

Makes 12
Gluten Free
Dairy Free
Vegetarian
Low Natural Food Chemicals
Low FODMAP Option Available

Ingredients:
1 cup brown rice flour
½ cup gluten free corn flour/corn starch
½ cup tapioca flour
1 tsp xanthum gum
1 tsp bicarbonate soda
2 tsp gluten free baking powder
40g Nuttelex Lite
2 eggs
½ cup golden syrup
2 medium pears, peeled, cored & grated
¾ cup rice milk
1 tsp vanilla essence

Method:

  1. Preheat oven to 170ºc.
  2. Sift and combine flours, xanthum gum, bicarbonate soda and baking powder into a medium bowl.
  3. In a separate bowl combine golden syrup and eggs. Mix well.
  4. Add Nuttelex, rice milk and vanilla essence to the bowl with golden syrup and eggs and mix well until combined.
  5. Add grated pears to egg and golden syrup mixture and mix until well combined.
  6. Add pear mixture to flour mixture and combine well.
  7. Lightly grease a 12-hole muffin tray and fill holes evenly with mixture, around 2/3 of the way.
  8. Place in the oven and cook for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.
  9. Remove from oven, allow to cool in the tray for 5 minutes, then place on a cooling rack until completely cooled.
  10. Serve and Enjoy!

Tips:

  1. To make this low FODMAP simply swap the pears for 2 cups of strawberries.
  2. If you do not have brown rice flour, corn flour or tapioca flour you can replace these, along with the xanthum gum, bicarbonate soda & baking powder, with 2 cups of gluten free self-raising flour.

Nutritional Information (Per Serve):

Nutrition Info

Food Group Servings (Per Serve):

Food Groups

If you’re looking for support on how to follow the FODMAP diet so that you can eliminate your bloating and live your best life, apply for coaching.

Cheesy Pumpkin & Zucchini Low FODMAP Fritters

Makes 8
Gluten Free
Vegetarian
Low FODMAP

Ingredients:
400g kent pumpkin, skin removed and grated
1 large zucchini, grated
2 large eggs
½ cup grated light tasty cheese
½ cup of gluten free breadcrumbs
½ tsp cayenne pepper
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Salt to taste

Method:

  1. In a large bowl combine pumpkin, zucchini, cheese, eggs, breadcrumbs, cayenne pepper and salt to taste and stir combine well.
  2. Coat the bottom of a fry pan with olive oil over medium-high heat.
  3. Divide mixture into 8 and spoon onto fry pan to form fritters.
  4. Cook on each side until golden, about 5 minutes on each side.
  5. Keep each batch warm in the oven while the rest are cooking.
  6. Serve and Enjoy!

Tips:

  1. Serve these delicious fritters with steamed low FODMAP vegetables or a salad of your choice.

Nutritional Information (Per Serve):

Pumk & Zucc Nutrition Info

Food Group Servings (Per Serve):

Cauli & Broc Food Groups

I support women with IBS to regain control of their gut issues. If you’re struggling with bloating, constipation or diarrhoea & looking to find a solution, apply for coaching here — I show you step by step how to discover what foods are triggering your symptoms so that you can eat without fear and improve your quality of life.

 

Gluten Free Pear & Rhubarb Crumble (Low FODMAP Option)

Serves 10
Gluten Free
Dairy Free
Vegetarian and Vegan
Low FODMAP Option Available

Ingredients:

Filling:
3 medium pears
1½ cups chopped rhubarb
¼ cup caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla essence
½ tsp ground cinnamon

Crumble:
1 cup almond meal
4 tbsp gluten free plain flour
60g Nuttelex Lite
3 tbsp brown sugar
½ cup desiccated coconut
1 tsp maple syrup
Pinch of cooking salt

Method:

  1. Preheat oven to 180ºc.
  2. Peel, core and slice pears.
  3. Put pears and chopped rhubarb in a saucepan, add caster sugar, vanilla and cinnamon.
  4. Heat gently for 10 minutes or until fruit is soft.
  5. Pour into a medium rectangular baking dish. I used a 38cm x 25cm glass baking dish.
  6. Put all crumble ingredients into food processor and mix or pulse until the mixture resembles chunky crumbs.
  7. Sprinkle the crumble mixture over the fruit.
  8. Place in the oven and bake for approximately 35 minutes or until golden brown.
  9. Serve and Enjoy!

Tips:

  1. To make this low FODMAP simply swap the pears for 3 cups of strawberries.

Nutritional Information (Per Serve):

Nutritional Info

Food Group Servings (Per Serve):

Food Groups

If you’re struggling with bloating and aren’t sure what to eat, I show my clients step by step how to follow the FODMAP diet to eliminate bloating and live their best life. Being diagnosed with IBS doesn’t have to be a punishment when you know what to do, how to eat and how to live your best life and I’ll show you that when we work together, apply for coaching.

Bloat Friendly Fruit Salad

Serves 6Fruit Salad.jpg
Gluten Free
Vegetarian & Vegan
Low FODMAP Option Available

Ingredients:
🍊4 x Mandarins
🍓250g/1 Punnet Strawberries
🥝4 x Kiwi Fruit
🍒250g Cherries
🍐2 x Pears

Method:

  1. Simply peel the mandarins and wash the cherries and then wash and cut all the other fruit up to your preferred size.
  2. Place in a bowl, cover with cling wrap and refrigerate. I find that this stays fresh in the fridge for around 3 days.

Tips:

  1. To make this low FODMAP simply remove the pear and limit your intake of cherries to no more than 2 at a time.
  2. Alternatively, you could replace these with cantaloupe and/or grapes.
  3. 1 cup or fruit salad = 1 serve of fruit and with this fruit salad recipe you will meet your recommended 2 serves of fruit each day.

Nutritional Information (Per Serve):

Nutrition Info

Food Group Servings (Per Serve):

Food Group Servings

If you’re newly diagnosed with IBS and bloating and told by your doctor to follow the FODMAP diet, but now you have no idea where to start, you’re not alone because 1 in 5 Australians have IBS. But you don’t have to be that person that lives with it for the rest of your life uncontrolled. You can manage it by following the FODMAP diet so that you can eliminate bloating and go out and enjoy the weekend with your friends, apply for coaching.

Easy Roast Vegetables (Low FODMAP Option)

Serves 4
Gluten Free
Vegetarian & Vegan
Low FODMAP & Low Natural Food Chemical Options Available

5

Ingredients:
4 x Medium Potatoes
4 x Carrot, cut into halves
500g Brussels Sprouts, ends trimmed
Olive Oil or Rice Bran Oil
Salt to Taste

Method:

  1. Wash and pat dry all your vegetables. Do not peel them and leave the skins for added fibre.
  2. Simply place your favourite vegetables on a baking tray covered with baking paper and drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt.
  3. Bake on high (around 220ºc) for 30-40 minutes or until golden brown.
  4. Serve with your preferred protein & Enjoy!

Tips:

  1. If you have natural food chemical intolerance, I would recommend using rice bran oil as a substitute to olive oil.
  2. This recipe is moderate in natural food chemicals due to the carrot and skins of the potato. However, you can substitute the carrot with swede or celery and peel the potatoes if you would like to make this low in natural food chemicals.
  3. This recipe is also low in FODMAPs if you keep your intake of brussels sprouts to 2 or less. However, you can also substitute these with eggplant (1 cup is low FODMAP) or red capsicum.

Nutritional Information (Per Serve):

Nutrient Info

Food Group Servings (Per Serve):

Food Group Servings

If you’re looking for support on how to follow the FODMAP diet so that you can eliminate your bloating and live your best life, apply for coaching.