We all know that portion sizes are important to getting good symptom control while on the low FODMAP diet. However, if you are feeling hungry there are some low FODMAP vegetables that can be eaten freely and enjoyed in large serves.
Low FODMAP Vegetables You Can Eat Freely
Vegetable serving size information sourced from the Monash Low FODMAP App.
Potatoes
Potato is a staple in my household and we love it baked, mashed or fried. Try buying bulk bags of unwashed potatoes instead as they are much cheaper.
Why not try my low FODMAP crispy baked potatoes with your next meal.
Bean Sprouts
Are perfect for a low FODMAP stir-fry and they can add a lovely crunchy texture to your meal.
Chives
Chives are a gorgeous way to pack some low FODMAP flavour into your meal. I love mixing chives with garlic infused oil, mayonnaise or cottage cheese for a quick low FODMAP dip.
Choy Sum
Choy sum is a tasty Asian green. Try stir-frying it in some soy sauce and low FODMAP garlic infused oil.
Carrots
Carrots are such a versatile vegetable and are a great everyday food. Try a quick snack of carrot sticks with low FODMAP hummus, or try slowly roasting carrots with a ginger, maple syrup and sesame glaze for an amazing low FODMAP side.
Collard Greens
Collard greens are another versatile low FODMAP vegetable. The leaves are sturdy enough that you can use them as wraps for your next round of tortillas! Don’t fancy a wrap? Then try thinly slicing them and adding to your next soup, stew or salad.
Cucumber
Crunchy cucumber makes a great low FODMAP snack. Try dipping it in hummus, chive dip, or spreading with peanut butter. For a refreshing drink add a few slices of lemon and cucumber to your water.
Endive leaves
Almost anywhere you use lettuce you can use endive leaves. Also try them sautéed with some lemon, salt and pepper, then use them as a delicious bed for your grilled salmon.
Lettuce (butter, iceberg, red coral, rocket/arugula)
Sometimes the one cup serve listed in the Monash app just isn’t enough for a good salad. The good news is that we can increase that serving size, as lettuce only contains trace amounts of FODMAPs (1). If you are looking for a delicious salad to try tonight check out my Summer Beef Salad with Mustard Sauce.
Kale
Have you tried making kale chips yet? They can be a lovely healthy change from potato chips. Or try adding a handful of kale to your next smoothie.
Parsnip
Parsnip is often an overlooked vegetable… but it makes a lovely base for soup, a fantastic roasted vegetable, or is delicious mashed.
Japanese Pumpkin (Kabocha Squash)
Ah Japanese pumpkin… one of my favourite vegetables. You can turn it into a seriously delicious low FODMAP pumpkin dip here. I love eating this dip for breakfast on toast! Japanese pumpkin is also delicious in low FODMAP risotto.
If you don’t know what Japanese Pumpkin is called in your country check out my handy Japanese pumpkin guide.
Silverbeet (Swiss Chard)
Personally I’ve never been a huge fan of silverbeet but it is packed full of nutrients! I like sneaking it into spaghetti bolognese or stews where it just disappears into the yumminess.
How do you tell if you can eat a vegetable freely?
Check the notes under each food in the Monash Low FODMAP app. Look for notes that say ‘FODMAPs were not detected in this food. Eat freely & according to appetite.’ Or ‘Only trace amounts of FODMAPS were detected in this food. Eat freely and according to appetite.’ If you see either of these notes in the Monash Low FODMAP app, then you can eat the vegetable freely.
Final Thoughts
Keep an eye on the Monash University FODMAP Diet app as each category is slowly being updated with more portion size information. And remember if you are hungry you can enjoy a few more mouthfuls of the low FODMAP vegetables listed above.
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More Tools to Help
We know that taming your gut symptoms can be challenging but we’re here to help! We can support you through your journey from starting the low FODMAP diet to reintroducing FODMAPs and finding your food freedom through our FODMAP Made Easy programme.
Explore our 850+ delicious low FODMAP recipes, plan your meals with our weekly meal plans, track your symptoms, and get extensive help for all the stages of the low FODMAP diet through our e-courses. All our resources are dietitian reviewed. So what are you waiting for? Come and join us in the FODMAP Made Easy programme!
Tim says
October 24, 2018 at 10:16 amI was horrified to learn, that most vegetables of any substance are pretty much off limits.. I love broccoli, and yes.. even cauliflower..
It seems pointless to bother cooking 3/4 cup serving size..
Pumpkin and parsnips.. not much of a fan… so that leaves Potatoes..
Exciting!!
Kale and Chard/Silverbeet.. I’m ok with.. but without garlic or onions, that becomes a lot less fun.
It’s weird, my whole life I’ve been trying to “be good” and probably I just need to eat enough vegetables.. Only to find it’s those very vegetables that are giving me grief! Stupid digestion.
Alana Scott says
October 25, 2018 at 10:30 pmHi Tim,
It’s really important to remember that the strict phase of the diet only lasts for 2 to 6 weeks and then you can start testing the FODMAP groups. You might discover that you are fine with mannitol and can bring back cauliflower and mushrooms.
When it comes with broccoli we recommend mixing the low FODMAP serve with a serve of green beans of round it out. Also make sure you grab the Monash low FODMAP app as that has good list of vegetables that you can enjoy during the initial phase of the diet.
TD says
January 29, 2019 at 12:33 amDrink your veggies in smoothies!
Claudine Hellmuth says
March 20, 2019 at 11:37 amCan even high fodmap foods be ok in smoothie form? I have noticed when I have a homemade smoothie for breakfast and lunch that I’m fine until I start eating snacks or dinner.
Alana Scott says
March 20, 2019 at 9:49 pmHi Claudine,
It’s really important to note that FODMAP reactions can take place between 6 and 24 hours after you eat the high FODMAP food. This means your reactions after dinner could be from the high FODMAP smoothie you had at lunchtime. It is generally recommended that you remove high FODMAP foods/serving sizes from your diet for 2 to 6 weeks (with the help of a dietitian) and then you systematically test the FODMAP groups to see which ones you can bring back into your diet without triggering symptoms.
Nicoleta says
December 28, 2018 at 10:59 pmPlease, may I have a plan to start the diet? Don’t know exactly what to include on it?
Alana Scott says
December 30, 2018 at 10:20 pmHi Nicoleta,
This is a great article to get you started: https://alittlebityummy.com/low-fodmap-elimination-phase/
We also highly recommend the Monash University Low FODMAP app.
Also are also running a Wellness Club which will walk you through your whole low FODMAP journey. It contains over 500 low FODMAP recipes, e-courses that support you on each phase of the low FODMAP diet, meal plans, symptom tracking and lots of tips and tricks. You can learn more about it here:https://app.alittlebityummy.com/meal-plan
Claudine Hellmuth says
March 28, 2019 at 10:26 pmThank you Alana! I am meeting with my dr this week to get a protocol. He may want me to do more testing before trying Low FODMAP or he may want me to start right away. Up to this point I have just been trying to find out about low fodmaps and see which ones effect me. I had no idea some could take that long to show effects. My worst symptoms usually onset about 2-4pm each day so I thought it was my lunch. Thanks for this helpful info 🙂
Alana Scott says
April 28, 2019 at 8:54 pmHi Penny,
Thanks for reaching out to us. The low FODMAP phase is meant to be a temporary phase and it is important to bring some high FODMAP back into your diet to protect your long term health. It’s unusual for someone to react to every single FODMAP group. When someone is struggling to find high FODMAP foods to bring back into their diet the first things to check include: are the right challenge foods being used (these foods should only contain one FODMAP group), is the right amount of the FODMAP food being used to challenge (you need to start small), and are there other food intolerances or medical conditions that need to be taken into consideration. We have more information here: https://alittlebityummy.com/testing-fodmaps-how-does-the-reintroduction-phase-work/
We also highly recommend that you reach out to a FODMAP trained dietitian who can help you troubleshoot. Let us know if you need help finding one.
Allya says
June 23, 2019 at 6:05 pmWow, my worst tummy times are in the morning, usually fine in the afternoons. I have been eating low fodmap for 5 days now and I already feel immensely better.
Alana Scott says
June 26, 2019 at 5:52 amHi Allya,
It’s great to hear that the low FODMAP diet is helping! As soon as your symptoms are settled you can jump into the FODMAP Reintroduction/Challenge phase and start figuring out what FODMAP groups are triggering those symptoms.
Alana Scott says
June 26, 2019 at 5:37 amHi Michael,
Thanks for commenting. It sounds like you might have an outdated list of high and low FODMAP foods.
The information on this site follows Monash University low FODMAP research. This Australian University is the leading research center for the low FODMAP diet and their information can be trusted. The Monash University Low FODMAP Diet app is the best place to find low FODMAP and high FODMAP food lists.
If you look in their app you will discover that kale is low FODMAP and that if you make hummus from canned chickpeas then it can also be enjoyed in small low FODMAP serves too. You can find their app here: https://www.monashfodmap.com/ibs-central/i-have-ibs/get-the-app/
If you have more questions about the foods we recommend then please let us know!
Tina says
July 25, 2019 at 4:17 amHello Alana,
I have a computer but don’t have a clever phone so am unable to get apps. Is there any computer downloads that will help me. My 71 year old tummy has suffered for years. I was diagnosed with IBS 35 plus years ago and at that time it was all about medication. I am now twice the woman (Ha ha) that I was as a 30 something when I was 8 stone 4lbs. and I am sure most of that is bloat and visceral fat. So any info I can get on the computer would be helpful.
Alana Scott says
July 25, 2019 at 8:28 pmHi Tina,
We have lots of computer-based information and downloads in our Wellness Club including e-courses that will walk you through the 3 phases of the low FODMAP diet. You can find more about that here: https://alittlebityummy.com/join-our-low-fodmap-club/
You can also get a single booklet from Monash University here: https://www.monashfodmap.com/i-am-a-health-professional/fodmap-resources/
I hope that helps!
Silvia says
August 2, 2019 at 7:17 amHi Alana!
First off, thank you so much for your helpful articles which guide me through my first steps into the low FODMAP diet along with the Monash app!
I was delighted to see on the app that potatoes were actually FODMAP free as we often use them in our kitchen (a habit taken from my Alsatian in-laws).
Still according to the app, bean sprouts contain only trace amounts of FODMAPs and thus can be eaten freely.
I also saw that several beans had been sprouted for testing and then I’m not quite sure what type of bean sprouts does that refer to, and which type I should look for exactly to stay in the safest zone (as I’m in the elimination phase and my tummy is still quite sensitive at the moment).
Are those “bean sprouts” from soy beans?
Sorry if my question sounds stupid but I can’t always be sure of the translation for all foods and still there are veggies and fruits listed in the app that I actually didn’t even know existed!
All that to say I’d rather sound stupid and make sure to buy the best thing instead of irritating my guts further.
Thank you again for all the info and tips you share with us! 🙂
Alana Scott says
August 4, 2019 at 8:55 pmHi Silva,
Thanks for commenting! I love potatoes too and I enjoy cooking freely with them as well. In regards to the bean sprouts, from the photo in the Monash Low FODMAP App, it looks like they could be soybean sprouts. However, if you are unsure just stick to 1 cup of Mung Bean sprouts as these are also low FODMAP and labelled more clearly in the app. Happy eating!
Alana Scott says
August 25, 2019 at 8:53 pmHi Paulus,
Thanks for commenting. That article from Monash University was published in 2015 and looks like it is now out of date. The August 2019 version of the Monash University Low FODMAP App is showing Kale as only containing trace amounts of FODMAPs and there is a note that states it can be eaten freely and according to appetite.
Feel free to email me if you would like to discuss this further.
Nurie says
November 17, 2019 at 8:09 amHi all FODMAP’S I started on this journey
My question…is sweet potato muffins allowed in the FODMAP eating plan
Warm Regards Nurie
Alana Scott says
November 18, 2019 at 6:57 amHi Nurie,
Thanks for commenting! Okay so sweet potato is low FODMAP in small serves (75g is your limit and this is the raw weight before cooking). Sweet potato muffins might be low FODMAP depending on how much sweet potato is in the recipe. If you email me through [email protected] I can check the recipe for you and let you know.
Joan says
December 28, 2019 at 5:26 pmThanks so much for your useful information
I am introducing one group at a time. I have done well with the Oligosaccharides-Fructans and the Galacto-Oligosaccharides Three days each and then nothing for two days before introducing a new category
My question is can I now start eating these foods freely or should I complete all the categories first
I am interested in seeing if combining two categories will cause a problem. E.g eating onions and lentils together. Any thoughts
Alana Scott says
December 29, 2019 at 9:07 pmHi Joan,
That is fantastic to hear! It sounds like your FODMAP challenges are going really well. We recommend leaving the high FODMAP foods you tolerate well out of your diet until you have finished the individual FODMAP challenges. Then you can start combining high FODMAP groups like lentils and onions and see how you go. Does that help?
Lee Crispe says
October 5, 2020 at 5:51 amCan any of these foods be frozen as the quantities are way to big for me. My husband eats some things but not much. I have leftovers the next day but it gets monotonous to eat the same things day after day.
Alana Scott says
October 5, 2020 at 8:55 pmHi Lee,
Lots of these foods can be frozen once they have been cooked or blanched. You could also freeze your leftovers and use them at a later date when you don’t feel like cooking. If there are particular foods in the above list that you need help freezing, then please let me know.
Shae says
May 19, 2021 at 8:53 amHi, I am seeking some guidance as there seem to be so many different opinions on what foods contain fructose and those that don’t.
I have read on many websites that grapes, coconut milk, tomato paste as well as many others, are high in fructose and should be avoided, however they appear to be ok on the Monash Fodmap App. I’m not sure I trust the App as I have been going by the App and still experiencing issues.
Any help would be much appreciated.
Thank you
Alana Scott says
May 19, 2021 at 10:29 pmHi Shae,
Thanks for commenting. The Monash University FODMAP Diet app is the only app and food list we actually recommend. We recommend this list because it comes straight from Monash University, the lead researchers of the low FODMAP diet, and is the only one the is kept up to date.
If you are still experiencing symptoms while following the low FODMAP diet, then there are a few things to consider. We’d suggest you start by looking at this article: https://alittlebityummy.com/7-reasons-why-the-low-fodmap-diet-might-not-be-working/