What Protein Powders are Low FODMAP?
If you are an athlete, or trying to gain weight, then protein powders can be a good way to supplement your diet. Just remember it is easy to get enough protein in your diet if you are eating a wide variety of low FODMAP foods. If you choose to use a protein powder, then this blog article will help you find one that is safe and isn’t filled with high FODMAP ingredients.
What Protein Powders are Safe?
Whey protein products (FODMAP Content Varies)
Whey protein is produced during the cheese making process, where enzymes are used to separate the curd from the liquid whey (1). The whey is then dried and turned into a powder form (1). The amount of processing determines how much lactose is left in the product, and whether the whey powder is suitable for the low FODMAP diet.
If you want to try a low FODMAP whey protein isolate powder, then we would recommend Superflora Gut Friendly Super Shakes by Noisy Guts [sponsored link]. Their products are certified as low FODMAP by Monash University, high in fibre and gluten free.
Whey Protein Concentrate (High FODMAP unless labelled lactose free)
Whey protein concentrate is not low FODMAP unless it states it is lactose free (2). This type of whey protein normally contains between 4-8% lactose (2).
Whey Protein Isolate (Low FODMAP)
Whey protein isolate contains little or no lactose (less than 1%) (2), which makes it a good source of protein for those with lactose intolerance or on the low FODMAP diet (3). This type of whey protein is the purest form of whey and it is also low in fat (2).
Hydrolyzed Whey Protein (Hydrolysate) (High FODMAP unless labeled lactose free)
Hydrolyzed whey protein is created by exposing the whey protein to heat, acid or enzymes that break apart the bonds linking amino acids (2 5). This makes the whey protein more easily absorbed by your body. Hydrolyzed Whey Protein contains between 0.5% to 10% lactose (2). This means it is only low FODMAP if the product states that it contains little or no lactose (less than 1%).
Rice Protein (Low FODMAP)
Rice protein powder is considered low FODMAP. According to the Monash University Low FODMAP app, brown rice protein (sprouted, organic) is low FODMAP in 2 tablespoons (40g) serves (4).
Pea Protein (Varying FODMAP Levels)
Monash University has previously stated in the Monash University Low FODMAP App that pea protein was low FODMAP in 2 tablespoon serves, however, further testing of multiple brands indicates that FODMAP levels may vary. Until more testing is undertaken on how processing techniques influence the FODMAP content of pea protein we cannot confidently determine the FODMAP level. We recommend that you test your individual tolerance levels to pea protein, unless the branded product has been certified by Monash University.
If you want to try a low FODMAP pea protein based shake, then we would recommend Superflora Plant Based Gut Friendly Super Shakes by Noisy Guts [sponsored link]. Their products are certified as low FODMAP by Monash University, high in fibre and gluten free.
Soy Protein (Possibly Low FODMAP)
Soy protein powder is made from defatted soybean flakes that are processed to remove some of the oligosaccharide content. Soy protein concentrates have much of the indigestible oligosaccharides removed “such that the raffinose content is less than about 0.5% and the stachyose content is less than about 3%” (7). While soy protein isolate has even lower levels of oligosaccharides, with negligible amounts of raffinose and less than 2% stachyose in the final product (7).
According to Monash University, soy milk made from soy protein is low FODMAP (6). So it is possible some soy protein powders might be low FODMAP, however that will depend on how it has been processed. More testing is still needed to understand the FODMAP content in soy protein powders. In the meantime, if you do decide to use soy protein powder, choose soy protein isolate powder that contains low amounts of fibre or no fibre content (the oligosaccharides hide in the soybean fibre), then test your tolerance to a small amount.
Egg Protein (Low FODMAP)
Eggs are protein and do not contain carbohydrates, which means they contain no FODMAPs (6). Egg protein powder is usually made solely from egg whites and the egg yolks are removed to reduce the fat and cholesterol content of the powder. Egg protein powder is a good low FODMAP option (3).
Hemp Protein (Probably low FODMAP)
Monash University has not tested hemp protein powder yet, however they have tested both hemp seeds and hemp milk and found that they both have low FODMAP serves. This means it is possible that hemp protein powder might be low FODMAP. If you decide to try hemp protein, test your tolerance level to a 1 tablespoon serve and increase your serve from there.
If you want to try a low FODMAP shake that includes hemp powder, then we would recommend Superflora Plant Based Gut Friendly Super Shakes by Noisy Guts [sponsored link]. It contains a blend of hemp protein powder, pea protein isolate and brown rice protein for a good flavour and amino acid coverage. Their products are certified as low FODMAP by Monash University, high in fibre and gluten free.
Sacha Inchi Protein (Low FODMAP)
Sacha Inchi protein (sometimes called Inca Inchi) comes from seeds harvested from a Peruvian plant (8). These seeds are high in protein and omega 3s (8). Nicer Foods have independently tested sacha inchi protein, and they have discovered that it is low FODMAP, even in large serving sizes of 100g (Kate Watson, personal communication, 20 July, 2015). This means sacha inchi is a safe protein powder for the low FODMAP diet.
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What other ingredients can make protein powder high FODMAP?
If you are buying a flavoured protein powder you need to check for added high FODMAP ingredients. Below are some of the common high FODMAP ingredients added to protein powders:
Inulin (dietary fibre), chicory root, fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS), fructose, fruit sugar, fructose syrup, crystalline fructose, HFCS, isolmalt, xylitol (E967), sorbitol (glucitol, E420), mannitol (E421), maltitol (E965), and other sweeteners ending in ‘ol’, beet fibre, and dried high FODMAP fruit.
Final Thoughts
When choosing your low FODMAP protein powders, rice protein, egg protein, sacha inchi protein, and whey protein isolate powders are all safe low FODMAP choices. When buying flavoured protein powders, make sure you check for other high FODMAP ingredients. I want to say a big thank you to Kate Watson from Nicer Foods for sharing her FODMAP knowledge with us. For more helpful articles please follow us on Facebook or sign up to our monthly newsletter.
Image credit: Nick Starichenko/Shutterstock.com
Vega all in one shake ( mixed berry) contains pea protein, inulin and several vegetable and fruits that are not low fodmap. I haven’t had IBS issues as far as I know so is this alright to continue using?
Hi Maureen,
Thanks for commenting. We definitely recommend avoiding products that contain inulin as well as high FODMAP fruit and vegetables during the first phase of the low FODMAP diet (pea protein is low FODMAP). However, if you are not experiencing any gastrointestinal issues then you don’t need to avoid the product. Additionally, it’s good to remember that if you aren’t experiencing gut symptoms then there isn’t any need to restrict high FODMAP foods, unless the diet has been recommended by a gastroenterologist or dietitian. We hope that helps!
Thank you so much for this information. Is Orgain protein powder or drinks okay for the FODMAP diet?
Hi Nila,
I’ve just had a look at Orgain protein powder and it looks like it contains inulin. Inulin is a high FODMAP ingredient that needs to be avoided while in the initial phase of the diet. The shakes also look like they contain high FODMAP ingredients.
Thanks for sharing such a great information about low fodmap protein powders. It helps me to find which whey protein supplement will be a good option for me.
Have you any advice on whether Just Wholefoods sunflower mince would be low FODMAP? It only contains sunflower protein and suggests a serving size of 18g.
Hi Judy,
A serving size of 18g should be low FODMAP. Enjoy!
Hi – is pumpkin seed protein low fodmap?
Hi NJ,
Pumpkin seed protein by itself is currently untested. However, pumpkin seeds are low FODMAP and we know that protein itself doesn’t contain FODMAPs (FODMAPs are carbohydrates) – this means it’s worth testing your tolerance levels to pumpkin seed protein.
Hi. I have a soy allergy ( so nothing that gets fed by humans) and crohns. I follow a reduced FODMAP. I’ve lost a dangerous amount of weight ( BMI at 16)and can’t tolerate pea, lactose based proteins. No bean or animal proteins either. Any thoughts on hemp protein? I’m desperate!
Hi Jeanne,
Thanks for commenting. It sounds like you are really struggling and my heart goes out to you. According to Monash FODMAP, hemp seeds are low FODMAP in 2 tbsp serves – this means it might be worth testing your tolerance to hemp protein powder.
I’d also recommend you get in touch with a registered dietitian as soon as possible so they can help you stabilise your weight and help you enrich your diet with some more calories.
Hi ,
I have celiac disease & recently diagnosed with IBS so still learning the high & low fodmaps …
I have brought a protein brand “Tropeaka” , is vegan,gluten ,dairy & soy free.
these are the ingredients .. would it be suitable as low fodmap 🙂 ?
ingredients :
-pea protein isolate
-sprouted brown rice protein
-maca powder
-sacha inchi protein
-natura vanilla flavour
-natural vanilla bean
-green tea extract
-herb&spice blend (ceylon “true” cinnamon , ginkgo biloba , siberian ginseng , dandelion, cardamom , turmeric , liquorice )
-stevia leaf extract
-guar gum
-freeze dried aloe vera extract
-digestive enzymes (bromelain, papain)
-monk fruit
Hi Bonnie,
Thanks for commenting. Okay so there are a few ingredients in your protein powder that are currently untested for FODMAPs: maca powder, ginkgo biloba , siberian ginseng, aloe vera extract, and monk fruit.
This means it is hard to tell what the FODMAP content of the protein powder will be. If your symptoms are settled we suggest you test your tolerance to a 30g serving and go from there. I hope that helps!
Hi
I can’t find anywhere if Goji berries and spiralina are low or high. Can you help? It’s in my Vega brand chocolate protein. Everything else is low and it’s vegan. Thanks in advance!
Hi Jess,
I can definitely help with that! Spirulina powder is low FODMAP but Goji berries are only low FODMAP in really small amounts of about 3 teaspoons. I would highly recommend grabbing the Monash Low FODMAP App if you can as you can find heaps of helpful ingredient info in there.
I am trying to find a suitable substitute for the “whey powder” ingredient in bread recipes. Is it OK to omit this if I can’t find a lactose free brand? If the purpose is mainly to boost the protein content of the loaf, can Substitute a pea protein powder?
Hi Leslie,
We would suggest using a whey protein isolate powder instead as this will be low FODMAP and should be readily available. Right now we are unsure of the FODMAP content of pea protein so we would suggest avoiding that unless your symptoms are settled.
Are the Stellar labs shakes OK??
Hi Joan,
I’ve just been doing some research for you. It looks like Stellar Lab shakes have been tested for FODMAPs by FODMAPFriendly. This means you can eat them with confidence – just make sure you follow the serving size instructions.
Hi there, can u pleaseeeeee suggest brands of protein powders that are fodmap friendly that u know of? thank you!
Hi Bianca,
Whereabouts are you located? I might be able to make some brand recommendations for you.
Hi!
Just wondering if Bulk Nutrients WPI is safe as having sucralose as sweetener
Hi Victoria,
Thanks for commenting. Right now sucralose isn’t considered a high FODMAP ingredients but it hasn’t been tested by Monash University. This means we would suggest you test your tolerance to a small amount of the product and see how your body tolerates it.
I would love to know what you think of MRM Veggie Elite! I seem to tolerate it very well, but wondering if it’s contributing in any way to my not-so-great days. Many thanks!
Ingredients:
Pea Protein Isolate, Organic Brown Rice Protein Concentrate, Natural Vanilla Bean Flavor, Stevia Leaf Extract, Gum Blend (Konjac Gum, Guar Gum, and Tara Gum), Pure Ocean® Sea Salt, Digest-ALL® Enzyme Blend (Alpha Galactosidase, Protease 4.5, Protease 6.0, Peptidase, and Bromelain), Organic Sacha Inchi Seed Powder, and Monk Fruit Extract.
Hi Laura,
Thanks for commenting! Okay so pea protein isolate is a challenging ingredient on the low FODMAP diet and can sometimes be a problematic ingredient. Its FODMAP content depends entirely on its processing – this means sometimes it’s low FODMAP and sometimes it high FODMAP. The only way we would know the FODMAP content of this product for sure is if it was laboratory tested for FODMAPs. If you think this product might be contributing to your symptoms then it might be worth leaving it out of your diet for 1 to 2 weeks and just seeing if that makes a difference.
I found this protein powder. It’s all organic and only three ingredients.
Brand is- “Perfect Plant Protein” – Pumpkin Seed, Hemp Seed, Sacha Inchi – powder. What do you think?
I’m so struggling with SIBO for a year now. I’ve tried everything. Herbal antibiotics, Xifaxin/Neomycin etc. Gastro doc has basically given up on me. My health continues to decline. I was thinking of completely eliminating all granite and carbs and try this as a morning breakfast & Meat and vegetable for lunch & dinner.
Also, can you put this in almond milk or would water be best?
Hi Suzette,
We would suggest testing your tolerance to a 30g scoop of that protein powder and going from there. From a FODMAP perspective, it should be okay to add it to almond milk.
In terms of your SIBO – have you been working with a dietitian who specialises in this area? We are concerned that you might not get enough nutrients if you continue to take foods out of your diet. A dietitian will be able to help you create a personalised plan for your medical needs.
Hello. I’m sort of confused here. I have the Kaizen naturals whey protein isolate powder from Costco and the Spoonful app says it’s high fodmap when I scan it because it’s cows milk but everywhere I read says whey protein isolate is fine?
Hi Eric,
Thanks for checking in. Unfortunately the Spoonful app isn’t 100% accurate and every now and then they do get products wrong. We’ve just had a look at the Kaizen Naturals Whey Protein Isolate Powders and the ingredients look low FODMAP to us. Just avoid their ‘whey protein’ powders as these will contain lactose. We hope that helps.
Hi Alana. Thank you for the speedy reply. I really do appreciate it. So their isolate is fine but avoid their regular whey, got it. I’m sorry to bother you with more questions but if you have another minute to answer it would mean a lot to me. I’m a bit of a workout nut (which is why I wanted to make sure that protein was ok) and I’m kind of scrambling to figure out what I can and can’t have on a low fodmap diet. I can’t find any credible info on workout supplements such as creatine, cellucor c4 pre workout, or BCAA’s in general. I’ve looked at individual ingredients in these supplements and can’t find any red flags. One more thing; I’ve also found conflicting info on my go-to protein bar: The Simply Bar Variety Pack (also from Costco). Again thank you so much for you time.
Hi Eric,
You are welcome. Okay so your go-to protein bars have chicory root in them which is a high FODMAP ingredient and cashews so we would suggest leaving these out of your diet and then testing your tolerance to them during the Reintroduction Phase. Otherwise Go Macro Protein Bars (appear to have some low FODMAP options when looking at ingredient lists), FODBODs Protein Bars (these are nutritionally similar to what you were having), Rachel Pauls Happy Bars, Fody Granola Bars.
The other workout supplements you take usually contain untested ingredients so we would suggest you test your tolerance to them. Here is an article that explains how to do that: https://alittlebityummy.com/can-i-eat-this-testing-your-fodmap-tolerance-to-untested-foods/
I am trying to find out if chickpea protein is low fodmap. I know chick peas are not but canned chickpeas are but I can’t find anything about chick pea protein.
Hi Carol,
Thanks for commenting. Chickpeas are interesting – the FODMAP content changes based on how the chickpeas are processed. For example, when it comes to canned chickpeas the FODMAPs leach out of the chickpeas and into the liquid in the can which lowers the FODMAP content. We suspect that chickpea protein might be a bit like pea protein where how the protein is processed will determine the FODMAP content. Until chickpea protein is tested by the one of the FODMAP testing centers we won’t know it’s FODMAP content. Instead we would suggest you try a small amount and see how you tolerate it.
I recently purchased carylye brand 100% pea protien isolate gluten free. I’m pretty sure it’s very low FODMAP…The problem being is taste is terrible. But I find I can drink 40g of it no problem mixed in orange juice 100% made from concentrated (minute maid). I see no added sugar or sweeteners in it. Just the natural 25g sugar per serving.
I might be able to cut some of the OJ with water. But is this futile (as it is high FODMAP anyway)? Or could this work for me?
Thanks
Hi Justine,
Thanks for commenting. Unless the pea protein isolate powder has been tested by Monash University or FODMAP Friendly testing centers then we can’t say for sure that it is low FODMAP. Everyone will have different tolerance levels and people can react to different FODMAP groups. What we would generally recommend is that you remove the pea protein and the orange juice for your diet for 1-2 weeks and keep the rest of your food low FODMAP. This way you can see how your body responds to the low FODMAP diet. Once you have your new symptom baseline you can start testing your tolerance to FODMAP groups. You can use orange juice to test your tolerance to excess fructose and you can do a dedicated food challenge for the protein powder. Once you know your tolerance levels you can then make an educated choice on if to bring these foods back into your diet. We hope that helps.
Hello,
Is mass gainer proteins allowed on a low FODMAP diet? Such as: optimum nutrition serious mass (chocolate)
Thank you!
Hi Talha,
That product looks like it might contain some lactose and it contains some untested ingredients. This means we’d recommend you test your tolerance to the product after you’ve been on the low FODMAP diet for a few weeks: https://alittlebityummy.com/can-i-eat-this-testing-your-fodmap-tolerance-to-untested-foods/
Hola, recientemente me detectaron colon irritable, y me han comentando que la marca de esta proteina es buena “biotech iso whey zero ” dice que es libre de lactosa y de gluten y quisiera que me ayudaras a ver si es baja en FODMAP, estos son los ingredientes:
aislado de proteina de suero de leche 84% [aislado de proteina de suero de leche, emulgente: lecitinas (soja)], cacao en polvo bajo en grasa, L-glutamina 4%, potenciador de cremosidad [aceite de coco parcialmente hidrogenado, leche desnatada en polvo, emulgentes (E471, E472a), jarabe de glucosa, sacarosa, proteina de leche, estabilizante (fosfatos de potasio), antiaglomerante (fosfatos de calcio)], emulgente: lecitinas (soja), espesantes (carragenanos, goma xantana), aromas, sal, antiaglomerante (dioxido de silicio), L-leucina 0.2%, edulcorante (sucralosa), L-isoleucina 0.1%, L-valina 0.1%.
Hi Rosi,
Thanks for your comment. Our team doesn’t speak Spanish but we used Google Translate to look at your message. If the product label states that this protein powder is lactose free then we think it will be okay to use. We couldn’t see any other sneaky high FODMAP ingredients in the ingredient list. We hope that helps.
Hi, I’m hoping you can provide me with brand names of protein powder that I can use. Lactose free, gluten free, soy free and of course low fodmap. I’m in Ontario if that helps any…
Hi Robyn,
Thanks for commenting. Putting together lists of brands of suitable products is time-consuming so we only provide this level of support to our FODMAP club members. Once someone is a club member they can message us if they need help finding a product. You can find out more about our membership options here: https://alittlebityummy.com/join-our-low-fodmap-club/
Hello,
I’ve never had trouble with vegan shakeology flavors and am about to start my low FODMAP diet and don’t want to ruin it. Any idea if it would be considered low FODMAP?
Hi Sierra,
These products contain several high FODMAP ingredients as well as multiple ingredients that haven’t been tested for FODMAPs yet. This means we would recommend avoiding these products while you go through the first and second phases of the low FODMAP diet. This will make sure they don’t cloud your results. We hope that helps.
Hello! Do you know if almond protein powder (unflavored) is low FODMAP? Thank you!
Hi Jake,
Thanks for commenting. Almond protein powder is currently untested so we don’t know what the FODMAP levels are. If your symptoms are currently settled then you could test your personal tolerance to a small amount of the protein powder and see how you go.
Hello! New on the journey and you guys seems so helpful. Any experience with ka’chava?
Hi Heather,
We’ve just taken a quick look at the Ka’chava products and these look like they might be high FODMAP due to the inulin – they also contain some other potentially high FODMAP ingredients. This means we’d suggest you wait until after the reintroduction phase to try these products.