Low FODMAP fruit guide (includes safe list and 10 recipes)

You may wonder what low FODMAP fruits you can add to your diet. 

Fruit is a healthy snack, but many fruits contain high levels of FODMAPs, which can cause symptoms in people with IBS.

In this article, I will explain which low FODMAP fruits are suitable for IBS. We will include low FODMAP fruit recipes, which you may find helpful as a snack, dessert, and breakfast.

Which FODMAPs are found in fruits?

The main FODMAPs in fruits are fructose and sorbitol (2). 

You may have heard that fruit contains glucose and when combined with fructose, can lessen the effects of FODMAPs. 

The theory is that glucose helps absorb fructose, reducing the excess fructose in the large bowel (3). However, this strategy of adding glucose does not work (4).

It can also unnecessarily increase your sugar intake. It is best to work with a dietitian to figure out your tolerance to FODMAPs instead.

Sorbitol is a type of sugar alcohol that is poorly digested in higher quantities. This can lead to loose stools and bloating (5).

Manufacturers often add sorbitol to chewing gum, candies, desserts, ice creams, and diabetic foods. These foods also contain a warning about the potential laxative effect.

What fruits can I eat on the low FODMAP diet?

Fruit is a good source of fiber and vitamins for a healthy gut. However, certain fruits contain high levels of FODMAPs, which can trigger your IBS symptoms.

Fortunately, you do not need to avoid FODMAPs forever. By doing the low FODMAP process, you can pinpoint which FODMAPs you react to and in what quantity.

This means that you may tolerate some high FODMAP fruits. You can read more about the low FODMAP diet here.

Below we have provided you with lists of high and low FODMAP fruit options but these are not exhaustive lists. Please download the Monash app for further details.

Low FODMAP fruit list

• Blueberries * (Read more on ‘Are blueberries FODMAP safe’ here) 
• Cantaloupe * (Read more on ‘A dietitian’s guide to low FODMAP cantaloupe recipes’ here) 
• Clementines
• Grapes (Read more on ‘Are grapes low FODMAP’ here)
• Kiwi fruit
• Lemons
• Limes
• Oranges
• Pineapple * (Read more on ‘Is pineapple FODMAP friendly’ here)
• Raspberries (Read more on ‘Are raspberries low FODMAP ultimate guide to raspberry FODMAP content’)
• Ripe guava * (Read more on ‘Does guava cause constipation’ here)
• Strawberries * (Read more on ‘Are strawberries low FODMAP’ here)
• Unripe bananas (Read more on ‘Banana FODMAP content’ here)

* Please check the blog posts or refer to the Monash University app for low FODMAP serving sizes (1).

High FODMAP fruit list

• Apples (Read more on ‘The ultimate apple FODMAP content guide recipes included’ here)
• Apricot
• Avocado
• Bananas (ripe)
• Blackberries (Read more on ‘Unlocking the secrets of blackberries FODMAP content’ here) 
• Cherries
• Grapefruit
• Mango (Read more on ‘Mango FODMAP content explained’ here)
• Nectarine
• Peaches
• Pears (Read more on ‘Are pears low FODMAP a comprehensive guide to pears’ here)
• Watermelon (Read more on ‘Is watermelon low FODMAP a comprehensive guide’ here)

Low FODMAP fruits – dried fruits

Dried fruits often contain higher levels of FODMAPs than the original fruit. This is because they are more concentrated.

There are a few low FODMAP dried fruits, including:

• Cranberries (Read more on ‘What is the cranberry FODMAP content like’)
• Dates (Read more on ‘Are dates low FODMAP dietitian explains includes recipes’)
• Raisins (Read more on ‘Are raisins low FODMAP covering all forms of raisins’)
• Sultanas

Please check the blog posts or use the Monash University app to learn about low FODMAP serving sizes (6).

Dried fruits are only allowed in small quantities, so you can try to add them to a trail or cereal bar. 

Here is a great recipe using dried cranberries and raisins to make trail mix balls – Low FODMAP trail mix energy balls. 

How many portions of fruit can I eat a day when I have IBS?

Eat no more than 3 portions of fruit a day (even the low FODMAP ones) when you have IBS (7). 

The fructose content in fruit can overload your gut and cause digestive symptoms in larger quantities.

Try to eat one serving of fruit at a time, leaving 3 to 4 hours between each serving.

 If you want to combine two types of low FODMAP fruits in a meal, it is essential that you do not stack FODMAPs.

You can read more about FODMAP stacking in this post, ‘What is FODMAP stacking?’.

How do you eat enough fruit on the low FODMAP diet?

It may be challenging to get your servings of fruit daily to meet your recommended fiber intake of 30g daily. 

There are plenty of other options, including low FODMAP vegetables, to boost your fiber intake.You can also read this blog post, ‘How to get 30g of fibre a day’.

Are fruit smoothies good for IBS?

I would advise against traditional fruit smoothies if you have IBS. The fructose load would be very high, which can cause symptoms.

However, smoothies can be a great breakfast when made with low FODMAP. Here are my favorite low FODMAP fruit smoothie recipes:

• Dairy-free no banana recipes
• Almond milk smoothies
• Pineapple green smoothie

You can also check out our post about low FODMAP fruit juice here.

10 low FODMAP fruit recipes

Fruit is an essential part of everyone’s diet. You can include it on the low FODMAP diet in various ways. 

Here is a list of my top 10 low FODMAP fruit recipes:

1. No FODMAP fruit salad
2. Towering low FODMAP fruit pavlova
3. Vegan low FODMAP fruit crumble bar
4. Coconut water fresh fruit popsicles
5. Low FODMAP coconut creamed rice with stewed rhubarb and strawberries
6. Low FODMAP mince pies
7. Passionfruit curd
8. Caramelised banana with low FODMAP porridge
9. Kiwi kakadu plum smoothie bowl
10. Low FODMAP grilled pineapple kiwi salsa

Summary

There are many low FODMAP fruits you can enjoy when you have IBS. However, remember to check out the low FODMAP serving size.

You can enjoy up to 3 portions daily with IBS while being mindful of FODMAP stacking. You can check out our delicious low FODMAP fruit recipes to incorporate them into your diet!

Last updated on June 17th, 2024 at 05:02 pm