Digestive Health Irritable Bowel Syndrome Nutrition High and Low-FODMAP Diet Foods to Eat By Barbara Bolen, PhD twitter Barbara Bolen, PhD, is a licensed clinical psychologist and health coach. She has written multiple books focused on living with irritable bowel syndrome. Learn about our editorial process Barbara Bolen, PhD Medically reviewed by Medically reviewed by Priyanka Chugh, MD on November 21, 2019 linkedin Priyanka Chugh, MD, is a board-certified gastroenterologist in practice with Trinity Health of New England in Waterbury, Connecticut. Learn about our Medical Review Board Priyanka Chugh, MD on November 21, 2019 Print The FODMAP theory holds that consuming foods high in "FODMAPs"—short for fermentable oligo-, di-, monosaccharides, and polyols, a collection of short-chain carbohydrates found in many common foods—results in increased volume of liquid and gas in the small and large intestine. This increased volume contributes to symptoms such as abdominal pain, gas, and bloating, and the motility problems of diarrhea and constipation. The theory proposes that following a low-FODMAP diet should result in a decrease in these symptoms. Research has also indicated there appears to be a cumulative effect of these foods on symptoms. In other words, eating more high-FODMAP foods at the same time will add up, resulting in symptoms that you might not experience if you ate the food in isolation. Work With a Professional Dietitian In the next two sections, you will find lists of common high- and low-FODMAP foods. This list is based on the most updated research from Monash University and may change over time. In addition, you may have your own individual sensitivities to foods. If you are interested in following a low-FODMAP diet, it is recommended that you work individually with a qualified dietary professional. There are risks to devising your own diet. It is tempting to pick certain items based on your personal preference, which could result in continued symptoms due to a lack of strict compliance with a sanctioned low-FODMAP diet. Working with a trained dietary professional will also help to ensure that you receive adequate and balanced nutrition, including a healthy intake of dietary fiber. As with any new treatment or dietary approach, it is always best to discuss the issue with your own personal physician. High-FODMAP Food List Katarina Lofgren/Maskot The following foods have been identified as being high in FODMAPs. Fruits These fruits are high in FODMAPs: Apples Apricots Blackberries Cherries Grapefruit Mango Nectarines Peaches Pears Plums and prunes Pomegranates Watermelon High concentration of fructose from canned fruit, dried fruit or fruit juice Grains These grains are high in FODMAPs: Barley Couscous Farro Rye Semolina Wheat Lactose-Containing Foods These foods contain lactose, which is a FODMAP: Buttermilk Cream Custard Ice cream Margarine Milk (cow, goat, sheep) Soft cheese, including cottage cheese and ricotta Yogurt (regular and Greek) Dairy Substitutes These are high in FODMAPs: Oat milk (although a 1/8 serving is considered low-FODMAP) Soy milk (U.S.) Legumes These legumes are high in FODMAPs: Baked beans Black-eyed peas Butter beans Chickpeas Lentils Kidney beans Lima beans Soybeans Split peas Sweeteners Sweeteners high in FODMAPs include: Agave Fructose High fructose corn syrup Honey Isomalt Maltitol Mannitol Molasses Sorbitol Xylitol Vegetables These vegetables are high in FODMAPs: Artichokes Asparagus Beets Brussels sprouts Cauliflower Celery Garlic Leeks Mushrooms Okra Onions Peas Scallions (white parts) Shallots Snow peas Sugar snap peas Low-FODMAP Food List Cristina Cassinelli/Photolibrary/Getty Images The following foods have been identified as being low in FODMAPs. Fruits Fruits that are lower in FODMAPs include: Avocado (limit 1/8 of whole) Banana Blueberry Cantaloupe Grapes Honeydew melon Kiwi Lemon Lime Mandarin oranges Olives Orange Papaya Plantain Pineapple Raspberry Rhubarb Strawberry Tangelo Sweeteners For those lower in FODMAPs, choose: Artificial sweeteners that do not end in -ol Brown sugar Glucose Maple syrup Powdered sugar Sugar (sucrose) Dairy and Alternatives Select from these for lower FODMAPs: Almond milk Coconut milk (limit 1/2 cup) Hemp milk Rice milk Butter Certain cheeses, such as brie, camembert, mozzarella, Parmesan Lactose-free products, such as lactose-free milk, ice cream, and yogurt Vegetables Those lower in FODMAPs include: Arugula (rocket lettuce) Bamboo shoots Bell peppers Broccoli Bok choy Carrots Celeriac Collard greens Common Cabbage Corn (half a cob) Eggplant Endive Fennel Green beans Kale Lettuce Parsley Parsnip Potato Radicchio Scallions (green parts only) Spinach, baby Squash Sweet potato Swiss chard Tomato Turnip Water chestnut Zucchini Grains These grains are lower in FODMAPs: Amaranth Brown rice Bulgur wheat (limit to 1/4 cup cooked) Oats Gluten-free products Quinoa Spelt products Nuts Choose these that are lower in FODMAPs: Almonds (limit 10) Brazil nuts Hazelnuts (limit 10) Macadamia nuts Peanuts Pecan Pine nuts Walnuts Seeds These seeds are lower in FODMAPs: Caraway Chia Pumpkin Sesame Sunflower Protein Sources Those lower in FODMAPs include: Beef Chicken Eggs Fish Lamb Pork Shellfish Tofu and tempeh Turkey Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! One of the most challenging aspects of having IBS is trying to figure out what's safe to eat. Our recipe guide makes it easier. Sign up and get yours now! Sign Up You're in! Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. What are your concerns? Other Inaccurate Hard to Understand Submit Article Sources Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. 2. Gibson P, Shepherd S. Evidence-based dietary management of functional gastrointestinal symptoms: The FODMAP approach. J Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2010;25(2):252-258. doi:10.1111/j.1440-1746.2009.06149.x Additional Reading Monash University Low FODMAP Diet App Barrett, J. & Gibson, P. "Clinical Ramifications of Malabsorption of Fructose and Other Short-Chain Carbohydrates" Practical Gastroenterology 2007 XXXI:51-65