Low FODMAP Dairy, Dairy Alternatives & Proteins

Get ready for the best news you're going to hear all day: following a low FODMAP diet doesn't mean cutting out dairy or protein! You can still fill your coffee cup with milk, enjoy awesome summer barbecues and dig into bowls of yummy ice cream if you've got IBS. You just have to be careful about the types and quantities you eat. To help you out, here's a list of low FODMAP dairy products, dairy alternatives and proteins.

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The Happy Healthy Motivated Low FODMAP Foods Series

This is part 3 of the Happy Healthy Motivated low FODMAP foods series. If you're following a low FODMAP diet, check out the rest of the series:

Part 1 - Low FODMAP Foods: Fruits and Veggies
Part 2 - Low FODMAP Foods: Cereals, Flours, Grains and Seeds
Part 3 - Low FODMAP Foods: Proteins, Dairy & Dairy Alternatives
Part 4 - Low FODMAP Foods: Snacks, Nuts & Drinks
Part 5 - Low FODMAP Foods: Sauces, Dips + Spreads

The ultimate low FODMAP dairy, dairy alternatives & proteins list

For an even easier way to follow a low FODMAP diet, sign up for my free newsletter. When you do, I'll email you the ultimate low FODMAP foods guide complete with 200 IBS-friendly foods and the quantities they're safe to eat in! I'll send it to you as a PDF, so you can save it onto your computer, tablet or smartphone or even print it off so you've got a paper copy. When you subscribe, you'll also get one email each week from me with IBS advice and a healthy low FODMAP recipe. Sign up now!

Low FODMAP dairy products

One of the best things about IBS (I never thought I'd say that!) is that it doesn't mean you're allergic to dairy. It means you're allergic to lactose. So to avoid nasty IBS symptoms, all you've got to do is switch your usual milks, yoghurts and ice creams for lactose-free versions.

Have a look next time you're shopping. You'll be surprised how many lactose-free options there are! It gets even better when it comes to cheese. As long as the cheese contains less than 1g of sugar or lactose, it's not a trigger food, meaning it's safe to eat.

Aged cheese (½ cup grated, 2 slices or 2 small wedges)
Condensed milk (1 tablespoon)
Cottage cheese (¼ cup)
Goat's milk (1 cup)
Goat's milk yoghurt (½ cup)
Lactose-free ice cream (½ cup)
Lactose-free milk (1 cup)
Lactose-free yoghurt (½ cup)
Ricotta cheese (¼ cup)
Whipped cream (½ cup)

Low FODMAP dairy alternatives

We all experience IBS differently. And when I have a flare-up, I can't stomach any kind of dairy at all - whether or not it contains lactose. If you're like me and can't handle dairy without horrendous side effects, you're best off switching from lactose-free dairy to dairy alternatives.

Coconut cream (½ cup)
Coconut milk (½ cup)
Almond milk (1 cup)
Hemp milk (1 cup)
Rice milk (1 cup)

Low FODMAP proteins

Now, let's get onto proteins! Despite what people say about red meat being indigestible (it's total nonsense) people with IBS can happily enjoy ordinary portions of meat, fish and eggs without anything bad happening. The problems begin when you get to plant-based proteins, such as beans and legumes. These super-healthy foods are naturally bloating and usually cause IBS sufferers extreme problems, so eat them sparingly.

One thing you can do to ease symptoms is only buy beans and legumes which have been canned and then rinse them thoroughly before cooking them. Canning significantly reduces the levels of FODMAPs in foods and when you rinse off the liquid they're stored in, you get rid of even more FODMAPs. How cool is that?

Butter beans, canned and rinsed (¼ cup)
Chana dhal (½ cup)
Chickpeas, canned and rinsed (¼ cup)
Firm tofu (⅔ cup)
Garbanzo beans, canned and rinsed (¼ cup)
Green lentils, voiled (¼ cup)
Lentils, canned and rinsed (½ cup)
Lima beans (¼ cup)
Mung beans (¼ cup)
Quorn (1.6lb / 75g)
Red lentils, boiled (¼ cup)
Tempeh (2.2lb / 100g)
Urid dhal (½ cup)
Unprocessed eggs (unlimited)
Unprocessed fish (unlimited)
Unprocessed meat (unlimited)

Disclaimer

I'm not a superhero with unlimited resources and I didn't put this amazing list of low FODMAP dairy, dairy alternatives and proteins together myself. I adapted it from DietVsDisease - a site which bases their list on the Monash University low FODMAP diet app. I've also got to tell you that I'm not any kind of dietitian, nutritionist, doctor or medical professional. I'm simply an IBS sufferer helping out other IBS sufferers with low FODMAP food lists.

Everyone is different and we react differently to different foods. So please, please don't take what I say as gospel. My low FODMAP foods list is meant to be a helpful guide and nothing more. You know what's best for you and if you're sure you can't handle certain foods, avoid them. Even if they're on my low FODMAP foods list!