If you think you’re sensitive to gluten, think again, you may not be. Here’s why:
Foods that are high in gluten are also high in FODMAPs.
FODMAPs are forms of carbohydrate sugars which are indigestable in the human digestive tract. FODMAP stands for Fermentable, Oligo-saccharides, Di-saccharides, Mono-saccharides and Polyols.
A recent ‘double blind’ research paper showed that people were actually reacting to the FODMAP’s and not to the gluten when they experienced gastrointestinal discomfort.
So, if you thought you were sensitive to gluten and haven’t tested positive for celiac disease (wheat sensitivity), you might actually be sensitive to FODMAP’s.
Yes, grains do have high levels of gluten but they aslo have high FODMAP’s and so do many other food staples in our everyday diet. Those include common foods such as onions, garlic, asparagus, cauliflower, most beans and many other surprises.
For a complete list of foods that are high in FODMAP’s see here.
As a physical therapist and homeopath treating patients with aggravating factors and chronic conditions, I will often look at a persons diet to uncover and remove likely obstacles to full recovery.
If you’re struggling with digestive issues and haven’t been able to pinpoint the source of the problem, schedule a visit and get the help you need.
The research, published in Gastroenterology Volume 154, Issue 3, February 2018 explored the question of why some people complain of Gluten intolerance and yet do not test positive for Celiac disease. The double-blind research assessed the gastrointestinal symptoms of participants to high FODMAP food compared to high Gluten food and also a placebo.food. What was shown is that the greatest reactions were to the high FODMAP food.
It’s important to note that grains containing Gluten are also high in FODMAP’s but the very useful information is that there are many other foods than grains that are high FODMAP foods.
So, if you are reacting to wheat and other grains it is likely you are also sensitive to FODMAP’s in those grains and most likely other high FODMAP foods too. These might include beans, cauliflower, cashews and goji berries.
| * High FODMAP food (things to avoid / reduce) | Low FODMAP food (good to eat food) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vegetables and Legumes | If quantities are given these are the highest amount allowed | |||
| Garlic – avoid entirely if possible | Fermented cabbage e.g. sauerkraut | Vegetables and Legumes | ||
| Includes garlic salt, garlic powder | Haricot beans | Alfalfa | Lettuce: | |
| Onions – avoid entirely if possible | Kidney beans | Bamboo shoots | Butter lettuce | |
| Includes onion powder, small pickled onions Try Asafoetida powder or garlic oil to substitute | Lima beans | Bean sprouts | Iceberg lettuce | |
| Artichoke | Leek bulb | Beetroot, canned and pickled | Radicchio lettuce | |
| Asparagus | Mange Tout | Bok choy / pak choi | Red coral lettuce | |
| Baked beans | Mixed vegetables | Broccoli, whole – 1 cup | Rocket lettuce | |
| Bananas, ripe | Mung beans | Broccoli, heads only – 1 cup | Romaine/Cos lettuce | |
| Beetroot, fresh | Mushrooms | Broccoli, stalks only – 1/2 cup | Marrow | |
| Black beans | Peas, sugar snap | Brussels sprouts – 1 serving of 2 sprouts | Okra | |
| Black eyed peas | Pickled vegetables | Butternut squash – 1/4 cup | Olives | |
| Broad beans | Red kidney beans | Cabbage, common and red up to 1 cup | Parsnip | |
| Butter beans | Savoy Cabbage | Callaloo | Peas, snow – 5 pods | |
| Cassava | Soy beans / soya beans | Carrots | Pickled gherkins | |
| Cauliflower | Split peas | Celeriac | Pickled onions, large | |
| Celery – greater than 5cm of stalk | Scallions / spring onions (bulb / white part) | Celery – less than 5cm of stalk | Potato | |
| Choko | Shallots | Chicory leaves | Pumpkin | |
| Falafel | Taro | Chick peas – 1/4 cup | Pumpkin, canned – 1/4 cup, 2.2 oz | |
| Chilli – if tolerable | Radish | |||
| Fruit – fruits can contain high fructose | Chives | Red peppers / red bell pepper / red capsicum | ||
| Apples | Mango | Cho cho – 1/2 cup diced | Scallions / spring onions (green part) | |
| Apricots | Nectarines | Choy sum | Seaweed / nori | |
| Avocado | Paw paw, dried | Collard greens | Silverbeet / chard | |
| Blackberries | Peaches | Corn / sweet corn – if tolerable and only in small amounts – 1/2 cob | Spaghetti squash | |
| Blackcurrants | Pears | Courgette | Spinach, baby | |
| Boysenberry | Persimmon | Cucumber | Squash | |
| Cherries | Pineapple, dried | Eggplant / aubergine | Sun-dried tomatoes – 4 pieces | |
| Currants | Plums | Fennel | Swede | |
| Custard apple | Pomegranate | Green beans | Swiss chard | |
| Dates | Prunes | Green pepper / green bell pepper / green capsicum | Sweet potato – 1/2 cup | |
| Feijoa | Raisins | Ginger | Tomato – canned, cherry, common, roma | |
| Figs | Sea buckthorns | Kale | Turnip | |
| Goji berries | Sultanas | Karela | Water chestnuts | |
| Grapefruit | Tamarillo | Leek leaves | Yam | |
| Guava, unripe | Tinned fruit in apple / pear juice | Lentils – in small amounts | Zucchini | |
| Lychee | Watermelon | |||
| Fruit | ||||
| Meats, Poultry and Meat Substitutes | Ackee | Lemon including lemon juice | ||
| Chorizo | Bananas, unripe | Lime including lime juice | ||
| Sausages | Bilberries | Mandarin | ||
| Blueberries | Orange | |||
| Cereals, Grains, Breads, Biscuits, Pasta, Nuts and Cakes | Breadfruit | Passion fruit | ||
| Wheat containing products such as (be sure to check labels): | Bran cereals | Carambola | Paw paw | |
| Biscuits including chocolate chip biscuits | Bread: | Cantaloupe | Papaya | |
| Bread, wheat – over 1 slice | Granary bread | Cranberry – 1 tbsp | Pineapple | |
| Breadcrumbs | Multigrain bread | Clementine | Plantain, peeled | |
| Cakes | Naan | Dragon fruit | Raspberry | |
| Cereal bar, wheat based | Oatmeal bread | Lingonberries | Rhubarb | |
| Croissants | Pumpernickel bread | Grapes | Strawberry | |
| Crumpets | Roti | Guava, ripe | Tamarind | |
| Egg noodles | Sourdough with kamut | Honeydew and Galia melons | Tangelo | |
| Muffins | Cashews | Kiwifruit | ||
| Pastries | Cous cous | |||
| Pasta, wheat over 1/2 cup cooked | Einkorn flour | Meats, Poultry and Meat Substitutes | Fish and Seafood | |
| Udon noodles | Freekeh | Beef | Canned tuna | |
| Wheat bran | Gnocchi | Chicken | Fresh fish e.g. | |
| Wheat cereals | Granola bar | Kangaroo | Cod | |
| Wheat flour | Muesli cereal | Lamb | Haddock | |
| Wheat noodles | Muesli bar | Pork | Plaice | |
| Wheat rolls | Pistachios | Prosciutto | Salmon | |
| Wheatgerm | Rye | Quorn, mince | Trout | |
| Almond meal | Rye crispbread | Turkey | Tuna | |
| Amaranth flour | Semolina | Cold cuts / deli meat / cold meats such as ham and turkey breast | Seafood (ensuring nothing else is added) e.g. | |
| Barley including flour | Spelt flour | Processed meat – check ingredients | Crab | |
| Lobster | ||||
| Condiments, Dips, Sweets, Sweeteners and Spreads | Mussels | |||
| Agave | Relish / vegetable pickle | Oysters | ||
| Caviar dip | Stock cubes | Prawns | ||
| Fructose | Sugar free sweets containing polyols – usually ending in -ol or isomalt | Shrimp | ||
| Fruit bar | Sweeteners: | |||
| Gravy, if it contains onion | Inulin | Cereals, Grains, Breads, Biscuits, Pasta, Nuts and Cakes | ||
| High fructose corn syrup (HFCS) | Isomalt | Wheat free breads | Oatcakes | |
| Hummus / houmous | Maltitol | Gluten free breads | Peanuts | |
| Honey | Mannitol | Bread: | Pecans – max of 15 | |
| Jam, mixed berries | Sorbitol | Corn bread | Pine nuts – max of 15 | |
| Jam, strawberry, if contains HFCS | Xylitol | Oat bread | Polenta | |
| Molasses | Tahini paste | Rice bread | Popcorn | |
| Pesto sauce | Tzatziki dip | Spelt sourdough bread | Porridge and oat based cereals | |
| Quince paste | Potato flour bread | Potato flour | ||
| Wheat free or gluten free pasta | Pretzels | |||
| Prebiotic Foods | Bread, wheat – 1 slice | Quinoa | ||
| The follow items may be hiding in yoghurts, snack bars etc: | Inulin | Almonds – max of 15 | Pasta, wheat – up to 1/2 cup cooked | |
| FOS – fructooligosaccharides | Oligofructose | Biscuit, savoury | Rice: | |
| Biscuit, shortbread – 1 only | Basmati rice | |||
| Drinks and Protein Powders | Brazil nuts | Brown rice | ||
| Beer – if drinking more than one bottle | Soy milk made with soy beans – commonly found in USA | Bulgur / bourghal – 1/4 cup cooked, 44g serving | Rice noodles | |
| Coconut water | Sports drinks | Buckwheat | White rice | |
| Cordial, apple and raspberry with 50-100% real juice | Tea: | Buckwheat flour | Rice bran | |
| Cordial, orange with 25-50% real juice | Black tea with added soy milk | Buckwheat noodles | Rice cakes | |
| Fruit and herbal teas with apple added | Chai tea, strong | Brown rice / whole grain rice | Rice crackers | |
| Fruit juices in large quantities | Dandelion tea, strong | Chestnuts | Rice flakes | |
| Fruit juices made of apple, pear, mango | Fennel tea | Chips, plain / potato crisps, plain | Rice flour | |
| Kombucha | Chamomile tea | Cornflour / maize | Rice Krispies | |
| Malted chocolate flavored drink | Herbal tea, strong | Crispbread | Seeds: | |
| Orange juice in quantities over 100ml | Oolong tea | Corncakes | Chia seeds | |
| Quinoa milk | Wine – if drinking more than one glass | Cornflakes – 1/2 cup | Egusi seeds | |
| Rum | Whey protein, concentrate unless lactose free | Coconut – milk, cream, flesh | Poppy seeds | |
| Sodas containing High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) | Whey protein, hydrolyzed unless lactose free | Corn tortillas, 3 tortillas | Pumpkin seeds | |
| Crackers, plain | Sesame seeds | |||
| Dairy Foods | Hazelnuts – max of 15 | Sunflower seeds | ||
| Buttermilk | Kefir | Macadamia nuts | Starch, maize, potato and tapioca | |
| Cheese, cream | Milk: | Millet | Sorghum | |
| Cheese, Halmoumi | Cow milk | Mixed nuts | Tortilla chips / corn chips | |
| Cheese, ricotta | Goat milk | Oatmeal, 1/2 cup | Walnuts | |
| Cream | Evaporated milk | Oats | ||
| Custard | Sheep’s milk | |||
| Gelato | Sour cream | Condiments, Dips, Sweets, Sweeteners and Spreads | ||
| Ice cream | Yoghurt | Aspartame | Oyster sauce | |
| Almond butter | Pesto sauce – less than 1 tbsp | |||
| Cooking ingredients | Barbecue sauce – check label carefully | Peanut butter | ||
| Carob powder | Capers in vinegar | Rice malt syrup | ||
| Capers, salted | Saccharine | |||
| Chocolate: | Shrimp paste | |||
| Dark chocolate | Soy sauce | |||
| Milk chocolate – 3 squares | Stevia | |||
| White chocolate – 3 squares | Sweet and sour sauce | |||
| Chutney, 1 tablespoon | Sucralose | |||
| Fish sauce | Sugar – also called sucrose | |||
| Golden syrup | Tamarind paste | |||
| Glucose | Tomato sauce (outside USA) – 2 sachets, 13g | |||
| Jam / jelly, strawberry | Vegemite | |||
| Ketchup (USA) – 1 sachet | Vinegars: | |||
| Maple syrup | Apple cider vinegar, 2 tbsp | |||
| Marmalade | Balsamic vinegar, 2 tbsp | |||
| Marmite | Rice wine vinegar | |||
| Mayonnaise – ensuring no garlic or onion in ingredients | Wasabi | |||
| Miso paste | Worcestershire sauce – has onion and garlic but very low | |||
| Mustard | ||||
| Drinks and Protein Powders | ||||
| Alcohol – is an irritant to the gut, limited intake advised: | Drinking chocolate powder | |||
| Beer – limited to one drink | Fruit juice, 125ml and safe fruits only | |||
| Clear spirits such as Vodka | Kvass | |||
| Gin | Lemonade – in low quantities | |||
| Whiskey | Protein powders: | |||
| Wine – limited to one drink | Egg protein | |||
| Coffee: | Pea protein – up to 20g | |||
| Espresso coffee, regular or decaffeinated, black | Rice protein | |||
| Espresso coffee, regular or decaffeinated, with up to 250ml lactose free milk | Sacha Inchi protein | |||
| Instant coffee, regular or decaffeinated, black | Whey protein isolate | |||
| Instant coffee, regular or decaffeinated, with up to 250ml lactose free milk | Soya milk made with soy protein | |||
| Tea: | ||||
| Black tea, weak e.g. PG Tips | Green tea | |||
| Chai tea, weak | Peppermint tea | |||
| Fruit and herbal tea, weak – ensure no apple added | White tea | |||
| Dairy Foods and Eggs | ||||
| Butter | ||||
| Margarine | ||||
| Cheese: | ||||
| Brie | Goat / chevre | |||
| Camembert | Mozzarella | |||
| Cheddar | Parmesan | |||
| Cottage | Ricotta – 2 tablespoons | |||
| Feta | Swiss cheese | |||
| Dairy free chocolate pudding | ||||
| Eggs | ||||
| Milk: | ||||
| Almond milk | Macadamia milk | |||
| Hemp milk | Oat milk – 30 ml, enough for cereal | |||
| Lactose free milk | Rice milk – upto 200ml per sitting | |||
| Sorbet | ||||
| Soy protein (avoid soya beans) | ||||
| Tempeh | ||||
| Tofu – drained and firm varieties | ||||
| Whipped cream | ||||
| Yoghurt: | ||||
| Coconut yoghurt | Lactose free yoghurt | |||
| Greek yoghurt, in small amounts | Goats yoghurt | |||
| Cooking ingredients, Herbs and Spices | ||||
| Herbs: Basil, Bay leaves, Cilantro, Coriander, Curry leaves, Fenugreek, Gotukala, Lemongrass, Mint, Oregano, Pandan, Parsley, Rampa, Rosemary, Sage, Tarragon, Thyme | Cocoa powder | |||
| Spices: All spice, Black pepper, Cardamon, Chilli powder (check ingredients, sometimes has garlic added), Cinnamon, Cloves, Cumin, Curry powder, Fennel seeds, Five spice, Goraka, Mustard seeds, Nutmeg, Paprika, Saffron, Star anise, Turmeric | Cream, 1/2 cup | |||
| Oils: Avocado oil, Canola oil, Coconut oil, Olive oil, Peanut oil, Rice bran oil, Sesame oil, Soybean oil, Sunflower oil, Vegetable oil | Gelatine | |||
| Garlic infused oil | Ghee | |||
| Onion infused oil | Icing sugar | |||
| Asafoetida powder – great onion substitute | Lard | |||
| Baking powder | Nutritional yeast | |||
| Baking soda | Salt | |||
| Cacao powder | Soybean oil | |||
