What Winter fruit & veggies can I eat on the low fodmap diet?

Do you find yourself buying the same fruit & vegetables week in, week out? Guilty! Our gut microbiome LOVES diversity so we’re providing a seasonal fruit and vegetable update from the Sydney Markets. This update will tell you:

what’s in season right now
the best buys
the low fodmap serving sizes of seasonal fruit & veggies

We’ve pulled this report together from the Sydney Fruit, Vegetable and Market update (28/5/23) and correlated this with the low fodmap serving sizes recommended by the Monash Fodmap app. And the key take-away for market goers is to walk past the fruit aisle and enjoy the many low fodmap vegetables now in season.

**Good news!**

Many of the vegetables highlighted in this week’s Sydney Markets Fresh Fruit, Vegetable and Flower Report have low fodmap serving sizes (May 2023). Not so much when it comes to fruit, but let’s start on a positive note!
**Potatoes**
Who doesn’t love creamy mashed potatoes. For the best variety, go for brushed potatoes – they’re cheaper on your wallet and ideal for mashing. While you’ll need to wash off the soil coating, brushed potatoes are typically bigger and more mature – full of starch, low in sugar and perfect for mash! Plus, potatoes are low in fodmaps in a service size of up to 500 grams!
**Chokos**
Are you a fan of chokos? This old-fashioned veggie has the unique ability to absorb flavours. In season now, enjoy chokos steamed or add them sliced or diced to a curry for texture. You can buy them for $3-5 per kilo or look around your neighbourhood – someone is sure to have a tree that is overloaded! A serving of ½ cup diced choko (75g) should be well tolerated by most individuals with IBS.
**Carrots**
Oh, how I love multi-coloured carrots – packed full of beta carotene. Fresh carrots will cost you $2.50-3 per bag and they contain no fodmaps. If you’re looking for a delicious side-dish that will wow your family and friends, try our roasted heirloom carrot recipe. Delicious!

**Beetroot**
I’m a huge fan of beets and I love the vibrant colour they add to your plate. Prices have now dropped to $3-4 a bunch. The recommended serving size for those following the low fodmap diet is 25g or 2 thin slices, so if you’re sensitive to oligos and fructans, you’re not going to get more than a taste. However, if you choose a small bunch of beets with crisp green leaves, you can probably get through the bunch over the course of a week without too many leftovers. There are no fodmaps detected in pickled beetroots so you can always use up any leftovers this way.

**Fennel**
Fennel is in abundance at this time of year with prices down to $1.50-$2.50 per bulb. The low fodmap serving size is low-ish, 1/5th bulb or ½ cup per meal (48g). If you buy individual fennel bulbs, this is a great way of adding flavour to your next roast chicken, lamb or fish.

Kale

Economical and healthy leafy kale is a popular choice (except with my husband!). Kale is a rich source of vitamins, including C, E, K, folate and beta carotene (converted to vitamin A in the body). 100g of kale has well over two days' supply of vitamin C which is great to consume as we head into the cold and flu season. Kale is a bargain buy at the moment, costing $1-$3 a bunch. Plus, only trace amounts of fodmaps were detected in this food, so you can eat freely. If you’re looking to convert any family members to kale, try this fresh and zesty salad.

Mushrooms

Mushrooms are plentiful and cheap at this time of year. But despite the fabulous flavour and nourishment, each mushroom variety has different fodmap content and for button, shiitake, enoki and portobello, the recommended serving size for people with IBS is 10g (or ½ tablespoon). And let’s face it, there’s not much gain to be had by eating ½ tablespoon! So if you’re a mushroom lover, learn to recognise oyster mushrooms – they’re rich in fibre, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. A serving size of 75g (or 1 cup) is well tolerated by most individuals with IBS. Larger servings (1kg) contain moderate amounts of polyol, sorbitol and mannitol so you may need to forgo a meaty, mushroom stew.