Garlic and onion are no doubt two of the most troublesome foods on a low FODMAP diet - not just due to the uncomfortable symptoms they can cause, but also because they are so incredibly difficult to avoid when eating out or buying convenience foods. If you have a sensitivity to either or both of these foods, you will know that it feels like they are in everything.
The problematic compound in garlic and onions is fructan which is one of the FODMAPs.
FODMAPs ferment in the gut and for those with IBS, they may produce excessive fermentation - the gas produced during this process is the main cause of symptoms. Some people may also be sensitive to the sulfur in garlic and onions, which is another topic for another day!
Life is hard enough with IBS and SIBO, so let me help you by sharing some tried and true tips to take some of the sting out of the situation. You’ll find tips for achieving garlic and onion flavours while sticking to your low FODMAP diet or finding ways to eat well without these ingredients.
Tip #1 Use infused garlic and/or onion oil
The problematic fructans are water-soluble - not fat-soluble - so if you cook garlic or onion in oil and use the oil only, the fructans will not be in the oil but all the flavour compounds will be. You can find garlic and/or onion infused oil at the supermarket - just be sure to choose one without any pieces of garlic or onion left in the oil.
Related - if you do tolerate chilli, you can make your own chilli oil or chilli crisp using a store-bought infused garlic/onion oil and dried chilli flakes. Prepare it on the stove to infuse the chilli flavour. Making it yourself is very easy and lets you control the amount and type of chilli. Start with less chilli flakes rather than more and just add more to the oil after a few days if you prefer it spicier and feel like you will tolerate it.
Tip #2 To replace the bulk and sweetness that onions provide in recipes, use chopped and sauteed fennel instead
Onions are used in recipes not only for the flavour but also to provide bulk - including in soup recipes and savoury recipes with a sauce.
To replace them, simply use a similar amount of chopped and sauteed fennel. Use garlic and/or onion infused oil - see Tip #1 - to replace the flavour element.
Tip #3 Use Asafoetida/Hing to replicate garlic and onion flavours
Asafoetida - or Hing - is a native plant from Afghanistan, commonly used in Indian and south Asian cooking. It has a flavour reminiscent of garlic and onion.
Purchase at Indian or South Asian grocery stores and note that some brands contain wheat flour (so it’s not gluten-free) or rice flour. Brands without either include Burlap and Barrel and Pure Indian Foods (available on iHerb, so easy for those in many countries to access).
It does have a strong smell, so my suggestion is to double-bag it and store it in an airtight container, lest you upset your housemates! Also, it should only be used in very small amounts as it’s quite potent. It’s also said to bring out the flavour of other spices in recipes.
Read this guide to Asafoetida/Hing on Bon Appetit to learn how best to use this spice.
Tip #4 Low FODMAP products
These products - and similar ones - have been designed with IBSers in mind. This means that for meals that would typically be loaded with garlic and/or onions, they are free of those and other high FODMAP ingredients.
In Australia, Check out the FODMAPPED range here. The Simply Wize brand also has a garlic- and onion-free Napolitana pasta sauce.
Other countries also have low FODMAP food products.
Tip #5 Pickled onion and garlic
The process of pickling appears to reduce the fructans content in onions and garlic, according to the FODMAP experts at Monash University. So this means that using these products - drained of the liquid first - instead of the fresh varieties should be better tolerated. A word of warning however - I am assuming that the longer they are pickled, the lower the fructans content because it leeches out into the pickling liquid. Which means that homemade pickled garlic and onions may need to be pickled for a decent length of time before they reach the levels of fructans specified as “tolerable” according to the low FODMAP app.
Tip #6 - garlic shoots/scapes, garlic chives/Asian chives, spring onion/scallion green parts, green part of leeks
These somewhat more obscure alliums or parts of alliums are ways of getting allium flavour in your recipes with less risk of triggering symptoms as they contain lower levels of FODMAPs.
Garlic scapes/shoots may be found at farmers markets in the US and I’ve not seen them in Australia at all. Garlic chives are more often known as Asian chives and are typically available at Asian produce markets. Regular chives are also FODMAP friendly.
Innovative brand Gourmend offers freeze-dried garlic chive and garlic scape/shoot powder to take the hassle out of sourcing these foods fresh.
Another option is to use the green tops of spring onions - these are also known as scallions or green onions depending on where you live.
Similarly, the dark green tops - leaves - of leeks are also FODMAP friendly - wash them well, discard any lime-green coloured parts. Stack the leaves, slice thinly and then dice. Use 1 cup of the diced leek leaves in place of 1 small onion in any cooked recipe. You can freeze your diced leek leaves in 1 cup portions for easy use in recipes.
Tip #7 “The dose makes the poison”
As with all the FODMAPs, there is a tolerance level that can be eaten without symptoms. However, sometimes this tolerance may be lower than what is listed on the Monash FODMAP app and the concept of “FODMAP stacking” is also important. Acording to this concept, the combination of different ingredients in a recipe will also contribute to your overall tolerance of something you eat. For example, hummus contains garlic in addition to chickpeas/garbanzo beans. This combination may be worse for someone than if they ate an equivalent amount of garlic in something with lower-FODMAP ingredients than chickpeas. Also, keep in mind that the allowed amount of garlic is tiny at 3g, compared to onions. Some types of onion have a higher threshold than others.
Tip #8 Eating Out
One of the biggest pain points of the low FODMAP diet is eating out. Truly, it can be a nightmare for many.
An option you can try is one of the many FODMAP enzyme supplements that you typically consume with a FODMAP containing meal. My suggestion here is to try to keep the rest of the meal’s ingredients low FODMAP. So you will definitely want to read the menu before you head out to eat! Just ensure the enzyme helps to digest fructans.
Another tip here is to choose restaurants and dishes that serve a cuisine that doesn’t use a lot of garlic and onion, such as Japanese and Australian. The latter works if you can order dishes with either zero or minimal garlic and onion or recipes where it’s easy to pick out onion for example. Not easy, I know!!! Again, read the menu of where you are going and try to ask questions before you go.
Tell me your experience of navigating onion and garlic if you have IBS or SIBO…
I hope you’ve found this article helpful to you on your low FODMAP/IBS/SIBO journey. Please leave me a comment with any tips you have found helpful and feel free to share this article with friends and family that need help navigating garlic and onion.
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