How cooking oils can add extra flavour into a low FODMAP Diet

In recent years, the low FODMAP diet has gained attention and popularity for its effectiveness in reducing the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and other gastrointestinal disorders.

What are FODMAPs?

FODMAPS (Fermentable Oligosaccharides, Disaccharides, Monosaccharides, and Polyols) are types of carbohydrates that can trigger digestive discomfort in some individuals.

What is a Low FODMAP diet?

A low FODMAP diet involves restricting or removing certain foods that are high in FODMAPs. These include:

·         Dairy-based milk, yoghurt and ice cream

·         Wheat

·         Beans and lentils

·         Artichokes, asparagus, onions and garlic

·         Apples, cherries, pears and peaches

How can flavoured cooking oils help with a low FODMAP diet?

For many the thought of going without a flavourful and versatile ingredient like garlic or onion is hard to imagine, but cooking oils offer a way for those following a low FODMAP diet to enjoy those key flavours without discomfort and bloating.

This is because fructans are water soluble but not fat soluble. This means that no fructans are absorbed into oil and only the garlic or onion flavour is transferred to the oil making it low FODMAP friendly.

This is great news for those following a low FODMAP diet because it means flavour doesn’t need to be sacrificed. Cooking with flavoured garlic and onion oils opens up a whole myriad of recipes which would otherwise be off limits to anyone following a low FODMAP diet.

Homemade flavoured oils

While flavoured oils are available in supermarkets, they can also be easily made easily at home. Cold pressed rapeseed oil is ideal for infusing with garlic or onion because it has a mild and neutral flavour which takes on the infused flavours beautifully.

Kilner jars with a tight-fitting lid are ideal for making flavoured oils in. Simply fill a sterilised container with oil, add raw garlic and/or onion, secure the lid then leave to infuse for around 2 weeks.

Then using a sterilised funnel decant the oil (minus the onion or garlic pieces) into a sterilised bottle

Are all flavoured oils low FODMAP friendly?

In short, no. Always check the ingredients of store bought flavoured oils. Any which are flavoured with garlic or onion granules are NOT low FODMAP!