Can You Eat Ham on a Low FODMAP Diet? A Guide for IBS Relief
If you suffer from irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), you know that certain foods can trigger uncomfortable digestive symptoms like bloating, gas, abdominal pain, and diarrhea The low FODMAP diet is an effective diet therapy for managing IBS But can you still enjoy delicious ham on a low FODMAP diet?
In this article, we’ll explore the benefits of the low FODMAP diet, explain what FODMAPs are, provide tips for following the diet, and discuss whether you can eat ham while on a low FODMAP diet.
What is the Low FODMAP Diet?
FODMAP is an acronym that stands for Fermentable Oligosaccharides, Disaccharides, Monosaccharides, and Polyols. These are a group of short-chain carbohydrates that can be difficult to digest for those with IBS.
Foods high in FODMAPs can cause digestive issues in sensitive individuals by:
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Drawing excess fluid into the intestinal tract (osmotic effect)
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Causing intestinal gas production when fermented by gut bacteria
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Being poorly absorbed in the small intestine
The low FODMAP diet involves restricting high FODMAP foods for 4-8 weeks to identify trigger foods. It is not meant to be a lifelong diet but rather an elimination diet to provide short-term relief of IBS symptoms.
The low FODMAP diet has strong research support. Multiple studies have shown it to be effective at reducing abdominal pain, bloating, flatulence and improving stool consistency in over 70% of IBS patients.
It’s best to work with a registered dietitian knowledgeable in the low FODMAP diet when making major dietary changes to ensure nutritional adequacy.
What Foods Are High and Low In FODMAPs?
FODMAPs are found in a wide variety of foods:
High FODMAP Foods:
- Fruits: apples, pears, watermelon, mango
- Vegetables: garlic, onions, artichokes, asparagus
- Dairy: milk, ice cream, yogurt
- Grains: wheat products, rye
- Legumes: lentils, beans, chickpeas
- Sweeteners: honey, high fructose corn syrup
- Nuts: cashews, pistachios
Low FODMAP Foods:
- Fruits: banana, blueberry, orange, strawberry
- Non-starchy Vegetables: carrots, cucumber, tomato
- Animal Proteins: chicken, beef, fish, eggs
- Grains: rice, quinoa, oats, corn
- Dairy: lactose-free milk, hard cheese
- Nuts: peanuts, walnuts, pecans
- Sweeteners: table sugar, maple syrup
Tips for Following a Low FODMAP Diet
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Eliminate high FODMAP foods for 4-8 weeks. Slowly reintroduce foods one at a time while monitoring symptoms to identify your personal triggers.
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Stick to recommended serving sizes of FODMAP-containing foods based on thorough testing by Monash University. Serving size matters.
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Read ingredient labels carefully and avoid products with onion, garlic, high fructose corn syrup, inulin etc.
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Stock your pantry with low FODMAP staples like rice, quinoa, oats, nuts, seeds, olive oil, lactose-free milk, and safe fruits/veggies.
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Get creative with flavors by using lemon/lime juice, herbs, spices, vinegars, chilies, ginger, and other low FODMAP seasonings.
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Look for certified low FODMAP products to take the guesswork out of shopping. In the US, check labels for certification by Monash University.
Can You Eat Ham on a Low FODMAP Diet?
Plain, unprocessed ham is low in FODMAPs. According to comprehensive testing by Monash University, a 1.1 oz (100 g) serving of ham contains no FODMAPs.
This means that fresh uncured ham and boiled, roasted or baked ham without added flavorings are all low FODMAP. Opt for plain sliced ham from the deli counter rather than honey-baked or maple-glazed ham which contain FODMAP sweeteners.
Avoid ham processed or cured with onion, garlic or celery which are all high FODMAP ingredients. Also be cautious of ham containing unspecified “natural flavors” or glutamates which may contain hidden FODMAPs.
When buying packaged ham, read the ingredient list carefully. Your best bet is ham with a short ingredient list of just pork and salt.
Here are some low FODMAP ham options:
- Boneless cooked ham
- Spiral sliced ham
- Black Forest ham
- Prosciutto ham
- Jambon de Paris ham
And a few high FODMAP varieties to avoid:
- Honey-baked ham
- Maple-glazed ham
- Ham with honey or maple syrup in ingredients
- Ham cured with onion or garlic
Low FODMAP Ham Recipes
Here are some delicious ways to enjoy low FODMAP ham:
- Breakfast – Denver omelet with ham, bell peppers, spinach
- Lunch – Ham and cheese sandwich on sourdough bread
- Dinner – Baked ham with pineapple rings and roasted carrots
- Snack – Roll-ups with ham, cream cheese, pickle in a rice wrap
- Salad – Wilted kale salad with ham, boiled eggs, pomegranate arils
Ham and Pineapple Kabobs
Ingredients:
- 1 lb boneless, cooked ham, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 fresh pineapple, peeled, cored, and cut into 1-inch chunks
- 8 wooden skewers, soaked in water 30 mins
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp honey or maple syrup
Instructions:
- Preheat grill or grill pan to medium-high.
- Thread ham and pineapple alternately onto skewers. Brush with oil.
- Grill kabobs 6-8 minutes until pineapple is charred, turning occasionally.
- Remove from grill and brush with honey. Enjoy!
The Takeaway on Ham and the Low FODMAP Diet:
Plain cooked ham without high FODMAP flavor additives like honey, garlic or onion can be enjoyed in moderate portions on a low FODMAP diet based on testing by Monash University. Read labels carefully and stick to recommended serving sizes. With some adjustments, you don’t have to say goodbye to tasty ham on a low FODMAP diet!
Where FODMAPs are found in foods
Fruits and vegetables, grains and cereals, nuts, legumes, lentils, dairy foods, and processed foods are all places where you can find FODMAPs. It’s a little hard to stick to the FODMAP diet because you can’t just guess which foods are high or low in FODMAPs.
If you know what foods contain FODMAPs, it will be easier to stick to the 3 step FODMAP diet for IBS treatment over time and keep you from getting IBS symptoms you don’t want.
A lot of people who have IBS use FODMAP food lists they find online, but we know that these aren’t always correct. That’s why the Monash FODMAP team has tested hundreds of foods from around the world to see how much FODMAP they contain. Some of this information has been written up in scientific journals, and the Monash University FODMAP Diet App makes it all available to the public.
Our app uses a simple traffic light system to rate foods as low, moderate or high in FODMAPs.
When you click into each food you will also see which FODMAPs are present. For example, fructose and sorbitol are the main FODMAPs found in pears. Fructans and GOS are the main FODMAPs found in cashew nuts. And lactose is the main FODMAP found in cow’s milk.
The information below will help you to understand which food groups typically contain which FODMAPs. However, for the most comprehensive information about the FODMAP content of food, see the Monash FODMAP App.
The main FODMAPs present in fruit are sorbitol and excess fructose. Apples, pears, mangoes, cherries, figs, nashi pears, pears, watermelon, and dried fruit are some of the fruits that have a lot of extra fructose.
Fruits particularly rich in sorbitol include apples, blackberries, nashi pears, peaches and plums. Many fruits contain both fructose and sorbitol, for example, apples, pears and cherries.
The main FODMAPs present in vegetables are fructans and mannitol. Vegetables particularly rich in fructans include artichoke, garlic, leek, onion and spring onion. Vegetables particularly rich in mannitol include mushrooms, cauliflower and snow peas.
The main FODMAPs present in grain and cereal foods are fructans and to a lesser extent, GOS.
Wholemeal bread, rye bread, muesli made with wheat, wheat pasta, and rye crispbread are all grain and cereal foods that are high in fructans.
The main FODMAP present in legumes and pulses is GOS. Legumes and pulses particularly high in GOS include red kidney beans, split peas, falafels and baked beans.
Dairy foods and alternatives
The main FODMAP present in dairy foods is lactose. Dairy foods that are high in lactose include soft cheeses, milk and yoghurt. There are also many dairy foods that are naturally low in lactose, for example butter and cheese. For this reason, dairy foods are definitely not excluded from a low FODMAP diet.
Many plant-based milk alternatives are also low in FODMAPs, e. g. soy milk (made from soy protein), almond milk and rice milk. But milk alternatives don’t naturally have calcium in them, so tell your patients to choose varieties that have been fortified with calcium.
A Dietitian Explains the Low FODMAP Diet | You Versus Food | Well+Good
FAQ
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