Can I eat Chinese food on a FODMAP diet?

Many favorite Chinese dishes are high in FODMAPs, primarily due to the ubiquitous use of onion and garlic. However, navigating a low FODMAP diet doesn't mean you have to give up Chinese food completely. By understanding common high-FODMAP ingredients and learning smart substitution techniques, you can enjoy delicious meals that are gut-friendly.

Quick Summary

It is possible to eat Chinese food while on a low FODMAP diet with careful planning and modifications. The key is identifying high-FODMAP ingredients like garlic, onion, and wheat-based sauces, and choosing gut-friendly alternatives like steamed rice, certain proteins, and specific vegetables.

Key Points

• Check for Hidden FODMAPs: Be aware that common Chinese restaurant sauces and marinades frequently contain high-FODMAP ingredients like onion, garlic, and wheat.

• Customize Your Order: Opt for steamed rice and protein-based dishes, requesting they be made without garlic, onion, or high-FODMAP sauces.

• Substitute with Safe Flavors: Use garlic-infused oil, fresh ginger, and the green tops of scallions to add flavor without the digestive distress.

• Choose Low-FODMAP Ingredients: Prioritize menu items featuring low-FODMAP vegetables like carrots, bell peppers, and bean sprouts, paired with rice or rice noodles.

• Control Your Sauce Intake: Ask for sauces on the side or stick to low-FODMAP sauces like soy sauce, oyster sauce, or fish sauce in controlled portions.

• Don't Fear MSG: Monosodium glutamate is not a FODMAP and does not need to be avoided during the elimination phase of the diet. Sensitivity is separate from FODMAP intolerance.

Navigating the Challenges of Chinese Cuisine

Traditional Chinese cooking often relies on foundational ingredients that are high in FODMAPs (Fermentable Oligosaccharides, Disaccharides, Monosaccharides, and Polyols). These carbohydrates can trigger digestive distress in sensitive individuals. The main culprits in restaurant-style Chinese food include:

• Garlic and Onions: These are major sources of fructans, a type of oligosaccharide, and are used extensively in marinades, sauces, and stir-fries.
• Wheat: Many noodles (like chow mein and lo mein), dumplings (wontons, dim sum), and buns are wheat-based, making them high in fructans.
• Sauces and Seasonings: Pre-made sauces, like those for sweet and sour or Szechuan dishes, often contain garlic, onion, and sometimes high-fructose corn syrup.
• Soy-based products: While firm tofu and soy sauce are low FODMAP, whole soybeans and silken tofu are high in galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS). Some vegetarian 'mock meats' are also high in FODMAPs.
• Certain Vegetables: Common vegetables like mushrooms, snow peas, and large portions of cabbage or cauliflower can be high in FODMAPs.

Making Smart Choices at a Chinese Restaurant

Dining out requires a proactive approach. Communication with the restaurant staff is crucial to ensure your meal is prepared with low FODMAP ingredients. Here are some strategies:

• Be clear about your needs: When ordering, explicitly ask for no onion and no garlic in your dish. Also inquire about marinades.
• Choose safe entrées: Stick to simple, made-to-order dishes. Steamed fish or seafood with a simple seasoning of ginger and the green parts of scallions is a great option. A simple stir-fry with lean protein like chicken or shrimp, and low FODMAP vegetables like carrots, bell peppers, or bok choy, is also a good bet.
• Opt for rice over noodles: Always choose plain steamed rice as your base. Most rice varieties, including white, brown, and basmati, contain no FODMAPs. Request rice noodles instead of wheat-based ones if possible.
• Manage your sauce: Request sauces on the side to control the amount you consume. Low FODMAP sauces include soy sauce (or gluten-free tamari), oyster sauce (check for additives), and fish sauce.
• Safe appetizer options: Egg drop soup is a suitable starter as it's typically seasoned with ginger and chives, not garlic. Fresh spring rolls with a safe filling can also work; avoid deep-fried egg rolls or wheat-based dumplings.

Creating Low FODMAP Chinese Meals at Home

Cooking at home gives you complete control over ingredients. You can easily adapt many classic recipes with low FODMAP alternatives.

Essential Ingredients for a Low FODMAP Pantry

• Flavor Base: Use garlic-infused olive oil and the green tops of scallions for a flavor base without the fructans. Fresh ginger and chives are also excellent.
• Sauces: Use gluten-free tamari or a certified low FODMAP soy sauce substitute. Fish sauce and a small amount of miso paste are also low FODMAP.
• Proteins: Choose lean proteins like chicken, beef, shrimp, or firm tofu. Firm tofu is a good source of protein and is low FODMAP because the water-soluble oligosaccharides are drained away during processing.
• Vegetables: Fill your dish with low FODMAP vegetables such as bamboo shoots, bok choy, carrots, bean sprouts, water chestnuts, and bell peppers.
• Carbohydrates: Use steamed white or brown rice, or rice noodles.

Example Recipe: Low FODMAP Fried Rice

Start with garlic-infused oil in a wok. Sauté your chosen protein (e.g., chicken or shrimp) and low FODMAP vegetables. Add leftover, chilled rice and stir-fry. Add flavor with tamari, sesame oil, and the green parts of scallions. This method avoids the high-FODMAP pitfalls of restaurant versions while still being delicious and satisfying. For more inspiration, you can check out this guide to low FODMAP sauces and condiments from a reputable source.

What About MSG?

Monosodium glutamate (MSG) is a flavor enhancer often associated with Chinese food and digestive issues. However, MSG is not a FODMAP. It is a salt of glutamic acid, an amino acid. While some individuals may have a sensitivity to MSG, it is unrelated to FODMAP intolerance. If you know you are sensitive to MSG, you can ask restaurants to omit it, but it does not need to be avoided as part of the low FODMAP elimination diet. Some people may experience symptoms due to the other high-FODMAP ingredients often paired with MSG, leading to confusion.

Comparison of Standard vs. Low FODMAP Chinese Options

Standard High-FODMAP Option	Key High-FODMAP Ingredients	Low-FODMAP Restaurant Alternative	Low-FODMAP Homemade Alternative
Chow Mein/Lo Mein	Wheat noodles, garlic, onion, cabbage	Stir-fry with rice noodles, no garlic/onion, low FODMAP veggies	Fried rice with chilled rice, garlic-infused oil, safe veggies
Egg Rolls/Dumplings	Wheat wrappers, garlic, onion	Fresh spring rolls with rice paper, safe filling	Homemade dumplings with gluten-free wrappers and safe filling
Sweet and Sour Chicken	Pre-made sauce with onion, polyols, and sweeteners	Plain chicken and rice, sauce on the side	Homemade sweet and sour sauce using sugar, vinegar, and tamari
Szechuan Beef	Garlic, onion, other high FODMAP vegetables	Plain beef and peppers, no garlic/onion, steamed rice	Cook with garlic-infused oil, chili, and tamari
Kung Pao Chicken	Garlic, onion, high-fructose sauce	Request plain chicken with low FODMAP veggies and steamed rice	Make your own sauce with safe ingredients, use peanuts in moderation

Conclusion

While many standard Chinese dishes are loaded with high FODMAP ingredients like garlic, onion, and wheat, it's definitely possible to enjoy this cuisine safely on a low FODMAP diet. The key is to be a savvy consumer, either by asking for modifications at restaurants or by cooking at home with low FODMAP alternatives. Using rice instead of wheat noodles, favoring steamed or simply prepared dishes, and replacing garlic and onion with infused oil and green scallion tops can help you enjoy all the flavors of Chinese food without the digestive distress. By empowering yourself with this knowledge, you can make informed choices and broaden your culinary horizons, even with dietary restrictions.

Visit Monash University's FODMAP blog for more information on eating out

Low FODMAP Chinese Recipes at Home

Making your own Chinese food allows for full control over ingredients. Here are some simple ideas to get you started:

• Low FODMAP Stir-Fry Sauce: Mix gluten-free tamari, a small amount of rice vinegar, a touch of maple syrup, and cornstarch to thicken. Add ginger for extra flavor.
• Garlic and Ginger Beef: Sauté thin slices of beef with garlic-infused oil and fresh grated ginger. Add some low FODMAP vegetables like carrots and bok choy, then finish with tamari.
• Simple Fried Rice: Use leftover, chilled white rice, scrambled eggs, carrots, and the green parts of scallions. Season with tamari and sesame oil.
• Chicken and Broccoli: Stir-fry chicken with garlic-infused oil, then add broccoli florets and steam until tender. Finish with tamari and serve with steamed rice.
• Shrimp and Water Chestnuts: A quick and refreshing dish made with shrimp, crisp water chestnuts, and a light sauce of tamari and ginger.
• Egg Drop Soup: A simple and safe option. Whisk eggs into a boiling low FODMAP broth and season with ginger, tamari, and the green tops of scallions. Add firm tofu for extra protein.

Summary of High vs. Low FODMAP Ingredients

High FODMAP (Avoid/Limit):

• Onion (white and yellow bulbs)
• Garlic
• Shallots
• Wheat-based noodles, wrappers, and buns
• Whole soybeans and silken tofu
• Mushrooms
• Snow peas
• High-fructose corn syrup
• Some pre-made sauces and marinades

Low FODMAP (Safe):

• White, brown, and basmati rice
• Rice noodles
• Garlic-infused oil
• Green parts of scallions
• Ginger
• Lean protein (chicken, beef, shrimp, fish)
• Firm tofu
• Soy sauce (or tamari), fish sauce, oyster sauce
• Vegetables: bok choy, carrots, bean sprouts, water chestnuts, bell peppers
• Eggs

By focusing on these low FODMAP ingredients and preparation methods, you can create a wide variety of delicious and satisfying Chinese meals that won't trigger your IBS symptoms.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are Chinese sauces safe on a low FODMAP diet?

Many pre-made Chinese sauces contain high-FODMAP ingredients like garlic, onion, or high-fructose corn syrup. Safe options include plain soy sauce, fish sauce, and sometimes oyster sauce, but you should always check labels or ask for sauce on the side.

Can I eat fried rice on a low FODMAP diet?

Restaurant fried rice is typically made with onion and garlic, making it high in FODMAPs. A safer option is to make it at home using garlic-infused oil, low-FODMAP vegetables, and the green tops of scallions.

Are egg rolls and dumplings okay to eat?

No, most egg rolls and dumplings are made with wheat flour wrappers and fillings containing onion and garlic, making them high in FODMAPs. Fresh spring rolls with rice paper wrappers and safe fillings may be an alternative.

Is MSG a FODMAP?

No, MSG is not a FODMAP. It is an amino acid and does not contain the fermentable carbohydrates that cause symptoms in people with IBS. Some individuals have an MSG sensitivity, but this is different from FODMAP intolerance.

What kind of noodles can I eat on a low FODMAP diet?

Wheat-based noodles like chow mein and lo mein are high in FODMAPs. Rice noodles are a safe, low-FODMAP alternative for stir-fries and soups.

How can I get garlic flavor without the FODMAPs?

To get garlic flavor without the fructans, use garlic-infused olive oil. The fructans are water-soluble and do not leach into the oil, so the flavor is there without the digestive trigger.

What's a safe Chinese dish to order at a restaurant?

A safe choice is a simple stir-fry or steamed dish with protein like chicken, shrimp, or firm tofu, accompanied by steamed rice and low-FODMAP vegetables like carrots and bell peppers. Be sure to request no garlic and no onion.