The versatile smoothie can be enjoyed all year round, however, they’re always that bit more satisfying in the warm Summer months. Smoothies can be a delicious, nutritious and low FODMAP breakfast or snack option…but care must be taken regarding ingredients and portion sizes.
Since smoothies can be so versatile, we thought we would provide you with the tools to get creative and blend up your own lofo summer creation. So to start, choose your milk base!
Step 1: Choose your milk base
There are a few different low FODMAP milk options to choose for your base. For a single serve, we suggest ¾ – 1 cup (200-250ml) of either:
- Lactose-free milk: perfect option for those who want that real milk taste, but without the lactose. Lactose-free milk has the same nutritional profile as regular milk, minus the lactose. So, this makes it a great source of protein and calcium!
- Soy milk: soy milk has a sweeter, nuttier flavour to regular milk but is also creamy and a good source of protein. It is important to choose a soy milk made from soy-protein, NOT soy-beans, to ensure it is low FODMAP. Also, choose one which has been fortified with calcium.
- Almond milk: almond milk is a great option for those who prefer a lighter, less-rich milk option. Given it has a high-water content, it isn’t as creamy as regular milk but has a light nutty flavour, which goes nicely in smoothies. Choose one which is fortified with calcium.
- Rice milk: rice milk has a sweeter taste to regular milk, which some people enjoy. But, be sure to stick to a low FODMAP serve of ¾ cup and select one fortified with calcium.
- Macadamia milk: not nearly as popular as it’s cousin almond milk, macadamia milk is another light yet nutty milk option to include in your smoothie.
Our top milk of choice:
Overall, our top two choices are lactose-free milk and soy-milk due to their higher protein content and calcium content (providing it is a calcium-fortified soy milk). If you don’t like milk, plain old fashion water can be used as a smoothie base. You can also use coconut water, if it is a low FODMAP serve of 100ml.
Step 2: Select your Fruit
There are a range of different low FODMAP fruits you can throw into your smoothie. For a single serve, we recommend about 150g (1 cup) fruit in total. Frozen fruit is perfect for smoothies, but fresh is also great. Some of our favourite fruits to throw in are:
- Strawberries
- Blueberries (limit to 40g serve)
- Raspberries (limit to 60g serve)
- Banana (limit to 1 medium unripe or 1/3 medium ripe)
- Kiwi fruit
- Passionfruit
Step 3: choose your extras
Extras are optional, but are great for additional flavour + nutrients. So, some great extras to include in your smoothie are:
- Nuts: some great low FODMAP nuts to include are walnuts, pecans, macadamias or peanut butter. Also, for extra creaminess, soak a small handful of nuts in your milk of choice overnight.
- Chia seeds: extra fibre, protein and omega-3 fats!
- Vanilla essence
- Matcha powder
- Cinnamon
- Mint
- Low FODMAP protein powder
- Lactose-free yoghurt
- Ice cubes (extra coldness and texture)
Some of our favourite fruit flavour combos:
- Strawberry and raspberry (100g strawberries + 50g raspberries)
- Blueberry and lime (see our recipe here)
- Banana berry (1/3 ripe medium banana + 50g strawberries + 40g blueberries)
- Banana and strawberry with chia and matcha (see our recipe here)
- Strawberry, banana and passionfruit (30g frozen ripe banana + 100g strawberry + 1-2 frozen 20g passionfruit cubes)
- Banana and peanut butter (see our recipe here)
IG: @amanda_gaukroger_dietitian
Start feeling better now! By signing up to The FODMAP Challenge you will receive meal plans, recipe ideas, and regular support with other resources, such as a private Facebook group, to make this as easy for you as possible.