# What about foods/spices, etc NOT listed on the FODMAP diet list, as either good or bad?



## MwdMags (Nov 24, 2012)

I am eager to try the low Fodmap diet; I have Celiac Disease (10 years now) that is completely controlled/healed, yet ongoing chronic digestive issues (bloating, gas, constipation, _EVERY_ day), that for the most part I can't confidently attribute to certain foods, thus hard to figure out the triggers.. Unfortunately from the "national registry" on here it doesn't look as though there are any RD's trained in this diet even somewhat near me.

Can someone on here can tell me whether or not these things are ok on the low fodmap diet during the elimination phase or not, as they don't appear on any list/chart I've found:

- Caffeine (coffee or tea. I know coffee is a common irritant for IBS sufferers, but is caffeinated tea also a bad idea..?!?)
- Cinnamon
- Sundried tomatoes (I see that basic tomatoes are ok, so I assume these, in small amounts, should be as well?)
- Water chestnuts
- Plain, basic potato or tortilla chips, provided ingredients are only potatoes/corn, canola, sunflower or some such oil, & salt
- Organic turkey/chicken breakfast sausage, provided ingredients are only turkey/chicken, salt, maple syrup, things like that
- Chocolate, provided it is lactose free (I assume those cited as "vegan" chocolate= lactose free?)
- Vinegar (I assume that doesn't fall in any of the categories, but..)

MANY thanks in advance!!


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## Kathleen M. (Nov 16, 1999)

You might try a decaf tea first and if that is OK try one with the caffeine. I think it is finding what you tolerate and where that cut off is for your gut. Caffeine usually is more an issue if you tend to diarrhea, it can sometimes help stimulate those that tend to be constipated.

Cinnamon seems ok on the low fructose dit.

Yep, with any dried anything remember that a small amount dried is the same as quite a bit fresh. So if you tolerate one tomato OK, then a dried tomato should be OK. It is just sometimes easy to overdo dried stuff.

As long as ever ingredient in something is something you tolerate I think you are OK if they are put together before it gets to you. I think the big thing to watch with those can be portion size. If you can tolerate a tortilla, that is only a handful of chips, not a huge bag of them.

Vegan chocolate should be lactose free (but may have other problematic ingredients)

Vinegar, the distilled kind should be fine, I would think. I would be more careful with balsamic or apple cider vinegar as I wonder if they may have stuff that hasn't been all fermented/pre-digested by the bacteria.


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## Korga (Sep 8, 2011)

Ditto above except for the vinegar. I use rice vinegar, as many other vinegars are derived from apples, and balsamic is derived from raisins. Both of which have prompted symptoms for me.


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## Goldfinch (Sep 9, 2012)

I've always found that coffee, caffeinated or decaf, may be helpful for constipation but counterproductive for my IBS D. However, I find that black tea, brewed on the weak side, does me no harm. I can also tolerate a modest amount of dark chocolate. As for salty snack-type foods I find it best to limit anything that is rich, fatty or greasy. A small handful of fries or potato chips is a rare treat. A modest amount of tortilla chips is okay. Salted nuts, including peanuts, are a better choice for me. Unbuttered popcorn, if I don't overdo it is fine, but eating a big bowl of it at once would probably not have good results. Movie popcorn can be full of junk, so best to make your own.

Some people find even a few bites of certain foods can trigger a reaction. Everyone is different. If I have a few bites of my husband's wheat toast I'm okay, but if I ate a sandwich it would be another story. For me bad reactions are typically the result of cumulative infractions. Finding out what your body tolerates is really trial and error. My best suggestion is to start with a pretty restricted diet, and if you are feeling better as a result, introduce only one new food at a time.


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