Not-so-forbidden fruit

One of the challenging things about the low-FODMAP diet is that it restricts a number of healthy, wholesome foods, which is a key reason why seeking professional advice about the diet is important. 

Fruit, in particular, can be tricky. 

Mandarins - a year round FODMAP friendly fruit.

A number of fruits trigger symptoms of irritable bowel. This includes some quite common fruit varieties - apples and pears, for example - and many that tend to be canned or dried, like peaches and apricots. 

An apple a day keeps the doctor away? Ah, no. Not in this case.   

Thankfully, there are a number of fresh fruits that are easy on the tummy. So there's no need to sacrifice nourishing fruit - and the accompanying fibre or flavour - when pursuing digestive health. 

Blueberries and lactose-free yoghurt.

To help you make the most of tummy-friendly produce, I've put together a guide to low-FODMAP fruits by New Zealand season.

Shopping by season is great for ensuring that you are getting the freshest of flavours. The economist side of my brain likes the value-for-money aspect, too.

There are exciting flavours available no matter the time of year, including a number of options that are available year round.

In fact, there are so many fruit options. You might just discover some new favourites!

Add stewed rhubarb or defrosted berries to your breakfast (or your pudding, for that matter!). Make fresh fruit salad with pineapple, grapes, and berries, adding kiwifruit or melon depending on the time of year. Or pop bananas, mandarins and kiwifruit into your lunchbox (because you're never too old to own a SpongeBob lunchbox). 

Low-FODMAP fruit by season

This guide was put together using the Monash University app and 5+ a day website. A vegetable guide will follow in a subsequent post. 

Some of these fruits (denoted by asterisks) are high in FODMAP when consumed in large quantities - check the Monash University app for details. 

PS: Yes, I know that rhubarb is technically a vegetable; and tomatoes (which have been omitted) are technically a fruit. The way I see it, if it could conceivably go in a shortcake, it makes the list. Tomato shortcake anyone? Didn't think so.

Rhubarb and berry shortcake.