IBS--Free at Last!

Sushi--Maybe, Maybe Not

Is sushi during the holidays a tradition I've been in the dark about until now? Maybe it is a coincidence, but I've had several questions lately about whether sushi is OK to eat on the FODMAPs elimination diet. Technically, I would say "no", because I don't know enough about the type of carbohydrates in nori (sheets of edible seaweed used to wrap sushi) to bless it as FODMAPS-friendly. But realistically, I would say "maybe". If I had to guess I would say nori may be similar to other leafy greens, which are allowed.

Sushi fans should be aware that commercially "seasoned" sushi vinegars are often sweetened with high-fructose corn syrup. However, if you are making homemade, or can verify that your sushi bar of choice is seasoning its vinegar with sugar, then you should be able to enjoy some kinds of sushi on the elimination phase of the diet.

Make sure the fillings you select are FODMAPS-friendly: yes to rice, fish, seafood, cucumbers, melon, carrots, spinach leaves, sesame seeds, wasabi, soy sauce; no to avocado, scallions; a tablespoon of fresh ginger has next to no potential FODMAPS, so it should be fine in that quantity.

Enjoy your sushi at the holiday party!

 

Thai take-out, anyone?

I spent part of today planning a menu for a FODMAPS-friendly meal I plan to serve next week at a local doctor's office. I decided that it would be easiest to order out, rather than make a meal from scratch, so I could focus my energy on my presentation about IBS and food. Thai food relies on rice and rice noodles rather than wheat-based products, making it a good bet for a FODMAPS-friendly meal.  My favorite Thai restaurant, Mekhong Thai in Portland, Maine, makes all their food to order. I stopped in today at a slow time, 3:30 pm, and asked the manager "1,000 questions" about their recipes, especially the sauces. I found several delicious possibilities.

You should question your server or the manager at your local Thai restaurant to see if local customs vary. For example, although fresh spring rolls in Maine are made with a rice paper wrapper, when I ordered them recently in Chicago at a very well known Thai restaurant I was very surprised to find that they were prepared with a wheat flour wrapper of some kind.

Here are the items I am considering for my luncheon:

• Beef or chicken satay with peanut sauce. Although some peanut sauces contain coconut milk (not FODMAPS-friendly), at this restaurant is doesn't.
• Fresh spring rolls, vegetable or with shrimp, pork, or chicken--I will order mine with no scallions. All the other ingredients are OK: rice paper, lettuce, cucumber, bean sprouts, cilantro, carrots, rice vermicelli. It is served with a clear peanut sauce, which is made from scratch with granulated sugar (OK).
• Thai salad, hold the onions, scallions, and tofu: lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes, carrots, peppers, mushrooms, and bean sprouts, topped with peanut sauce. I wonder if they would substitute chicken for the tofu for an extra buck or two?
• Steamed brown rice
• Chicken, pork, beef, shrimp, scallop or calamari stir fried with sweet and sour sauce, hold the scallions and pineapple: snow peas, tomatoes, and carrots. Maybe they will throw in some broccoli for me. Home-made sweet and sour sauce made with granulated sugar and vinegar.
• Considering Thai fried rice, but would have to ask for it without the sauce, since the oyster sauce and soy sauce it is seasoned with both have wheat. Might still be good.

Well, it looks like there is quite a lot to choose from; I don't think it will be a hardship selecting a FODMAPS friendly meal at this place.

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