Living FODMAP is hard-going – especially if you have a bit of a sweet tooth – because one small discrepancy can cause you a world of unpleasantness. We’ve found that it all becomes that little bit easier if you can find a handful of little guilty pleasures that, although they taste like they’re bad for you (i.e. so so good!), won’t set off your IBS. Here’s our three-step guide to cheating.
Step One: Find some low-FODMAP treats that satisfy your sweet (or salty) tooth
In no particular order, here are some treats we’d recommend:
- Potato or kumara chips – either make your own, or find a brand that you know is safe. In NZ, we recommend Proper Crisps (rosemary and thyme is the best!)
- Coconut milk – often a drink can satisfy you just as well as a snack would. We really like Little Island Coconut Milk. We’ve also tried Covet Macadamia milk, but we found it a bit watery.
- Sorbet – you do need to be a bit careful with what’s in it, but generally there will be a flavour that’s safe. If you want a treat while you’re out and about in Auckland, Giapo often has at least one low-FODMAP option
- Coconut ice cream – this is our fav. Keep a tub in the freezer, and help yourself to a mugful whenever you’re needing a sweet hit.
Step Two: don’t overdo it
A big problem we’ve had with guilty pleasures is they’re so good, and it’s so nice to have something a bit naughty, that it took a while to learn not to binge – even if it’s low-FODMAP, if you binge on it, you’re likely to end up with stomach issues (people without IBS are just the same!). The easiest way to manage portion control is to measure what you eat. No need to get the scales involved though – for things like chips, fill a small bowl and eat from that, rather than eating straight from the packet, and for things like ice cream, spoon it into a mug rather than a bowl.
Step Three: let treats be treats
Once you find those perfect treats that you love, it’s going to be really tempting to have them all the time. If you let yourself eat the treats too regularly, they’re going to lose the guilty pleasure factor, and you’ll once again find yourself wanting that little special something more and not having a go-to. One approach to help mitigate this is the “out of sight, out of mind” approach – store your treats somewhere discreet, so you’re less likely to come across them in your day-to-day life. This should help prevent any casual snacking, and ensure that you’re only treat-eating because you’ve consciously decided to treat yourself.