Diet Tips:Low FODMAP Banana Bread Smoothie

By Lyndal McNamara (dietitian) 

Do you often crave desserts but can't spare the calories (or the FODMAPs)? Inspired by a deliciously soft, rich slice of spiced banana bread, this healthy smoothie can be enjoyed for breakfast, lunch or dinner (or hey, why not even dessert!) 

Ingredients: 

• 1 banana, peeled, sliced and frozen 

• 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk (calcium fortified) 

• 1/4 cup rolled oats 

• 1/4 cup plain low-fat Greek yoghurt* 

• 1/2 tsp vanilla essence 

• 1 pinch of cinnamon 

• 1 pinch of nutmeg 

• 1/2 tsp maple syrup (optional - if you like a sweeter smoothie) 

Method: 

1. Add all ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth and creamy. Serve immediately! 

Tips: 

• * Use a lactose free variety of Greek yoghurt if you malabsorb lactose. 

• Simply omit yoghurt to make this smoothie suitable for vegans, or for an even more decadent twist, add 1 tsp of natural peanut butter! 

• To boost the resistant starch (natural prebiotic) content of your smoothie, try using slightly green bananas. 

Nutrition Info/serve: 

Energy	1007kJ
Protein	11g
Carbohydrates	36g
- Sugars	18g
Fat	4g
- Saturated fat	1g
Fibre	5g
Sodium	81mg
Calcium	196mg
FODMAPs	Low

Diet Tips:Getting Enough Calcium on a Low FODMAP Diet

By Erin Dwyer (Dietitian)

Calcium is a nutrient required for normal development of our bones as well as the proper functioning of our cardiac and neuromuscular systems. Diets low in calcium have been associated with osteoporosis – a weakening of bones that can fracture easily.

 

The best source of calcium is dairy, it is a convenient source and the body is able to absorb the calcium well. However, many dairy products contain lactose, the naturally occurring sugar that can increase gastrointestinal symptoms for some people. Therefore, during the initial elimination phase of the low FODMAP diet, people may restrict their dairy intake to lower the amount of lactose in their diet.

 

The amount of calcium you need daily depends on your age and gender, look at the table below to work out how much calcium you need per day

Males	RDI/day	Females	RDI
19-30	1000mg	19-30	1000mg
31-50	1000mg	31-50	1000mg
51-70	1000mg	51-70	1300mg
>70	1300mg	>70	1300mg

Source: Nutrient Reference Values for Australia and New Zealand 

 

Below are some dietary strategies to ensure your calcium intake remains adequate if you are restricting lactose and a sample meal plan too. 

• Tip 1: Hard cheeses like cheddar contain minimal lactose and can be enjoyed throughout the day. Check out the Monash Low FODMAP App for types and serve sizes.
• Tip 2: Non-dairy milks like Almond or Rice milk naturally don’t contain much calcium, but are appropriate on a low FODMAP diet, so look for milks that have been fortified with calcium – aim for a milk with 120mg or more of calcium per 100g of milk.
• Tip 3: Try using plain, firm tofu as a protein source in your lunch or dinner – it contains high amounts of calcium and adds variety to your diet.

Sample Low FODMAP Meal plan with adequate calcium
MEAL	IDEAS	CALCIUM
Breakfast	Gluten free Weetbix with almond milk, strawberries and 1 teaspoon of chia seeds.	~ 64mg
Morning Tea	Lactose free yoghurt, 200g	~310mg
Lunch	Sandwich – low FODMAP bread with slice of cheese, canned tuna, spinach, tomato and ⅛ avocado	~320mg
Afternoon Tea	30g almonds and 1 medium banana	~75mg
Dinner	Spaghetti bolognaise served with ½ cup broccoli and 20g parmesan cheese	~290mg
		TOTAL: ~1059mg
Extra: If your requirements are 1300mg	Add 1 cup of  lactose free milk or plant based milk fortified with calcium	~250mg
		TOTAL:~1309mg

For other calcium rich meal ideas take a look at our older blog posts

• Rice pudding: http://fodmapmonash.blogspot.com.au/2015/07/rice-pudding-simple-and-yummy.html

•  Marinated Tofu: http://fodmapmonash.blogspot.com.au/2015/08/marinated-tofu-recipe.html

•  Quinoa pudding: http://fodmapmonash.blogspot.com.au/2015/09/quinoa-pudding.html

•  Smoothies: http://fodmapmonash.blogspot.com.au/2016/01/summer-smoothies.html OR http://fodmapmonash.blogspot.com.au/2016/03/low-fodmap-green-smoothie.html

Diet Tips:Low FODMAP Christmas Cake with Brandy Custard

Don't let IBS spoil your Christmas Festivities - have your Christmas Cake and eat it too with this delicious low FODMAP take on a traditional recipe!

 

Low FODMAP Christmas Cake

Ingredients: (serves 12)

• ¼ cup dried banana (19g)
• ¼ cup dried cranberries (40g)
• ¼ cup raisins (50g)
• ¼ cup dried blueberries (40g)
• 1/3 cup brandy (83ml)
• 185g unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup brown sugar (78g)
• 3 eggs
• 3/4 cup canned crushed pineapple, drained (122g)
• 1 cup roughly chopped macadamia nuts (140g)
• 2 cup self-raising gluten-free flour, sifted (270g)
• 1/3 cup lactose-free low fat milk (83ml)
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon (2.5g)
• 1 tsp. ground nutmeg (2.5g)
• 1 tsp. vanilla essence (5g)

 Method:

1.   Place the mixed dried fruit in a large non-metallic bowl. Add the brandy, stir then cover and stand overnight. Preheat oven to 160°C. Grease and double line a deep 20cm (base measurement) round cake pan.

3.   Place the butter and sugar in a large bowl and beat with electric beaters until light and creamy. Add the eggs gradually and continue to beat until well combined. Stir through the soaked dried fruit, crushed pineapple, chopped macadamias, spices and vanilla essence.

4.   Fold through the flour and milk, until mixture is just combined. Spoon the mixture into the prepared pan and smooth over the surface.

5.   Place the pan on several layers of newspaper and place in the oven. Bake for 1 3/4 hours, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool. When cake is just warm, slice into 12 equal sized pieces. Drizzle with brandy custard to serve.

Brandy Custard

Ingredients: (serves 12)

• ½ cup gluten free custard powder (65g)
• 5 cups lactose-free low fat milk (1.25L)
• 4 tbs. caster sugar (50g)
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract/paste (10g)
• 4 tbs. brandy (20ml)

Method:

1.   Combine custard powder and 1/2 cup of the milk in a small jug. Stir until smooth.

2.   Place custard mixture, sugar, vanilla extract and remaining milk in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring constantly until custard comes to the boil and thickens. Simmer, stirring for 1 minute. Stir through brandy before serving.

Nutrition Info/serve:

Energy	1976kJ
Protein	7.8g
Carbohydrates	47.8g
Sugars	21.4g
Fat	25.3g
Saturated fat	11.3g
Fibre	2.0g
Calcium	182mg
Sodium	151mg
FODMAPs	LOW

Tips:

• Cake can be made several days in advance and reheated in the microwave before serving.
• Store cake in an airtight container for up to 1 week. 

Diet Tips:Survival guide to the festive season: Part 1

By Shirley Webber (Research Dietitian)

Is the thought of a Christmas feast stressing you out? Well here are a few tips and tricks to help you through the party season.

There are many challenges to be faced during this festive season from catching up with work colleagues and friends for celebratory drinks, nibbling on finger food and frantically running all over town to find the perfect gifts. This all makes for a month of and following a normal diet can feel almost impossible.

Reaching for takeaway and the munchies becomes increasingly easier but can leave many with symptoms and zero energy for meeting deadlines and enjoying this time of year. This inevitably leads to the “I’ll be good after Christmas” and the New Year’s resolutions to be “healthier”. The best way to avoid the symptoms, adding weight and/or need for resolutions is to form some habits that will not only help you through the holiday period but will set you up for a better start to 2017.

You can start now by following our top 5 tips for maintaining a healthier holiday.

1. Make time for breakfast!

You may have heard the saying that breakfast is the most important meal of the day however from a number of published research articles the breakfast meal itself may not be what’s important but rather the behaviours that breakfast encourages.

When skipping breakfast people tent to get hungry quicker in the day and may then compensate for this missed meal by eating a larger meal for lunch or increases the likelihood of snacking which may then lead to the creeping up of weight or even worst IBS symptoms due to eating the first thing your hands can reach.

Studies have shown that having breakfast can kick start your metabolism with the body burning 10% of the energy that you consume and if your breakfast includes a protein this goes up to 15%. This diet induced thermogenesis (DIT) slows down throughout the day so you can make the most of it at breakfast time.

Another breakfast bonus is that studies have shown that those people who regularly eat breakfast also tends to be more active in the morning and therefore could burn more energy. Now that’s just what you want during this busy time.