Diet Tips:Talking tofu

By Dr Jane Varney

There’s been a lot of discussion regarding the FODMAP content of tofu recently, so we're going to clear up some of the confusion!

Also known as bean curd, tofu is a nutritious and versatile food that features heavily in vegetarian and Asian cuisines. Made by coagulating soy milk and pressing the curds into block moulds, it is low in fat, low in kilojoules and high in protein, making it a healthy addition to any diet. 

There are a wide range of tofu varieties on the market that vary in moisture content and texture. Typically, firmer varieties have had more water pressed out of them, while softer varieties are either unpressed or have had less water pressed out of them.

 

Silken tofu is unpressed and has the highest water content, making it a suitable addition to creamy foods such as smoothies, desserts, sauces, and dips. It is often used as a substitute for eggs in baked dishes. Firmer varieties of tofu have a lower water content and can be sliced, baked, fried, stir-fried or scrambled.

But what is the FODMAP content of tofu and how much can safely be included in a low FODMAP diet?

The answer to this question depends on the variety of tofu in question. Our analyses have revealed that silken tofu is high FODMAP in a 140g serve, due to the presence of oligos (GOS and fructans), whereas firm tofu is low in FODMAPs in a 170g serve.

Tofu, firm, drained	Serving size	Rating
1 serve	170g (⅔ cup, cubed)	Low
½ serve	85g (⅓ cup, cubed)	Low
Tofu, silken, drained
1 serve	140g (⅔ cup)	High
½ serve	70g (⅓ cup)	High

 Why the difference, we hear you ask? We think it is due to differences in food processing methods. As you might remember from previous blog posts, FODMAPs (particularly fructans and GOS) are water soluble, so drained, firm tofu (with a lower water content) is lower in FODMAPs than silken tofu that has a high water content.

The take home message: drained, firm tofu is a nutritious, low FODMAP source of protein that can be enjoyed in Asian and vegetarian dishes. 

Check out our tofu recipes included in the app and previous blog posts:

Marinated tofu recipe

Scrambled tofu recipe

Vegan, gluten free french toast

Diet Tips:Low FODMAP Vegan Coconut & Pumpkin Curry with Roasted Chickpeas

By Alana Scott, low FODMAP cook from A Little Bit Yummy 



This low FODMAP vegan coconut & pumpkin curry makes for a delicious and filling meal. In this recipe, I will teach you how to make a curry from scratch, as we can’t use pre-made curry pastes as they normally contain garlic or onion. Once you have mastered this curry base you can experiment by adding different ingredients like tofu or spinach.

I don’t tolerate a lot of chilli so this curry is very mild, if you like your curry hot then you can add more chilli at the end of the recipe. This recipe freezes really well so you can make a batch, freeze it, and then use as a grab and go lunch option.

Don’t be scared of the long ingredient list below. Many of the ingredients are dried spices or staple pantry items which will last for many recipes. Having these low FODMAP ingredients in your pantry will help you create many more delicious low FODMAP meals.

Vegan Coconut & Pumpkin Curry with Roasted Chickpeas       ............................................................................................. Serves 4 Prep time: 20 minutesCook time: 40 minutes .............................................................................................. INGREDIENTS Fresh vegetables 240g (8.5oz) Japanese pumpkin (or sweet potato) 240g (8.5oz) or 2 large carrots 165g (5.8oz) eggplant/aubergine Small handful fresh coriander 1 tbsp olive oil Roasted chickpeas 168g (5.9oz) or 1 cup canned chickpeas in water (rinsed) 1 tbsp olive oil Curry spice base ¼ tsp chilli flakes 1 & ½ tsp ground coriander/cilantro 1 tsp ground turmeric 1 tsp ground cumin 2 tsp crushed ginger 1 & ½ tbsp garlic infused oil 22g (0.78oz) or 1/2 cup spring onion (green tips only) Curry body 400ml canned coconut milk 250ml (1 cup) low FODMAP vegetable stock 1 dried bay leaf 1 tbsp soy sauce 1 & ½ tbsp tomato paste Zest & juice of 1 medium lime 2 tsp cornflour/cornstarch (to thicken) Pinch of white sugar Side dish 1 & ½ cups white rice .............................................................................................. METHOD Curry Prep 1.      Preheat the oven to 200ºC (400ºF) on bake function and prep the ingredients. Peel and cut the carrots into 2.5cm cubes. Peel, deseed and cut the pumpkin into 2.5cm cubes. Slice the eggplant into 0.5cm slices. Roughly slice the green tips of the spring onions. Roughly chop the fresh coriander (place to one side for serving). 2.      Open, drain and then rinse the chickpeas. Dry using a clean tea towel until they chickpeas look matt and feel relatively dry. Then remove any lose chickpea skins. Toss the chickpeas with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Line a roasting tray with baking paper. Add the chickpeas. 3.      Line another roasting tray with baking paper and add the eggplant. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and then season well with salt. 4.      In a small bowl mix together the chilli flakes, ground coriander, tumeric, cumin, crushed ginger, and garlic infused oil. Open the coconut milk and prepare the vegetable stock if needed. Start Cooking! 5.      Place the chickpeas and eggplant into the preheated oven. Roast for 10 minutes, then flip the eggplant (top should be starting to brown) and turn the chickpeas (by shaking). Cook for a further 10 minutes or until the chickpeas are evenly brown, and the eggplant is cooked on both sides. 6.      While the eggplant and chickpeas roast, start cooking your curry. Place the rice onto cook according to pack instructions. Heat a large frypan over medium heat. Add the spice and garlic infused oil mixture to the frypan along with the spring onions. Fry for one to two minutes or until fragrant. Add the coconut milk and low FODMAP stock along with the soy sauce, bay leaf and tomato paste. Mix well. Then add the pumpkin and carrots. Bring to a simmer and then turn down to medium low heat. Cover with a large lid. Allow to cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. If the sauce looks like it is getting too dry, turn down the heat and add a splash of water. 7.      After 20 minutes check to see if the vegetables are soft (if they aren’t soft continue cooking for another 5 to 10 minutes). If the vegetables are soft, then dissolve 2 teaspoons of cornflour (cornstarch) in 2 tablespoons of warm water and mix through the curry to thicken. Zest the lime while the sauce thickens. Then remove the curry from heat, and mix through the lime zest and juice. Add a pinch of sugar to the sauce if needed and remove the bay leaf. If you like your curry hot, then now is the time to add more chilli flakes if desired. Fold through the cooked eggplant. 8.      Serve the curry on top of the rice, and garnish with fresh coriander and the roasted chickpeas. If you have any leftovers (which I doubt!) then you can freeze them to eat at a later date.              .............................................................................................. Buying tips: Buy tinned coconut milk and check for high FODMAP ingredients like inulin. Make sure you get canned chickpeas in water. These are lower in FODMAPs because the oligosaccharides leach out of the bean and into the water (just make sure you rinse them well). Check your ginger puree does not include garlic. Buy a low FODMAP vegetable stock. Gluten free option: Check that your dried spices, vegetable stock, and soy sauce are gluten free.

Diet Tips:Being vegan on a low FODMAP diet

By Dr Jane Varney

Are you vegan and following a low FODMAP diet? The combination of these dietary restrictions can make finding nutritious food choices difficult, but as you’ll discover, not impossible. 

A vegan diet excludes all animal-derived products, meaning meat, poultry, fish, seafood, dairy, eggs, animal fats, and honey are all off limits. Vegans instead must rely on plant-based foods to meet their nutritional needs, such as fruit, vegetables, breads, cereals, grains, legumes, lentils, soy products, nuts and seeds. As you can see from this list, many of the foods suitable on a vegan diet are naturally high in FODMAPs, which is why balancing the two dietary restrictions is difficult. 

It is also where the expertise of a dietitian comes in. Unless a low FODMAP, vegan diet is carefully planned, the diet will be deplete of essential nutrients including protein, iron, zinc, calcium, vitamin B12, vitamin D, omega 3 fatty acids and fibre.

So what foods are suitable to eat on a low FODMAP, vegan diet? Below is a brief list. Just remember to check the Monash app for serving sizes and consult with an experienced dietitian about balancing your diet and managing your symptoms.

•          Milk alternatives: coconut milk, almond milk, hemp milk, rice milk and soy milk (made from protein)
•          Soy products: Firm tofu, tempeh
•          Grains: polenta, buckwheat, quinoa, oats, amaranth, bourghul, millet, rice and sorghum flour
•          Nuts: brazil nuts, peanuts, macadamias, pecans, almonds (1/2 serve), walnuts
•          Seeds: sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, chia seeds, tahini paste (1/2 serve) and sesame seeds
•          Fruit: bananas, strawberries, orange, kiwi, grapes, mandarins
•          Vegetables: carrots, broccoli, eggplant, green beans, capsicum, kale, potato, tomato and zucchini
•          Pulses: canned lentils, butter beans (1/2 serve), canned chickpeas (1/2 serve), red/green lentils (1/2 serve)

Diet Tips:Low FODMAP Aromatic Rice & Lentil Salad

Image via http://hostthetoast.com/indian-spiced-rice-lentil-salad/

Learning to modify your favourite recipes to make them Low FODMAP may seem like a daunting task, but it is easier than you think! Here is another example of a high FODMAP recipe that has been simply adapted to make it low in FODMAPs, without any loss of flavor! Pre-cooking the rice and refrigerating overnight before making this salad also boosts the resistant starch content - giving you a prebiotic boost!
 
Serve on its own as a light vegetarian meal or serve as a side to meat, fish or eggs for a wholesome lunch or dinner option. Simply omit yoghurt or replace with a suitable dairy free alternative to make this recipe vegan.

 

High FODMAP Aromatic Rice & Lentil Salad (serves 6)

• 1 cups basmati rice, rinsed and drained
• 1 cup dried lentils, rinsed and drained*
• ½ cup sliced almonds
• 1 tablespoon oil
• ½ red onion, finely chopped*
• 2 cloves garlic, minced*
• 1 tablespoon ginger, minced
• 1 small jalapeno, seeds and membranes removed, minced
• 1½ teaspoons garam masala
• 1½ teaspoons cumin
• 4⅓ cups water
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• ½ cup sultanas*
• 6 cherry tomatoes, quartered
• 1 small cucumber, chopped
• 1 handful mint leaves
• 1 handful cilantro
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• ⅓ cup plain natural yogurt*
• Salt and pepper to taste

* Denotes a high FODMAP ingredient

 

 

 

Low FODMAP Aromatic Rice & Lentil Salad (serves 6)

• 2 cups brown basmati rice, pre-cooked and refrigerated for at least 12 hours
• 1 cup canned lentils, rinsed and drained
• ½ cup sliced almonds
• 1 tablespoon garlic-infused oil
• ½ bunch spring onion green tips, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon ginger, minced
• 1 small jalapeno, seeds and membranes removed, minced
• 1½ teaspoons garam masala
• 1½ teaspoons cumin
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• ½ cup raisins
• 6 cherry tomatoes, quartered
• 1 small cucumber, chopped
• 1 handful mint leaves
• 1 handful cilantro (coriander)
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• ⅓ cup lactose-free plain natural yogurt
• Salt and pepper to taste  

Nutrition information/serve:

 

Energy	1229kJ
Protein	8.8g
Carbohydrates	39.8g
Fat	9.8g
Saturated fat	1.2g
Dietary fibre	5.2g
Sodium	90mg

Other tips for modifying recipes (but keeping the whole family happy) 

• Use the Monash Low FODMAP app to identify high FODMAP ingredients in your recipes and substitute them for a similar, low FODMAP alternative.  
• Cook high FODMAP ingredients separately and stir through at the end of cooking after removing your low FODMAP serve. 
• See the 'about' section in the Monash Low FODMAP app for more tips on adding flavour without symptoms!