Is lentil low FODMAP?
It depends on the portion. A small serving of canned, drained and rinsed lentils is low FODMAP. Larger servings are high in GOS.
Main FODMAP group: GOS (galacto-oligosaccharides)
Lentils contain GOS (galacto-oligosaccharides), like other legumes. Small portions can fit into the low FODMAP diet, but a big bowl of dal or lentil soup is usually high FODMAP.
Canned vs dried
GOS dissolve in water, so canned lentils lose some of them into the canning liquid. Draining and rinsing them helps, which is why canned lentils tend to have a larger low FODMAP serving than lentils boiled from dried. Serving size matters, so check the Monash University FODMAP app.
Watch the base of the dish
Dal, soups and lentil stews almost always start with onion and garlic. Use garlic-infused oil, the green tops of spring onions and spices such as cumin and turmeric instead.
Bulk it out
Mix a small portion of lentils with rice, quinoa, carrot or spinach to make a filling meal that stays within a low FODMAP portion. See also chickpeas.
Low FODMAP swaps
- A smaller portion of canned, rinsed lentils
- Firm tofu or tempeh
- Quinoa or rice to bulk out a lentil dish