A tin or two of baked beans is a staple of most kitchen store cupboards. They are delicious, make a great meal and are so quick and easy to heat up! But, legumes such as beans are often a problem on a low FODMAP diet and we were wondering if this is true for our favourite baked beans too. Are baked beans low FODMAP?
No, baked beans are not low FODMAP and you will need to avoid them while following a low FODMAP diet. It isn’t just the beans that are the problem either! The sauce can also cause problems for those with FODMAP digestive issues.
Baked Beans on a FODMAP Diet
Baked beans are made by using haricot beans. This is a very small type of white bean that is perfect for the baked bean recipe we know and love. Unfortunately, they are not low FODMAP and that is just the start.
The sauce that baked beans come in is usually made using onion powder which is a high FODMAP food too!
As such buying tinned beans from the supermarket just isn’t an option.
Are Baked Beans IBS-Friendly?
You may or may not know the infamous baked beans rhyme: “Beans, beans, they’re good for your heart. The more you eat them, the more you fart…”
Well, any food that helps you fart is never going to be a good food to eat if you suffer from IBS. This is why baked beans are not regarded as being IBS-friendly, unfortunately.
Low FODMAP Alternatives to Baked Beans
Unfortunately, there are no real alternatives to baked beans in the way you know them to be. Instead, opt for a different side dish or meal. Or choose one of these instead,
BBQ Black Beans
Whilst you can’t have your usual baked beans you could try making some delicious bbq baked black beans. All you need is a tin of black beans, oil or fat (bacon fat works well). A quarter of a cup of dark brown sugar, bbq sauce, chicken broth and bbq spice mix.
Add all of these to a pan and simmer until cooked and delicious. The sauce should be thick by the time everything is cooked. Season to taste before serving for a delicious meal that is low in FODMAPs.
Other Questions
Got more questions about eating baked beans (or beans in general) when following a low FODMAP diet? Then these FAQs might help out:
Lima beans are unusual among legumes like beans. They are actually lower in FODMAPs than other types of beans!
This is good news because it means you can include a little in your diet and enjoy your usual bean recipes. Make sure you only eat this bean in portions of about a quarter of a tin of beans.
You should always opt for tinned lima beans as part of the reason these are lower in FODMAPs is that as the beans sit in the water some of these offending FODMAPs leach out into the water.
Black beans are not low FODMAP. As with many types of legumes they are considered to be high in FODMAP. However, this doesn’t mean you can’t include any of this type of bean in your diet.
If you use canned beans some of the FODMAPs may have leached out into the water and if you keep your portions low – around 40 grams or less then you may be able to get away with some black beans in your diet.
Cannelini beans are not low in FODMAPs. Legumes are usually fairly high in FODMAPs and it’s much better to avoid them and avoid any gut problems than to risk it.
Haricot beans are the type of beans that are commonly used to make the baked beans in a can we all know and love.
Unfortunately, there is not a high amount of information around them but we can be fairly sure that as with many legumes these are high in FODMAPs and should be avoided.
Final Summary
Unfortunately, baked beans are not low FODMAP and there is no viable alternative that will give you the exact same taste and texture.
However, all is not lost because you can make your own bean recipes that are just as delicious using beans that are lower in FODMAPs such as lima or black beans.
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