Reading Food Labels

In recent years the availability of packaged and prepared vegan foods has expanded far beyond anyone's wildest expectations. As veganism proliferates, so does the clamoring for vegan versions of cheese, milk, cream, whipped cream, yogurt, ice cream, cheesecake, mayo, butter, eggs, meat, seafood, and more. ​

Nutrition info for So Delicious Greek-Style Plain Cultured Coconut Milk

Food manufacturers, including innovative vegan startups, have listened to our pleas and responded with ingenious creations, and vegans everywhere have eagerly and joyfully gobbled up their offerings. Almost every animal-based food now has a plant-based doppelganger. And many of these items are available not only at natural food stores but also at mainstream retailers, making them readily accessible to both vegans and nonvegans alike, which helps attract "accidental vegans" and spread the good word.

While most of these "new" foods have terrific flavor and appeal, they typically contain an extensive list of ingredients so they can effectively emulate the mouthfeel and texture of their traditional animal-based counterparts. But herein lies the problem for vegans with IBS: An abundance of ingredients in products greatly increases the likelihood that high-FODMAP components lurk among them. Such complicated lists also make it difficult for vegans with IBS to read product labels and determine whether the item will be safe or will trigger their symptoms. So while most vegans rejoice over these exciting entries into the marketplace, those of us with IBS may feel terribly left out.

Here are a few examples of vegan products and the potentially problematic and high-FODMAP ingredients they may contain:

• Many vegan yogurts and creams are made with whole-bean soymilk or cashew milk or are thickened with chicory root extract, all of which are FODMAPs.  
• Many dairy alternatives are thickened with locust bean gum, guar gum, other gums, and pectin. Although gums and pectin aren't FODMAPs, they are rapidly fermentable. When too much gum and/or pectin is consumed at a sitting, it can react like in the digestive tract like FODMAPs and cause gas and bloating. 
• Monk fruit extract, included as an alternative to sugar in some products, hasn't yet been tested for FODMAPs, so it's unknown whether it's a potential trigger.
• Many vegan cheeses contain cashews, almonds, chicory root extract, garlic and/or onion, and other high-FODMAP ingredients. 
• Most vegan meats contain onion, garlic, legumes (peas, beans, or lentils), and wheat flour (note that wheat gluten is not a high-FODMAP ingredient).

The longer and more complex the ingredient list, the greater the chances the product contains high-FODMAP items or a mix of potential triggers that in combination could be problematic for vegans with IBS. So what's a vegan low-FODMAPPER to do? Here are a few tips that can help:

1. Test out a product that contains a small amount of a high-FODMAP ingredient when you're not having a flare-up -- and wait until you've completed the elimination phase of the diet (see my book Low-FODMAP and Vegan for more information about the elimination phase). Have just a small amount of the item while avoiding all other potential trigger foods. Gradually increase the amount over the next three to four days. If you continue to feel okay, this product should be safe for you. If you develop symptoms, stop eating the item immediately.
2. Look for products that are free of red-flag ingredients. Check the list of high-FODMAP foods on this website and the complete list of high-FODMAP ingredients in my book Low-FODMAP and Vegan.
3. Choose foods with only clearly recognizable and understandable ingredients.
4. Be aware that high-FODMAP ingredients cannot always be identified, and some foods that appear safe may not be. Even if you find a product that looks like it should be okay, use trial and error to confirm you're able to tolerate it. 
5. Follow the label-reading tips in my book Low-FODMAP and Vegan.
6. Eat more low-FODMAP fresh foods that don't require labels.
7. By law, ingredients are listed on package labels in order of weight, so the lower they are on an ingredient list, the more they are minor players. For many people with IBS, traces of high-FODMAP ingredients don't cause problems, so feel free to give them a try. However, use trial and error to test out your own tolerance levels.
8. Manufacturers frequently change their ingredients, so always check and recheck labels before buying a product or passing it up.

Although few vegan brands are completely low-FODMAP, some of their individual products may be. I'll occasionally review low-FODMAP products as I come across them locally. Feel free to tell us about your favorite ones or share your challenges with locating vegan low-FODMAP packaged foods in the comments section below.

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