Low FODMAP Guide to Nuts & Nut Butters

Are you confused about which nuts to enjoy on the low FODMAP diet?  This article takes a dive into low and high FODMAP nuts and also explores nut butters, peanut powders, and some other yummy nut-based food products.

Nuts are considered one of the healthier foods as they are packed with protein, fiber, and healthy fats, all helping us stay fuller longer. Substituting one ounce of nuts for refined processed carbohydrate rich snacks can lower cholesterol and triglycerides, while reducing diabetes risk.

Has anyone ever posed the question: “Are you a chocolate or peanut butter person?”. If you choose the latter, this article is definitely for you. I am excited to share this nutty FODMAP knowledge with you as there is no doubt, I am a peanut butter girl as well.

Lab Tested Nuts

Low FODMAP

Brazil Nuts
Enjoy up to 10 of these selenium packed nuts.

Chestnuts
Feel free to consume up to 20 boiled or 10 roasted chestnuts per serving. These are best enjoyed roasted and resemble the slightly sweet taste and texture of a sweet potato.

Macadamia Nuts
These contain only trace amounts of FODMAPs, making the low FODMAP serving size 20. One can likely tolerate larger servings if desired, just be careful as they are high fat and too much fat may induce IBS symptoms in some sensitive individuals.

Tigernuts
Believe it or not, tigernuts are actually not nuts, but instead tubers. Regardless, they are low FODMAP in servings up to ⅛ cup. These little gems taste like coconuts and almonds and also provide resistant starch (a prebiotic fiber) that feeds our healthy gut bacteria.

Peanuts
These nuts also contain only trace amounts of FODMAPs. The low FODMAP serving size is 32 peanuts, but again, feel free to push portion size if desired.

Pecans
Enjoy up to 10 pecan halves.

Walnuts
Enjoy up to 10 walnut halves.

Watch Portions

Almonds
These seem to cause some confusion as they show up red at first glance on the Monash App, however there is a low FODMAP serving size. You can enjoy 10 almonds or 1 tablespoon of almond butter in one sitting.

Hazelnuts
These are also moderate in FODMAPs and best to limit to the smaller serving size of 10 as well.

Activated Cashews
These are low FODMAP also in a serving size of 10. Why activated? Activated cashews are soaked in a salty water solution where the water-soluble FODMAPs leach into the water (reducing the FODMAP load) and then dried.

Best to Avoid

Pistachios and cashews are both considered high in FODMAPs. Note however that cashew spread (which I would consider cashew butter) got the pass at 10 grams or 2 teaspoons per FODMAP Friendly.

What about nut butters?

There has been quite an explosion of nut butters in recent years, many of which can be tolerated in moderate serving sizes. I recommend selecting only butters made from the low FODMAP nuts listed above and limiting your serving size to 1 tablespoon. If you don’t notice a reaction, try increasing to 2 tablespoon as tolerated.

Likewise, peanut butter can be enjoyed up to 2 tablespoons. Since only trace FODMAPs are detected in macadamia nut butter, it too is likely low FODMAP at this serving size. I found this delicious product in Hawaii, but rarely spot it in the States. 

12 Fun Ways to Enjoy Nuts

1. Use crushed nuts to add a flavorful crust or coating to your protein. Check out this seriously delicious recipe from Whole Foods,  Crunchy Coconut-Macadamia Shrimp
2. Toss in your salad to add a bit of crunch.
3. Toss into your chicken or tuna salad like with this recipe from FODMAP Everyday, Low FODMAP Chicken Salad with Cranberries & Pecans.
4. Add to your hot cereal.
5. Add to your stir fry – maybe use peanuts instead of high FODMAP cashews. Here is a Simple Vegan Low- FODMAP Stir-Fry from The Wild Gut Project.
6. Mix in with steamed or sautéed vegetables – think pecans or almonds with green beans.
7. Add to your morning smoothie- be sure your blender has good horse powder to grind or swap with your favorite low fodmap nut butter instead.
8. Incorporate into low FODMAP baked goods like cookies, quick breads, and more. Check out these Low FODMAP Banana Walnut muffins from The FODMAP Formula.
9. Top your favorite lactose-free yogurt or ice cream with nuts to add some crunch.
10. Keep it simple and just dip a spoon in your favorite nut butter.
11. Justin’s Peanut Butter Squeeze Packs are perfect for traveling and work.
12. Use in place of lactose-free milk. Nut-based milks including almond, macadamia, cashew, and peanut have gained much popularity in recent years. Click here to read more about these low FODMAP nut based milks. 

My Favorite Nutty Low FODMAP Foods

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PB2 or PB Fit peanut butter powders
are a massive staple in my kitchen and perfect when I am craving that peanut-y taste. Basically, this is just defatted peanut butter (and sometimes a little sugar based on the brand). Peanut butter powder can be added to moist foods like smoothies, oatmeal, overnight oats,  or lactose-free yogurt, or reconstituted with a little water to make peanut butter. Unfortunately, the flavor and texture falls short of the real thing.

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Justin’s Peanut Butter Cups
Stick to one cup of the milk chocolate variety or enjoy both cups of the dark chocolate.

Low FODMAP Nut-Based Recipes

Here are a few more nut-based recipes to try if you are feeling inspired to add more nuts into your diet.

Sweet & Spicy Nuts by FODMAP Everyday

I’m not sure if you can find a simpler low FODMAP recipe than Three Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies by Allrecipes.

I absolutely love peanut sauce. It’s super versatile and can be added to bowls, salads, gluten-free noodles, salad rolls, or used as a dip for your favorite protein. Check out this Thai Peanut Everything Sauce by Tara Rochford Nutrition.

Looking to make your own low FODMAP nut butter blend? Try this recipe by Rachel Eagleton: Low FODMAP Roasted Macadamia, Walnut, and Maple Butter.