Navigating Filipino Menus with Low-FODMAP: Essential Survival Tips

Craving authentic Filipino flavors while managing IBS? You're not alone. Filipino cuisine's iconic dishes like adobo and sinigang often pack hidden FODMAP triggers - from garlic and onion to legumes and high-fructose sauces. But fear not! With smart strategies (and a little tech help), you can savor the feast without the fallout.

Why Filipino Dishes Challenge Low-FODMAP Diets

Common FODMAP landmines include:

• Alliums: Garlic, onion, and shallots in sauces like patis (fish sauce) and sawsawan (dipping sauces)
• Legumes: Beans in monggo guisado and desserts like halo-halo
• Dairy: Evaporated/condensed milk in leche flan and pastries
• Sweeteners: High-fructose syrups in marinades and desserts

6 Battle-Tested Survival Tactics

1. Master the Phrasebook: Learn key terms: "Bawal ang bawang at sibuyas" (no garlic/onion), "Walang gatas" (no dairy). Write them down or save in your mm food app.
2. Grill Your Way to Safety: Opt for inihaw (grilled) proteins like chicken (manok), pork (baboy), or fish (isda) - just confirm they're dry-rubbed, not marinated.
3. Soup Wisely: Request tamarind-based sinigang without onions, using low-FODMAP veggies like eggplant (talong) instead of daikon radish (labanos).
4. Become a Sauce Detective: Ask for sauces (gravy, adobo sauce, sawsawan) on the side. Many contain sneaky onion/garlic purees.
5. Rice is Right: Plain steamed rice (kanin) is your safe foundation. Avoid fried rice (sinangag) which often contains alliums.
6. Tech Up: Scan menus with the mm food app to instantly flag FODMAP risks—ask for adjustments based on its analysis.

mm food App: Your Secret Weapon

• AI Menu Translator: Snap a photo of any Tagalog menu for real-time English translations.
• Dietary Sleuth: Set "Low-FODMAP" restrictions to see dish alerts like "Caution: Sinigang contains garlic. Ask for omission."
• Custom Flags: Add personal triggers like "no legumes" to filter options like kare-kare (peanut stew).

Low-FODMAP Filipino Dish Cheat Sheet

Safe Base Caution Needed Swap This... Plain rice Adobo → Request garlic/onion-free version Grilled tilapia Sisig → Skip mayo-based versions Pinakbet (ask no shrimp paste) Lumpia → Avoid bean-filled rolls Sizzling tofu (no sauce) Halo-halo → Opt for leche flan (if dairy-free)

Dining out low-FODMAP doesn't mean missing out. Arm yourself with knowledge, advocate for your needs, and let tech handle the translation heavy lifting. Your gut will thank you later. Maligayang pagkain! (Happy eating!)