Dining Out With IBS: Chinese 

Do you have Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)? Have you struggled with bloating, stomach cramps, gas, or worse after eating Chinese food out for dinner? Have you wished you had a clear guide on what you can or cannot eat to avoid your IBS symptoms? What if you are following the low FODMAP diet for IBS? What Chinese dishes can you eat, and which ones should you stay clear of? Well, read on! 

Whether you are craving Chinese food like potsticker dumplings, beef and broccoli, General Tso’s Chicken, or Szechuan shrimp, garlic often plays a big role—as do onions, and often wheat, too. Garlic, onions, and wheat often cause gastrointestinal issues for people with IBS. 

All these dishes contain FODMAPs, which are limited on the low FODMAP diet, especially during the Elimination Phase, but we still crave them. This article is about dining out and indulging in your Chinese favorites.

Learn which Chinese menu items are likely low FODMAP and less likely to trigger digestive symptoms, or that can be prepared to your specifications. 

Expand Your Choices With FODZYME

Learn how to use the digestive enzyme blend FODZYME to help you enjoy dishes that are high FODMAP, and to ensure you avoid potential digestive upset due to unforeseen ingredients present in a meal. 

To begin, please read our articles on general Strategies For Dining Out With IBS, and FODZYME®: Digestive Enzymes To Help With Digestive Distress, then come back to this article.

What Can You Eat At A Chinese Restaurant?

We have created a Quick View list of foods for you immediately below, but you must read this post in its entirety for vital FODMAP information you need when ordering at a Chinese restaurant.

Quick View: Chinese Food Menu Options You Can Order During the Elimination & Challenge Phases of the Low FODMAP Diet

Note: These lists assume classic approaches to these Chinese dishes. Preparation can vary. For important details, please read the full article.

Low FODMAP Options:

• Steamed low FODMAP vegetables, such as broccoli, green beans, bell peppers, baby corn, carrots, bamboo shoots, water chestnuts, bok choy.
• Plain steamed firm tofu, chicken, fish or shrimp.
• Plain white or brown rice.
• Soy sauce.
• Oyster Sauce.
• Beer.

Order & Use FODZYME:

These are options you can order if you are using FODZME Digestive Enzymes as directed. 

• Spareribs.
• Fried Spring Rolls or Egg Rolls.
• Dumplings, Steamed and Pan-Fried (Potstickers).
• Any Kind of Dim Sum.
• Wonton Soup, Egg Drop Soup, Hot and Sour Soup.
• General Tso’s Chicken, Sweet and Sour Chicken.
• Kung Pao Beef, Shrimp or Chicken.
• Anything with Black Bean Sauce.
• Teriyaki Anything.
• Szechuan Anything.
• Beef or Shrimp with Broccoli.
• Mongolian Tofu.
• Lo Mein, Chow Mein .
• Fried Rice.
• Fortune Cookies.

A Note on Traditional Chinese Cuisine vs. Chinese-American

This article in not meant to be a deep exploration of traditional Chinese cuisine, as it would be experienced in its home country. We have included mention of traditional menu items, as well as offerings you would find on Chinese restaurant menus across the U.S. and elsewhere.

Detailed Guidelines For Ordering Chinese Menu Options

The rest of this article provides the details you need about dining out Chinese with IBS.

A Note On Garlic, Onions, Wheat and High FODMAP Vegetables

The low FODMAP diet is not entirely free of FODMAPs; the suggested low FODMAP serving sizes are based (partially) on FODMAP thresholds that are known to trigger irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) symptoms in most people. This is how it is possible to have lab-tested certified foods that contain garlic and/or onion, like Sriracha and Worcestershire Sauce, and low FODMAP servings of wheat noodles. In addition, while the diet is low in lactose, it is not dairy-free. The diet is very much dependent on serving size.

All this information can be found in the Monash University app and FODMAP Friendly Low FODMAP app, which are essential tools for following the low FODMAP diet. If you are not familiar with these two primary low FODMAP diet apps, please be sure to read these articles:

• How To Use The Monash University Low FODMAP Diet App
• How to Use The FODMAP Friendly Low FODMAP Diet App

When dining out Chinese, we are bombarded primarily with garlic, onion, with some wheat and high FODMAP vegetables. That is what puts so many of your favorite Chinese dishes into high FODMAP territory. 

Strategies When Dining Chinese

If you are following the low FODMAP diet, you typically cannot see all the FODMAPs lurking when you scan a Chinese menu. What can you eat?

Pro Tip: Be well acquainted with the Monash University and FODMAP-friendly apps. Keep your smartphone handy for quick checking.

Hidden FODMAPs in Chinese Restaurant Food

Many dishes in Chinese restaurants include sauces, and they can sometimes be purchased pre-made in lower-end and chain restaurants, or be made in a commissary elsewhere, in which case you might not get clear information about ingredient content from your server. It is very common for these prepared sauces to include garlic, onion, perhaps wheat as a thickener, as well as high fructose corn syrup, among other possibly hidden high FODMAP ingredients.

Chinese menu items to steer clear of during Elimination & Challenge Phases:

• Broth & Stock: Ask if the dish uses broth or stock. Chances are it is made with onions and garlic.
• Anything “Crispy”: Can mean wheat in larger amounts used as a coating for a deep-fried dish.
• Duck Sauce: Often high fructose corn syrup; high FODMAP fruits.
• Garlic Sauce: Garlic.
• Brown Sauce: Typically incorporates broth or stock, possibly onion/garlic.
• Anything with Cashews
• Anything with Chili Paste: Garlic.
• Hunan dishes: Garlic.
• Noodles: Ask about the type of noodle; typically, wheat-based.
• Hoisin Sauce: Garlic.
• Steamed Buns: Wheat.
• Mandarin Pancakes: Wheat

Adjusting Heat Level

Chinese restaurants occasionally will ask you how hot and spicy you want a particular dish. While the capsaicin in chiles is not a FODMAP issue, it can be a gut irritant. Hopefully you know your tolerance for spice, and when in doubt, order your dishes “mild”. Hunan and Szechuan dishes tend to be highly spiced.

Please read our article, All About Chile, Chili & Chilli & The Low FODMAP Diet.

MSG

Many people, particularly in the U.S., are concerned about MSG (monosodium glutamate) in Chinese food.

You can read much more in our article Umami & FODMAPs.

The short story is that in 1908, a Japanese scientist, Kikunae Ikeda, isolated a flavor compound that he coined umami from the Japanese umami (delicious). The molecular formula was the same as glutamic acid, an amino acid. In humans, glutamic acid is present as glutamate, a similar compound that has one less hydrogen atom.

Glutamate is one of the most plentiful excitatory neurotransmitters in our brains. By 1909 Ikeda began selling his product, Ajinomoto (meaning “essence of taste”) as a flavor enhancer – and yes, it is indeed MSG.

MSG is classified as a safe ingredient by the FDA. So-called “Chinese restaurant syndrome” has been thoroughly debunked and, in fact, is now considered xenophobic.

And, you certainly do not have to worry about MSG from a FODMAP perspective.

A Note On High FODMAP Vegetables

When you order Beef & Broccoli, you know there will be a good amount of broccoli in the dish, but very often, stir-fried dishes will contain any variety and combination of vegetables, depending on the restaurant. The dish comes to the table, and surprise! You have a melange of snow peas, red and green peppers, and onions. The good news is that you can enjoy these dishes by using FODZYME!

Low FODMAP Ingredients Found In Chinese Food

There is good news! Many ingredients commonly found in Chinese cooking have low FODMAP serving sizes. Here are some items to look for on menus that are suitable even for the Elimination Phase. Use your apps to determine specific serving sizes:

• Firm tofu.
• Soy sauce.
• Oyster sauce.
• Ginger.
• 5 Spice.
• Cornstarch.
• Chinese hot mustard.
• Shaoxing wine.
• Rice noodles.
• Broccoli, green beans, water chestnuts, bamboo shoots, carrots, eggplant, bell peppers, baby corn, mung bean sprouts.
• Chinese cabbage, choy sum, chrysanthemum greens, Chinese broccoli (gai lan), bok choy, snow peas.
• Black and white dried fungus.
• Bitter melon and frozen lotus root.
• Wonton wrappers (Yes! They have been lab tested and are low FODMAP up to 64 g, or about 8 wrappers).

There is a fair amount of confusion about soy products (such as soy sauce and tofu) and FODMAPs, which is understandable since there are low FODMAP soy ingredients and those that are high FODMAP. For more information, please read our article, Soy Products – Low FODMAP or Not?

Low FODMAP Chinese Menu Choices

Here are some good low FODMAP choices, but always ask how dishes are prepared, and use your Monash University and FODMAP Friendly smartphone apps to determine serving sizes:

• Steamed low FODMAP vegetables, such as broccoli, green beans, bell peppers, baby corn, carrots, bamboo shoots, water chestnuts, bok choy.
• Plain steamed firm tofu, chicken, fish or shrimp
• Plain white or brown rice
• Soy sauce
• Oyster Sauce
• Beer: Low FODMAP in 375 ml (12 oz)amounts.

High FODMAP Chinese Dishes You Can Enjoy, Using FODZYME

Now we come to the fun part! You are craving dumplings and all kinds of dim sum. You’ve been dreaming about Hot and Sour Soup, General Tso’s Chicken (just like the image above), Chinese BBQ Spare Ribs, and Moo Shu pancakes. Guess what? It is all possible! With the help of targeted enzyme supplementation, you can enjoy all these Chinese dishes. 

FODZYME is a digestive enzyme blend that is specifically formulated to aid in the digestion of fructans (found in garlic, onions, wheat, grains, and vegetables), galacto-oligosaccharides, referred to as GOS (found in beans, legumes, and nuts), and lactose (in dairy products). 

Oftentimes, people who are sensitive to multiple FODMAPs find they tolerate moderate amounts of fructose and polyols when using FODZYME. We generally recommend limiting foods very high in polyols and fructose, however, eating foods with these FODMAPs in the context of a larger, balanced meal with FODZYME, can often mitigate polyol and fructose sensitivities. FODZYME is used with the first bite or first few bites of FODMAP-containing food, which maximizes the enzymes’ ability to support digestion of your meal.

As mentioned before, many Chinese dishes are heavy with garlic, onions, some wheat, and contain high FODMAP vegetables, and FODZYME can specifically address these ingredients.

Have your FODZYME at hand and go ahead and order:

• BBQ Spareribs: Garlic and/or onion; possibly fruit and/or honey.
• Crab Wontons (Rangoon): Garlic and/or onion, and wheat.
• Fried Spring Rolls or Egg Rolls: Garlic and/or onion, and wheat.
• Shrimp or Crab Balls: Often wheat, possibly garlic/onion.
• Dumplings, Steamed and Pan-Fried (Potstickers): Garlic and/or onion, and wheat.
• Any Kind of Dim Sum: Steamed soup dumplings; steamed rolls; pork or shrimp siu mai; various buns; spring rolls; noodle rolls; garlic pea sprouts; congee; etc.
• Scallion Pancakes: Wheat, whole scallion, possibly garlic/onion.
• Steamed Buns: Wheat.
• Fantail Shrimp: Wheat.
• Lettuce Wraps of All Sorts: Garlic and/or onion in filling.
• Egg Foo Young (Chinese omelette): Garlic and/or onion, possibly wheat.
• Wonton Soup: Garlic and/or onion, and wheat.
• Egg Drop Soup: Garlic and/or onion.
• Mapo Tofu: Silken tofu, garlic and/or onion.
• Hot and Sour Soup: Garlic and/or onion.
• General Tso’s Chicken: Garlic and/or onion, and possibly wheat.
• Orange Chicken: Garlic and/or onion, and possibly wheat.
• Tangerine Beef: Garlic and/or onion.
• Anything Sweet and Sour: Garlic and/or onion, and possibly wheat.
• Mongolian Beef/Tofu, etc.: Garlic and/or onion.
• Pepper Steak: Garlic and/or onion.
• Anything with Black Bean Sauce: Garlic and/or onion, and douche, fermented black beans.
• Anything with Lobster Sauce: Garlic and/or onion.
• Moo Shu Anything: Garlic and/or onion and wheat.
• Char Siu: Garlic and/or onion; molasses and/or honey.
• Firecracker Shrimp, Chicken, Beef or Tofu: Garlic
• Kung Pao Beef, Shrimp or Chicken: Garlic and/or onion.
• Moo Goo Gai Pan: Garlic and/or onion.
• Teriyaki Anything: Garlic and/or onion.
• Szechuan Anything: Garlic and/or onion.
• Drunken Anything: Garlic and/or onion.
• Buddha’s Feast
• Beef or Shrimp with Broccoli: Garlic and/or onion.
• Lo Mein: Garlic and/or onion; wheat.
• Chow Mein: Garlic and/or onion; wheat.
• Chop Suey: Potential garlic/onion.
• Fried Rice: Garlic and/or onion.
• Chili Garlic Green Beans: Garlic and/or onion.
• Fortune Cookies: Wheat.

FODMAP Stacking at Chinese Restaurants

We have presented the ideal approaches here, but we know it can be difficult to figure everything out in the moment, even if you plan ahead. Then, there is FODMAP stacking to calculate, which occurs when we eat too many low FODMAP ingredients at once, creating a high FODMAP situation. For instance, you might choose a dish with a low FODMAP amount of Chinese cabbage, but by the time you take into account the snow peas, Shaoxing cooking wine, and cashews also in the dish, it has become high FODMAP. Calculating stacking, especially on the fly in a restaurant, can be extremely challenging.

You are sitting there at the restaurant, friends are ordering, and it’s your turn—what do you do? We keep FODZYME in our bag or pocket just for this kind of situation. Being able to choose almost any dish and know that we will have the digestive help we need not only brings peace of mind—it allows us to have the food we want.

Let’s Make A Reservation!

We hope you are uplifted by this information! Now you know how you can enjoy your favorites at your little local hole-in-the-wall, or Chinese chain restaurant. With FODZYME, we look forward to eating out again. FODZYME comes in jars as well as individual packets. We keep the packets in our bag or pocket and dine out without worry. There are dumplings, Chinese BBQ spare ribs, fried rice, and even fortune cookies in your future!

Read All of Our Dining Out Guides

Whether it is Chinese tonight, or Indian tomorrow, we have the low FODMAP dining out guides you need:

• Dining Out With IBS: Italian 
• Dining Out With IBS: Mexican & Tex-Mex 
• Dining Out With IBS: Chinese 
• Dining Out With IBS: Indian 
• Dining Out With IBS: Greek  
• Dining Out With IBS: Thai  
• All About Sushi & The Low FODMAP Diet