Dining Out with IBS: Greek

Do you have Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)? Have you struggled with bloating, stomach cramps, gas, or worse after eating Greek food at a restaurant? 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 Greek dishes can you eat, and which ones should you stay clear of? Well, read on! 

Whether you are craving Greek food like spanakopita, gyros, dolmades, or keftedes, garlic often plays a big role—as do onions, and often wheat, legumes and high lactose dairy products, too. These ingredients 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 Greek favorites.

Learn which Greek 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 Greek 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 Greek restaurant.

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

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

Low FODMAP Options:

• Halloumi, feta.
• Olives, plain.
• Rice.
• Dolmades, if made without garlic and onions.
• Plain Greek yogurt.
• Saganaki – most often presented as a fried cheese, sometimes made with a flour coating, sometimes not. The amount of wheat will be small and low FODMAP. Avoid bread served alongside.
• Horiatiki – classic Greek salad. Ask if it can be prepared without onion.
• Potatoes, if made without garlic.
• Anchovies and sardines, if made without garlic and onions.
• Grilled calamari, if made without garlic.
• Roasted proteins if simply prepared with olive oil, salt and pepper, lemon juice.
• Wine.
• Beer.

Order & Use FODZYME:

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

• Moussaka.
• Souvlaki.
• Spanakopita.
• Avgolemono.
• Keftedes.
• Tzatziki.
• Gyros.

A Note on Traditional Greek Cuisine vs. Greek-American

This article in not meant to be a deep exploration of traditional Greek 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 Greek restaurant menus across the U.S. and elsewhere.

What About Hummus?

For instance, you will most often find hummus in American Greek restaurants, although it is not a Greek dish. Hummus (also written hummus bi tahini or hummus b’ tahini), often associated with Greek cuisine, traces its earliest recorded reference back to 13th century Cairo, Egypt. While this doesn’t provide definitive proof of its exact origin, historians generally agree that hummus likely originated in the Middle East before spreading to Greece.

Detailed Guidelines For Ordering Greek Menu Options

The rest of this article provides the details you need about dining out Greek 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 Greek, we are bombarded primarily with garlic, onion, and wheat, with high lactose dairy, legumes, and high FODMAP vegetables. That is what puts so many of your favorite Greek dishes into high FODMAP territory. 

Filo, Fillo or Phyllo?

You will see all these spellings describing the wheat-based unleavened pastry dough used to make baklava, spanakopita, and other dishes. The low FODMAP diet is not a wheat-free or gluten-free diet. You can read more in our article, The Low FODMAP Diet is Not a Gluten-Free Diet.

In fact, Monash University has lab-tested phyllo dough, and one sheet (20 g/.71 oz) is low FODMAP. We know that doesn’t sound like a lot, but we have a low FODMAP spanakopita recipe for you when you have time to cook at home.

Kataifi is shredded phyllo dough used to make pastries such as rolls, tarts, and nests. It often features nuts, fruits, and lactose-rich custard and is often found on restaurant or Greek deli menus.

If you want larger servings of items made with phyllo or kataifi, especially when they contain additional high FODMAP ingredients, you can take FODZYME to help with digestion.

Let’s Say It Together! And Know What You Are Ordering!

When you are ready to order in a Greek restaurant, this guide will be helpful. The #1 most mispronounced Greek food is the gyro. Say yee-ro. Yes, we know many of the online dictionaries disagree, but why don’t you ask some native Greek speakers? We will stick with their opinion.

• Halloumi (huh-loo-mee): Cypriot cheese, which is often grilled. 
• Tzatziki (tzah-zee-key): A common condiment made from Greek yogurt, cucumbers, garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and herbs like dill and mint.
• Taramasalata (tah-rah-mah–sal-ah-tah): Creamy fish roe appetizer or spread thickened with bread or potato. Can include garlic, too.
• Dolmades (doh-mah-des): Stuffed grape leaves with fillings typically including rice, herbs, and sometimes minced meat: Clarify whether you’re ordering a vegetarian or non-vegetarian version. There are many variations of the recipe, such as those using halibut or kale stuffed with bulgur, offering something for every palate.
• Saganaki (sah-gah-nah-ki): The word “saganaki” refers to a dish cooked in a small frying pan, derived from the Turkish word “sahan,” meaning copper dish. Its most famous form is fried cheese—typically made with varieties like halloumi, graviera, kefalograviera, or feta cheese. The cheese is often coated in flour and fried until golden and crispy. Some places serve it with honey and nuts, while others keep it simple, perhaps with a wedge of lemon.
• Avgolemono (av-goh-leh-mon-oh): A classic Greek soup made from chicken broth, rice, egg yolks, and lemon juice, and sometimes contains shredded chicken. 
• Fasolada (fah-so-lah-tha): White bean soup, onions, carrots, celery, tomatoes, and herbs, sometimes garlic.
• Horiatiki (hoe-ree-ah-tee-key sa-lah-tah): Often referred to as “Greek salad”, made from tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers, onions, olives, oil and vinegar, and very often feta, as well.
• Gyro (yee-row): A sandwich, often of lamb or beef, with tomato, onion, and tzatziki sauce on pita bread. The meat has been cooked on a vertical rotisserie.
• Keftedes (kef-teh-des): Deep-fried meatballs.
• Souvlaki (sue-vlak–ee): A sandwich featuring marinated meat, like pork, chicken, beef, or lamb, grilled on a skewer and then served in a warm pita or atop a salad. Typically topped with tzatziki sauce, and some versions even include French fries.
• Horta (hoar-ta): Pan fried wild greens, with lemon and olive oil.
• Gemista (ye-meesta): Stuffed vegetables, such as bell peppers. Can be vegetarian or stuffed with meats.
• Spanakopita (span-ah-koh-pee-tah): Also known as spinach pie, is made by layering phyllo dough with butter or olive oil and stuffing it with a mixture of spinach, feta cheese, and eggs. After being baked to a golden crisp, it’s usually served as an appetizer, though it could easily be enjoyed as a main course.
• Tiropita (tee-roh pee-ta): Flaky cheese pie.
• Moussaka (moo-sah-kah): A hearty, traditional baked casserole-like meal is typically made with eggplant, potatoes, and beef or lamb, topped with a rich béchamel sauce. There are also vegetarian versions.
• Pastitsio (pah-stee-tsyo): Baked pasta with beef or lamb, and creamy cheese sauce.
• Stifado (stee-fah-doh): Stew made with onions and tomatoes and can feature a variety of proteins, such as rabbit, lamb, beef, or octopus.
• Baklava (baa-kluh-vaa): Phyllo pastry filled with chopped nuts and soaked in a sugar/honey syrup.
• Loukoumades (loo-koo-mah-thez): Small, fried dough balls, typically drizzled with honey and sometimes sprinkled with cinnamon, nuts, or extra sugar.
• Galaktoboureko (guh-ak-tow-baw-reh-kow): Pastry with custard.

Strategies When Dining Greek

If you are following the low FODMAP diet, you typically cannot see all the FODMAPs lurking when you scan a Greek 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.

Low FODMAP Greek 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:

• Halloumi, feta.
• Olives, plain.
• Rice.
• Dolmades, if made without garlic and onions.
• Plain Greek yogurt.
• Saganaki – most often presented as a fried cheese, sometimes made with a flour coating, sometimes not. The amount of wheat will be small and low FODMAP. Avoid bread served alongside.
• Horiatiki – classic Greek salad. Ask if it can be prepared without onion.
• Potatoes, if made without garlic.
• Anchovies and sardines, if made without garlic.
• Grilled calamari, if made without garlic.
• Roasted proteins if simply prepared with olive oil, salt and pepper, lemon juice.
• Wine.
• Beer.

High FODMAP Greek Dishes You Can Enjoy, Using FODZYME

Now we come to the fun part! You’ve been dreaming about a rich moussaka, soothing avgolemono soup, spanakopita, gyros and souvlaki. Guess what? It is all possible! With the help of targeted enzyme supplementation, you can enjoy all these Greek 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). 

People sensitive to multiple FODMAPs often 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 the digestion of your meal.

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

Have your FODZYME at hand and go ahead and order:

• Fava: Dip made from yellow split peas (not fava beans).
• Tzatziki: Often contains garlic.
• Taramasalata: Can include garlic, and possibly wheat bread.
• Peinirli (also spelled peynirli): The Greek version of pizza, boat-shaped. Contains wheat.
• Dolmades: Can contain onion and/or garlic.
• Hummus: Chickpeas, garlic.
• Saganaki: Can contain wheat.
• Avgolemono: Can contain onion and/or garlic.
• Fasolada: Beans and can contain onion and/or garlic.
• Horiatiki (Greek Salad) : Can contain onion and/or garlic.
• Gyro: Contains wheat, and often onion and/or garlic.
• Keftedes: Can contain wheat, and often onion and/or garlic.
• Souvlaki: Contains wheat, and often onion and/or garlic.
• Horta: Can contain onion and/or garlic.
• Fasolada: Contains beans, onion and/or garlic.
• Gemista: Can contain onion and/or garlic.
• Spanakopita Contains wheat, and often onion and/or garlic.
• Tiropita: Contains wheat, and often onion and/or garlic.
• Moussaka: Contains wheat, lactose, and often onion and/or garlic.
• Pastitsio: Contains wheat, lactose, and often onion and/or garlic.
• Stifado: Can contain onion and/or garlic.
• Baklava: Contains wheat and honey. There is typically more sugar than honey in the syrup, but there is no way to know how much honey, per serving.
• Loukoumades: Contains wheat and honey.
• Galaktoboureko: Contains wheat and lactose.

FODMAP Stacking at Greek 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 like spanakopita, with a low FODMAP amount of phyllo, but by the time you take into account the spinach and onions, 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 Greek 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 phyllo dishes, stifado stews, moussaka, and gyros in your future!

Read All of Our Dining Out Guides

Whether it is Greek tonight, or Thai 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