Dining Out With IBS: Mexican & Tex-Mex 

Do you have Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)? Have you struggled with bloating, stomach cramps, gas, or worse after eating Mexican 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 follow a low FODMAP diet for IBS? What Mexican and Tex-Mex dishes can you eat, and which ones should you stay clear of? Well, read on! 

Whether you are craving classic Mexican food, like tacos al pastor or mole, or Tex-Mex favorites, like chili con carne or queso dip, beans, cheese, garlic, and onions often play a big role, as does wheat in flour tortillas. Garlic, onions, beans, 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 how to dine out and indulge in your Mexican & Tex-Mex favorites.

Learn which Mexican & Tex-Mex 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 Mexican 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 Mexican restaurant.

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

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

Low FODMAP Options:

• Tortillas: If flour based, have 1; for corn, you could try 3.
• Hard Shell Corn Tortillas: Have 2.
• Tortilla Corn Chips.
• Rice, white or brown: Ask about any seasonings or if stock is used.
• Lettuce.
• Chopped tomatoes.
• Olives.
• Corn.
• Jalapeno slices.
• Pickled jalapenos.
• Kidney beans: If canned and drained.
• Hard Cheeses: Please read our article, Is Cheese Low FODMAP.
• Sour cream.
• Simply Prepared Proteins: Ask if steak, chicken, fish, or shrimp can be simply prepared. 
• Fajitas: Ask about seasoning; this dish is sometimes low FODMAP, comprised of a protein (no FODMAP), and peppers, with tortillas on the side. Ask for no onions.
• Grilled Fish Tacos: Ask about seasoning; this dish is sometimes low FODMAP. Try eating the low FODMAP fish, tortillas in amounts suggested, a squeeze of lime, and dollop of sour cream.
• Tequila: Both gold and silver tequila have low FODMAP serving sizes; please refer to your apps.
• Beer: Lab tested and low FODMAP in 375 ml (12 oz) servings.

Order & Use FODZYME:

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

• All Kinds of Salsa: Contains onion and/or garlic.
• Queso Dip: Contains lactose and sometimes onion.
• Beans.
• Red or Green Enchilada sauce: Contains onion and/or garlic.
• Double Wrap Tortilla: Wheat flour.
• Jalapeno Poppers: Garlic, wheat breading.
• Nachos: Typically served with salsa, and possibly additional high FODMAP ingredients.
• Burritos: Wheat; often beans, sometimes garlic and/or onion.
• Chimichanga: Beans, wheat flour, maybe salsa.
• Tacos & Tostadas: Often onion and/or garlic.
• Tamales: Often garlic and/or onions lurking. Beans, too.
• Quesadilla: Often onion and/or garlic in salsa served alongside; possibly in filling as well; wheat flour.
• Chili con Carne: Often onion and/or garlic.
• Huevos Rancheros: Beans, wheat flour, garlic, onion.
• Battered Fish Tacos: Wheat flour.
• Tres Leches Cake: Rich in lactose and wheat flour.
• Flan: Rich in lactose.
• Churros: Wheat flour.
• Horchata: High in lactose.

A Note on Traditional Mexican Cuisine vs. Tex-Mex

This article is not meant to explore traditional Mexican cuisine and how it differs from Tex-Mex food. Many experts on these cuisines agree that the lines blur. For our FODMAP purposes, we will look at the most popular dishes found at upscale and chain Mexican restaurants and how they relate to our low FODMAP diet.

Detailed Guidelines For Ordering Mexican Menu Options

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

A Note On Garlic, Onions, Wheat and Dairy

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 pasta. 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 Mexican, we are bombarded with garlic, onion, beans, wheat, and lactose-containing dairy in large amounts. That is what puts so many of your favorite Mexican dishes into high FODMAP territory. 

Use Your Monash App With The Mexico Filter

Did you know that you can go to the Food Guide within the Monash app, scroll to the bottom and click on the Mexican flag to see all the Mexican food that has been lab tested? They have lab tested many items, ranging from Mexican chocolate, huitlacoche, adobo seasoning, various chiles, and more. This is a quick way to acquaint yourself with what is low or high FODMAP within your chosen cuisine.

A Note On Fat

FODMAPs are carbohydrates. Fats are fat, and therefore not a FODMAP issue, but fat can be an IBS trigger. Many Mexican and Tex-Mex dishes are high in fat, with liberal use of cheeses, in particular. Know your tolerances and order accordingly.

Strategies When Dining Mexican & Tex-Mex

If you are following the low FODMAP diet, when you scan a Mexican or Tex-Mex menu, you probably see beans, dairy, wheat, garlic, and onion lurking in a great percentage of the offerings. And your heart sinks. What can you eat?

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

Let’s Talk Tortillas

There are both flour and corn tortillas, and some tortillas may look like corn but are a mix of corn and wheat. It’s important to read labels and ask questions when dining out to be sure of the ingredients.

Pro Tips: Both Monash University and FODMAP Friendly have lab-tested flour tortillas and several types of corn tortillas. You may notice there is a slight difference in lab test results, but they are not a contradiction. Please read our article, When Low FODMAP Lab Test Results Differ.

Flour Tortillas

• Monash University lab testing suggests that 1 flour tortilla weighing 35 g (1.23 oz) is low FODMAP, but they become Moderate for fructans at 1 ¼ tortillas (43 g/1.52 oz), and High FODMAP at 1 ½ tortillas (50 g/1.76 oz).
• According to FODMAP Friendly, 1 flour tortilla that weighs 40 g (1.41 oz) is high FODMAP for fructans.

Corn Tortillas

• From Monash: Corn tortillas with no gums or fibers are low FODMAP in 3 tortilla (57 g/2.01 oz) servings. No Moderate or High FODMAP information is listed. 
• According to Monash testing, the low FODMAP serving for corn tortillas with gums and fibers is 2 tortillas (47 g/1.66 oz).
• Monash testing states that blue corn tortillas are low in FODMAPs in 2 tortilla (44 g/1.55 oz) servings. They do not become Moderate for FODMAPs until 17 tortillas (370 g/13.05 oz), at which point GOS and fructan content are mentioned.
• Monash lab testing of hard shell tacos suggests a serving of 2 (28 g/.99 oz).
• FODMAP Friendly has an entry for yellow corn tortillas, but we do not know whether they contain gums. Their suggestion is to “enjoy in unlimited amounts.”

Corn Tortilla Chips & FODMAPs

Tortilla chips, sometimes called corn chips, are typically made from ground corn (white, yellow or blue), oil, and salt. They are usually a fried product, although they can occasionally be baked. 

• Monash has lab tested corn chips, and they suggest a low FODMAP serving of 50 g (1.76 oz, but no further information is given, suggesting that larger servings can be low FODMAP. 
• FODMAP Friendly suggests a max low FODMAP serving of 93g (3.3 oz).

Guacamole

Avocados are much misunderstood in the FODMAP world for one main reason: They have, in specific lab tests, shown no FODMAPs at all, and in other lab tests, they have shown small, low FODMAP servings. So, which is it? Both.

• Monash University lab tested Hass avocados, initially giving them a low FODMAP serving size of 30 g (1.6 oz), which has been upped to 60 g (2.12 oz). They become Moderate for sorbitol at 80 g (2.82 oz), and also contain a unique sugar called perseitol.
• FODMAP Friendly has lab-tested Hass avocados, both ripe and unripe. We are not sure how they distinguished unripe from ripe, but their testing does show us that the FODMAP content changes. Unripe avocados have a low FODMAP serving size of 80 g (2.82 oz), with a max serve of 880 g (28.2 oz). Their testing detected fructose. Ripe avocados are listed as containing no FODMAPs: “Enjoy in unlimited amounts; eat freely.”

As with any fresh produce, both Monash University and FODMAP Friendly expect there to be variations in FODMAP content when batches of fruits and vegetables are tested and re-tested. And, the avocados you have in your kitchen now or buy next month literally cannot be the same as those tested at any time. All lab tests are accurate and can be used as a baseline to begin your exploration of your digestive relationship to avocados.

Please refer to our article, Is Avocado Low FODMAP? for a deeper dive.

Avocados, Guac & Restaurants

More likely than not, guacamole is on the menu, and 99% of the time it will be made with onion and garlic, which are high FODMAP.

If you happen to be at an upscale restaurant where they make guacamole tableside, you could ask them to leave the onion and garlic out. A little lime juice, cilantro, jalapeno, maybe some cumin, possibly some chopped tomato – all of those are low FODMAP. A serving of this kind of guacamole with some corn chips is a great low FODMAP starter!

Salsa!

Salsa is omnipresent at Mexican and Tex-Mex restaurants, and we have yet to find a low FODMAP option served when we dine out. Whether it is fresh, pico de gallo-style, tomato-based, tomatillo-based, or fire-roasted, it usually contains onion and garlic. Before you dive into a bowl with your chips or ladle some on your main dish, please see our section below, High-FODMAP Mexican & Tex-Mex Dishes You Can Enjoy Using FODZYME.

Beans

Certain beans have low FODMAP serving sizes; the big issue is serving size. The most common beans at Mexican and Tex-Mex restaurants are black beans, pinto beans, kidney beans, and refried beans (which can be made with various beans).

Monash University and FODMAP Friendly have lab-tested all of these. 

The BIG takeaway is that canned, drained kidney beans have a generous serving size of 86 g, but home-cooked kidney beans showed no low FODMAP serving size whatsoever, according to Monash University.

Kidney Beans

• Monash University has lab tested canned, drained, kidney beans and the low FODMAP serving is 86 g (3.03 oz). Approximately a scant ½ cup.
• Monash University has lab-tested home-cooked kidney beans, and there is no low FODMAP serving size.
• FODMAP Friendly has lab-tested canned, drained kidney beans and states that there is no low FODMAP serving size.

Black Beans

• Monash University has lab-tested canned, drained black beans, and the low FODMAP serving is 40 g (1.41 oz). Approximately 2 tablespoons.
• Monash lab tested refried black beans and the low FODMAP serving is 34 g (1.20 oz). Approximately 2 tablespoons.
• FODMAP Friendly has lab tested canned, drained, black beans and home cooked beans and state there is no low FODMAP serving size.

Pinto Beans

• Monash University has lab-tested canned, drained pinto beans, and the low FODMAP serving is 55 g (1.94 oz). Approximately 2 tablespoons.
• Monash University has lab-tested refried pinto beans, and the low FODMAP serving is 45 g (1.59 oz). Approximately 2 tablespoons.

Refried Beans

• FODMAP Friendly has lab-tested refried beans, but we do not know what kind they are. The image looks like pinto beans. They state there is no low FODMAP serving size.

Are Chiles Low FODMAP?

Not all Mexican and Tex-Mex food is hot and spicy, but chiles are liberally used. Chiles contain capsaicin, which can be a gut irritant and trigger IBS symptoms but is not necessarily a FODMAP issue. 

Both Monash University and FODMAP Friendly have lab-tested numerous fresh chiles and prepared chile items (like pickled jalapenos and canned green chiles). Many chiles and chile items are low FODMAP. Note that both apps use the Australian spelling “chilli.” You can look them up and read our article, All About Chile, Chili & Chilli & The Low FODMAP Diet, which we strongly suggest.

Low FODMAP Mexican & Tex-Mex 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. Use some of the individual ingredients to build your own tacos, burritos, bowls and tostadas:

• Tortillas, Hard Shell Corn Tortillas and Tortilla Corn Chips: Go by our recommendations above.
• Rice, White or Brown: Ask about any seasonings or if stock is used.
• Lettuce
• Chopped Tomatoes
• Olives
• Corn
• Jalapeno Slices and Pickled Jalapenos
• Kidney Beans: If canned and drained.
• Black Beans, Pinto beans, Refried Beans: Very small low FODMAP serving sizes.
• Cheeses: Please read our article, Is Cheese Low FODMAP, in which we teach you how to tell if any cheese is low FODMAP. Cotija, queso chihuahua, queso Oaxaca, queso añejo, queso fresco, queso asadero, queso panela, cheddar, Monterey jack, and manchego are all low FODMAP. 
• Sour cream: Has low FODMAP serving sizes.
• Elote: Also called Mexican street corn, elote is made from grilled corn on the cob, slathered with mayo or crema, and topped with lime, chile, and Mexican cheese such as Cotija.
• Carnitas: Braised or roasted pork, shredded, often as a filling in tacos, burritos, etc. It can be low FODMAP but ask about ingredients and marinade. The chain restaurant, Chipotle, has low FODMAP carnitas.
• Simply Prepared Proteins: Ask if steak, chicken, fish, or shrimp can be simply prepared. 
• Fajitas: Ask about seasoning; this dish is sometimes low FODMAP, comprised of a protein (no FODMAP), and peppers. Ask for no onions.
• Grilled Fish Tacos: Ask about seasoning; this dish is sometimes low FODMAP. Try eating the low FODMAP fish, tortillas in amounts suggested, a squeeze of lime, and dollop of sour cream.
• Tequila: Both gold and silver tequila have low FODMAP serving sizes; please refer to your apps.
• Beer: Lab tested and low FODMAP in 375 ml servings.

Fast Food Mexican

To specifically address fast-food, please read our article, Low FODMAP Fast Food Options, where we have suggestions about Chipotle and Taco Bell. In brief, at Chipotle, you can order these low FODMAP menu items, among many others:

• Burrito Bowl made with carnitas and cilantro lime white rice or brown rice. Top with Monterey jack cheese, romaine lettuce, and/or up to 2 tablespoons of sour cream.
• Lifestyle Bowl made with green lettuce blend, carnitas, and cilantro-lime white rice or brown rice. Top with Monterey jack cheese, romaine lettuce, and/or up to 2 tablespoons of sour cream.
• Crispy Corn Tacos made with carnitas and cilantro-lime white rice. Top with Monterey jack cheese, romaine lettuce, and/or up to 2 tablespoons of sour cream.

At Taco Bell there are many options as well from tostada shells, nacho chips, three-cheese blend, eggs, hash browns, and more. All the Border Sauces (Mild, Hot, Fire and Diablo), Breakfast Salsa, Chili, Creamy Chipotle Sauce, Creamy Jalapeño Sauce, Green Sauce, Guacamole, Mexican Pizza Sauce, Potato Bites, Red Chili Sauce, Seasoned Beef, Seasoned Fries, Seasoned Rice, Spicy Ranch, Steak, contain garlic and onion and should be avoided, or used with FODZYME.

Check out the linked fast-food article to learn more.

High FODMAP Mexican & Tex-Mex Dishes You Can Enjoy, Using FODZYME

Now we come to the fun part! You are craving spicy roasted salsa. You’ve been dreaming about cheesy, green sauced enchiladas. Or maybe, you just want to unfold a steaming hot, traditional tamale? Guess what? It is all possible! With the help of targeted digestive enzymes, you can enjoy all these Mexican & Tex-Mex 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). 

Often, 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 Mexican and Tex-Mex dishes are heavy with garlic, onions, beans, wheat, and lactose, and FODZYME can specifically address these ingredients.

Have your FODZYME at hand and go ahead and:

• Chopped Onion
• Classic Red Salsas and Tomatillo Salsas: Contains onion and/or garlic.
• Fire-Roasted Salsas: Contains onion and/or garlic.
• Tomatillo Salsa: Contains onion and/or garlic.
• Queso Dip: Contains lactose and sometimes onion.
• Pico de Gallo: Contains onion and/or garlic.
• Nachos: Could contain beans, garlic/onion
• Black, Kidney and Pinto Beans 
• Refried Beans: Garlic and/or onion.
• Red or Green Enchilada sauce: Contains onion and/or garlic.
• Double Wrap Tortilla: Wheat flour
• Burritos: Wheat; often beans, sometimes garlic and/or onion.
• Ceviche: Onions.
• Tortilla Soup: Onions.
• Posole/Pozole: Contains onion and/or garlic.
• Taquitos: Contains onion and/or garlic.
• Flautas: Often garlic and onion; sometimes wheat flour.
• Calabacitas: Onion and/or garlic.
• Jalapeno Poppers: Garlic, wheat breading.
• Chimichangas: Beans, wheat flour, maybe salsa.
• Chilaquiles: Onion and/or garlic.
• Tacos: Often onion and/or garlic.
• Tacos al Pastor: Often onion and/or garlic.
• Tostadas: Often onion and/or garlic.
• Tamales: The masa harina is low FODMAP, but there is often garlic and/or onions lurking. Beans, too.
• Quesadillas: Often onion and/or garlic in salsa served alongside; possibly in filling as well; wheat flour.
• Empanadas: Wheat flour, onions and/or garlic.
• Beef Barbacoa: Often onion and/or garlic.
• Chili con Carne: Often onion and/or garlic.
• Mole: Often onion and/or garlic. Perhaps raisins as well; wheat flour.
• Birria: Often onion and/or garlic.
• Huevos Rancheros: Beans, wheat flour, garlic, onion
• Chicken Tinga: Contains garlic, onion, and often served with beans.
• Battered Fish Tacos: Wheat flour.
• Tres Leches Cake: Rich in lactose and wheat flour.
• Flan: Rich in lactose.
• Rice Pudding: Rich in lactose; also, can contain raisins.
• Churros: Wheat flour.
• Biscochitos: Wheat flour.
• Sopaipillas: Wheat flour
• Buñuelos: Wheat flour
• Paletas: These frozen fruit popsicles can be high FODMAP depending on the flavor.
• Mexican Wedding Cookies: Wheat flour.
• Mexican Hot Chocolate: High in lactose.
• Dulce de Leche: High in lactose.
• Horchata: High in lactose.

FODMAP Stacking at Mexican & Tex-Mex 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 beans, but by the time you take into account the additional salsa, higher FODMAP vegetables, and flour tortillas, the dish 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 Tex-Mex 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. Tacos, enchiladas, moles, and burritos are in your future!

Read All of Our Dining Out Guides

Whether it is Italian tonight, or Mexican 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