Our not-too-sweet Low FODMAP Banana Coconut Sorbet, and its sister recipe, Low FODMAP Chocolate Coconut Sorbet, are both creamy yet are dairy-free and based on full fat canned coconut milk. You do need an ice cream maker for these, but you will be rewarded with smooth and creamy, dairy-free and lactose-free frozen desserts. Did you know that ripe bananas do have a low FODMAP serving size? They do (35 g BTW) and this Elimination worthy amount is put to great use in this recipe.
Coconut Milk & FODMAPs
We have an article for you called Is Coconut Low FODMAP? which explains the ins and outs of various coconut products, like milk, water and dried coconut and their FODMAP amounts.
This recipe uses full fat canned coconut milk. I use Thai Kitchen brand for its reliable flavor and texture and have also had good luck with Whole Food’s house brand. Either way, use the full fat and not the “lite” variety for this Low FODMAP Banana Coconut Sorbet recipe.
The recipe calls for 1 full can of coconut milk. Most cans are between 13-ounces and 14-ounces. Either will work.
Let’s Talk About Bananas & FODMAPs
Of all the fruits, I think there is the most confusion around bananas and their FODMAP content. This is no surprise because so many people are introduced to the diet by their doctor, who hands them a list of high FODMAP and low FODMAP foods to eat and to avoid and bananas are usually on the high FODMAP list.
This is most likely due to the fact that Monash University, the developers of the diet, put a big fat Red Light and high FODMAP designation next to bananas in their smartphone app. The problem with this is that this information is based on fairly arbitrary serving sizes. And, if you click through the app you will see quite clearly that there is a low FODMAP serving size of 35 g or about one-third of an average banana.
Always click through the app entries – especially the Red Light High FODMAP entries – to see if there are low FODMAP serving sizes. You will be pleasantly surprised to see that there are.
Please review these articles for general low FODMAP diet background:
How Sweet It Is
This ice cream is not that sweet, and I deliberately made it that way. I wanted to create a frozen dessert that felt like a treat but that wasn’t over the top. And besides, if you drizzle some Hot Fudge Sauce on top, you will get your sweet fix, believe you me. (I don’t think I have ever used that phrase in writing before!)
Also, you will note that I used light corn syrup, which is low FODMAP. This is not the same as high fructose corn syrup. I did so to accentuate the creamy texture that corn syrup lends to frozen desserts.
Believe it or not regular corn syrup, it is also not as sweet as granulated white sugar. If you would like to use granulated sugar in this recipe you can, but if you want to make any substitution I would stick with a liquid sweetener and use low FODMAP maple syrup. The ice cream will then have a maple flavor, which was not my original intention, but your choice!
If you want to use sugar, use 3 tablespoons. If you want to use maple syrup, simple use the same amount as the corn syrup.
More Frozen Desserts
We have many frozen desserts to offer you. Some require an ice cream maker, like this one, but some do not. Here is a glimpse:
Need An Ice Cream Maker
- Rhubarb Crumble Ice Cream
- Vanilla Ice Cream
- Strawberry Sherbet
- Papaya Lime Sorbet
- Chocolate Coconut Sorbet
Do Not Need An Ice Cream Maker
- Mint Chocolate Semifreddo
- Lemon Granita
- Strawberry Granita
- Cantaloupe Lime Popsicles
- Peaches & Cream Popsicles
- Strawberry Yogurt Granola Pops
- Low FODMAP Frozen Hot Chocolate
- 2-Ingredient Coconut Popsicles
- Chocolate Covered Banana Popsicles
- Arnold Palmer Ice Pops
- Coconut Water Fresh Fruit Pops
- Lactose-Free Ice Cream Soda
- Low FODMAP Cold Brew Latte Popsicles
Low FODMAP Banana Coconut Sorbet
Our not-too-sweet Low FODMAP Banana Coconut Sorbet, and its sister recipe, Low FODMAP Chocolate Coconut Sorbet, are both creamy yet are dairy-free and based on full fat canned coconut milk. You do need an ice cream maker for these, but you will be rewarded with smooth and creamy, dairy-free and lactose-free frozen desserts. Did you know that ripe bananas do have a low FODMAP serving size? They do (35 g BTW) and this Elimination worthy amount is put to great use in this recipe.
Low FODMAP Serving Size Info: Makes about 1 quart (960 ml); serving size ⅓ cup (75 ml); 12 servings
Ingredients:
- 1, 13 to 14- ounce (370 g to 400 g) can of full fat coconut milk
- 3 medium sized, ripe bananas, peeled and cut into chunks
- ¼ cup (60 ml) light corn syrup, such as Karo, or to taste
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice, or to taste
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Toasted Coconut Flakes; optional
Preparation:
-
Place the coconut milk, banana chunks, corn syrup, lime juice and vanilla in carafe blender and blend until smooth. Taste and add a little more lime juice and or corn syrup, if desired. Scrape into an airtight container and cool.
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Refrigerate 6 hours, or overnight then whisk well to make sure all the ingredients are well combined. Pour into ice cream maker and follow manufacturer's instructions. Freeze in airtight container and eat preferably within 4 days. Top with a few toasted coconut flakes, if you like.
Notes:
Tips
• We LOVE this topped with a little Hot Fudge Sauce. Or Salted Caramel Sauce. Don’t miss out!
FODMAP Information
Our recipes are based on Monash University and FODMAP Friendly science.
- Bananas: Bananas have both low and high FODMAP serving sizes. For the common banana, Monash University lab tests report that 1 medium unripe banana of 100 g is low FODMAP, and that ⅓ of a medium ripe banana at 35 g is low FODMAP. Note that most baking recipes use very ripe bananas; our serving sizes reflect low FODMAP portions.
- Sugar: Monash University and FODMAP Friendly have both lab tested white, granulated sugar. Monash states that a Green Light low FODMAP serving size of white sugar is ¼ cup (50 g). FODMAP Friendly simply states that they have tested 1 tablespoon and that it is low FODMAP. Regular granulated white sugar is sucrose, which is a disaccharide made up of equal parts glucose and fructose. Sucrose is broken down and absorbed efficiently in the small intestine.
- Please always refer to the Monash University & FODMAP Friendly smartphone apps for the most up-to-date lab tested information. As always, your tolerance is what counts; please eat accordingly. The ultimate goal of the low FODMAP diet is to eat as broadly as possible, without triggering symptoms, for the healthiest microbiome.
Nutrition
All nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content will vary with brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes and more. For a more detailed explanation, please read our article Understanding The Nutrition Panel Within Our Recipes.
And since you are a banana lover, please do check out our mega-banana round-up for loads of more delicious recipes.
