With the Melbourne Cup nearly upon us, we thought right now would be the perfect chance to talk all things Melbourne Cup, alcohol and FODMAPs.
For some, attendance at the races means a glass or two of their favourite tipple, so what can you do to help yourself get through the day feeling fabulous?
Some alcoholic drinks are more ‘FODMAP friendly’ than others. Most spirits, other than rum (due to fructose) are considered low FODMAP, and wine, other than sticky, sweet choices (also due to fructose) are also considered to be safe, even though most do have at least a low mannitol content.
The type of beer depends on if it is safe to include or not. Most beers are made with malted barley or wheat, meaning they contain gluten, however there is a good selection of gluten free beers available to choose from. If gluten isn’t your issue, but rather, wheat is the problem, choosing a beer made from barley, rather than wheat may be appropriate for you. Heineken and Corona both appear to be made from barley only, however if you are unsure, gluten free may be the easier option.
If spirits are your poison of choice, care with your mixer is important. Soda water is the best bet from an overall health perspective. We all know soft drinks have a high sugar content and are not the healthiest choice, and diet soft drinks are not FODMAP-friendly. Fruit juices are mostly also not FODMAP friendly.
This said, whilst many of these options are considered ‘safe’, I have noticed many of my clients who require a low FODMAP diet can only handle small amounts of alcohol, regardless of FODMAP content. If you choose to drink above the Australian guidelines for alcohol, It is recommended that you have a glass of water between each drink, and also remember to eat.
Please keep in mind that we do not recommend drinking beyond the Australian Guidelines of one alcoholic drink per day for women, and two for men, due to the negative health effects of consuming alcohol in excess.
Another thing to remember – eating out when sticking to the low FODMAP diet can be challenging (which we wrote about here) and drinking too much alcohol can only compound the problem. Plan your food choices in advance, or at least know what will be available on the menu ahead of the event, to make your choices less stressful, and less likely to spend the day waiting in bathroom lines!
