Most people don’t need protein drinks if they eat a balanced diet and remember that protein meats don’t contain Fodmaps so that is not an issue. Bu, if you are an athlete or underweight and want a bit of help, then they may be useful. However, you have to be very careful about the ingredients or they can quickly become FODMAP bombs with the wrong protein powder in them.

Just a warning, protein supplements are not right for some people, so please seek advice from your health care provider if you have any medical conditions besides your IBS. These products are not to be used as a substitute for a balanced diet.

According to research done by Patsy Catsos on her blog, IBS Free at Last, the following protein supplements appear to be suitable for a low-FODMAP diet based on the listed ingredients and the nutrition info provided by the manufactures' websites.

• Nutribiotic Organic Rice Protein Powder: vanilla, plain, chocolate, mixed berry

• Dr. Sears Zone Protein Powder
• Jarrow Brown Rice Protein Concentrate: vanilla, berry, chocolate (contain several gums. Gums are not FODMAPs but are fermentable and can sometimes be poorly tolerated)
• Solgar Whey to Go Whey Protein Powder (98% lactose free): vanilla
• Biochem 100% Whey Protein Powder: vanilla, chocolate, natural (contains xanthan gum)
• PreProtein Whey Protein Isolate 6 grams Powder
• Optimum Nutrition 100% Whey Gold Standard: Vanilla Ice Cream (appears to contain 1 gram of lactose with lactase enzyme added to help digest it)
• Unjury: unflavored
• Jay Robb Egg White Protein: unflavored

• Perfect Fit: vanilla, chocolate (contains gum)

With any protein powder you have to look carefully at the ingredients and make sure there are no high Fodmap vegetables or fruit in them, and also watch out for what could be a Fodmap overload through having too many low Fodmap ones. Also, make sure they only contain the permitted sugars and no honey, high fructose corn syrup or artificial sweeteners that end in –ol.

Here are a couple of extra notes about the protein sources also from Patsy’s site.

• Egg white is OK
• Rice is OK
• Whey protein isolate is OK
• Whey protein concentrate is only OK if a lactose free claim is also made. 98% or better is probably fine for all but the most lactose-intolerant people.
• Soy protein probably has FODMAPs
• Soy protein isolate is an unknown. If truly an "isolate", then it would have been separated from the fibre in the soy, so might be OK.
• Hemp protein is an unknown with respect to FODMAP status
• Pea protein of any kind is an unknown but probably has FODMAPs

As I have said, if possible avoid any processed foods which includes protein powders but if you have to use them for a valid reason, then you now know what to look out for.