Your Feel Good Summer Guide for IBS and FODMAPs
Summer is the season of spontaneity. Long evenings on a terrace, a barbecue with friends, or a beach day with a cooler full of treats. But if you’re sensitive to FODMAPs or live with IBS, this time of year can also bring extra challenges. You have less control over what you eat, meals are often less predictable, and the social aspect can make it harder to say “no.”
Fortunately, there are ways to stay relaxed and comfortable, without letting your stomach take over the day. In this blog, you’ll read why summer can be tricky when dealing with FODMAP sensitivities, how to prepare for it, and how digestive enzymes can offer helpful support when you accidentally eat something you’d rather have avoided.
Why Summer Isn’t Always Easy on Your Gut
Our digestive system thrives on routine. A steady eating and sleeping schedule, proper hydration, and a balanced diet all support optimal digestion. During summer, many of these factors are disrupted, which can lead to symptoms, especially for those with sensitive digestion.
• Disrupted routines – Vacations, late dinners, and irregular sleep can disturb your body’s natural rhythm, including your digestive rhythm.
• Heat and fluid loss – Warm temperatures increase circulation and can stimulate bowel movement. For sensitive individuals, this can lead to cramps or diarrhoea. At the same time, you lose more fluid through sweat, and if you don’t hydrate enough, constipation may result.
• Lighter, lower-fibre meals – In summer, we often opt for salads, sandwiches or small snacks. While refreshing, these meals tend to contain less fibre than a warm, well-balanced dish. A lower fibre intake can affect bowel regularity.
• More spontaneity, less control – You eat out more, try unfamiliar dishes, or have less insight into ingredients, making it harder to avoid FODMAPs.
How to Prepare for the Summer
Good preparation makes all the difference, especially if you’re dealing with a sensitive gut. Luckily, it doesn’t have to be complicated. A few simple steps can help you stay in control of your food choices and digestive comfort, without sacrificing flavour or fun.
1. Know Your Summer FODMAP Friends and Foes
Seasonal fruit and vegetables are not only fresh and tasty, they’re also widely available. It helps to plan ahead and list the summer produce you tolerate well. That way, you can make confident choices whether you’re shopping abroad or eating out.
Examples of commonly well-tolerated summer foods:
• Vegetables: zucchini, lebanese cucumber, eggplant, bell peppers (red/green), spinach, carrots
• Fruit: strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, pineapple, kiwi
Warm weather calls for cool treats, but some come with hidden digestive triggers:
• Sorbet is usually lactose-free. If it’s made from fruit you tolerate, it’s often a suitable choice. Just ask if milk or yoghurt has been added.
• Iced coffee can be a great pick-me-up, but beware: iced cappuccinos often contain milk or ice cream. Ask how it’s made, or choose a black iced coffee with a plant-based alternative.
When in doubt, check your FODMAP Friendly app or personal notes to see what you’ve tolerated well before. This helps you make confident choices, even while travelling or at spontaneous moments.
2. Bring Your Trusted Foods
For planned outings, like a picnic, BBQ or beach day, it’s smart to bring one or two items you know are safe for you. That way, you’ll always have something you can eat without worry. Or talk to the host in advance, people are often happy to accommodate when you explain your needs.
FODMAP Friendly options you can bring along:
• A fresh salad with cooked quinoa, cucumber, spinach, a little feta, and a small handful of blueberries or raspberries
• Plain meat or fish to grill yourself, such as chicken fillet or salmon
• A low FODMAP spread made with grilled red peppers (without garlic), olive oil, and lemon, perfect on gluten-free bread or as a dip for veggie sticks
• Fruits, boiled eggs, a small bag of nuts (like walnuts or pecans), or rice cakes as convenient snacks
Having something suitable and satisfying with you gives you peace of mind, and makes it easier to enjoy the moment fully.
3. Digestive Enzymes: A Reassuring Backup
No matter how well you prepare, summer can still surprise you. A menu without ingredient details, a language barrier at a restaurant, or a dish that’s slightly different than expected, it happens. That’s where digestive enzymes come in.
Digestive enzymes support the breakdown of specific carbohydrates (like lactose, fructose or fructans) that may otherwise trigger digestive symptoms. They work based on the “lock-and-key” principle: each enzyme targets one type of carbohydrate and breaks it down into smaller, more digestible parts.
Examples:
• Lactase – Helps digest dairy products like milk, yoghurt, ice cream, and cream
• Fructase – Helps with fruits and products high in fructose, such as apples, mango, honey or fruit juice
• Fibractase 1200 – Supports digestion of onion, garlic, lentils, chickpeas and beans – ideal for those who experience bloating or gas
• Quatrase 10,000 – A broad-spectrum enzyme supplement that tackles multiple FODMAPs at once. Perfect if you’re unsure which ingredient is causing trouble or when eating mixed meals like buffets or restaurant dishes.
Tip: Always take enzymes just before or with the first bite of your meal, so they can arrive in your small intestine at the same time as your food and work effectively.
Enzymes are safe for daily use, even over longer periods, and provide peace of mind when you’re in doubt or away from home.
In short
Summer may require a bit more attention to your digestion, but that doesn’t mean you have to say no to everything. With smart choices and the right preparation, you create space to enjoy the season, and if things still go off track, it’s comforting to know that enzymes can help.
So go ahead: pack your picnic basket, book that beach café, and try that local delicacy, with just a bit of planning and the right support, you can enjoy all the freedom summer has to offer.
Enjoy your summer!
