As a former irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) sufferer with a sweet tooth, there’s nothing quite so devastating as not being able to enjoy sweet treats (like milkshakes) without an aftermath of diarrhea (and/or constipation), embarrassing gas, bloating, and tummy aches for days.

That’s ‘cause commercially-made milkshakes are notoriously loaded with FODMAPs (fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and/or polyols) – usually in the form of lactose and fructose (from milk, ice cream, and sugary syrups, respectively).

Lactose and fructose aren’t inherently bad – but for IBS sufferers, they may pass into your colon undigested, and subsequently get fermented by your gut microbes (not in a good way). Undigested sugars typically also pull a bunch of water into your colon, by osmosis.

(Translation: lactose and fructose are common food culprits known to trigger unwanted IBS symptoms for the majority of IBS sufferers!)

FODMAP intolerances aside, most commercially-made milkshakes are also typically loaded with hidden gut-disrupting ingredients.

For example, lower FODMAP variations of refined sugar (such as “corn syrup” and “sugar”) and many gums have been shown to feed and amplify underlying IBS-related gut imbalances like dysbiosis, leaky gut, and intestinal inflammation. (1, 2, 3, 4, 5)

Recommended reading: IBS and Sugar – A Holistic Perspective

All of that said, if you enjoy mint, and you’d love to have your shake and drink it too, make sure to try out this healthy & tasty low FODMAP shake recipe, which mimics the McDonalds Shamrock Shake®!

Table of Contents

Anatomy of a healthy low FODMAP shake

Milk, sugar, and ice cream are typically the biggest heavy hitters and high FODMAP offenders in a regular milkshake recipe.

From a holistic IBS nutrition standpoint, I generally layer the key components of a holistic anti-inflammatory diet (such as the quality of ingredients and their degree of processing) with the clinical nutrition parameters of the low FODMAP diet.

So, a healthy low FODMAP shake will generally feature the following staple ingredients:

Low FODMAP milk (or unsweetened low FODMAP milk alternative) of choice
Natural and unrefined low FODMAP sugar/sweetener of choice
Good quality low FODMAP protein powder of choice
Low FODMAP fruit and/or veggies, herbs and/or spices

Low FODMAP shamrock shake ingredients

Lactose-free milk or unsweetened low FODMAP milk alternative

You can use any type of unsweetened lactose-free milk or low FODMAP milk alternative for this recipe.

I find that higher-fat dairy-based lactose-free milk will be more creamy, but you can opt for lower-fat or go with any low FODMAP milk alternative that works best for you.

Either way I recommend sticking with unsweetened variations, and opting for products that use as few fillers/gums as possible, due to their little-known-but-very-significant gut-disrupting tendencies which I mentioned in the introductory section of this post.

Related reading: What’s the Best Milk for IBS Sufferers?

Real maple syrup

Aside from being delicious, pure maple syrup (which is not the same as “pancake syrup”) is a natural low FODMAP sugar/sweetener in servings up to 2 tablespoons.

A single serving of this shake recipe only calls for 1 tablespoon of real maple syrup, to add an element of natural sweetness.

(If you don’t want a nutritive sweetener, you may want to opt for a few drops of 100% monk fruit extract or stevia leaf extract.)

Related reading:

Frozen banana slices

When making shake recipes, I love using frozen (versus fresh) bananas because they create a frozen, creamy ice cream-like texture and experience.

According to the Monash FODMAP App, up to 1 whole medium FIRM (not-too-ripe) banana (all yellow or partially green, without any brown spots) is considered low FODMAP so you can use a whole banana.

I typically slice the banana while it’s fresh, and THEN freeze the banana slices in a plastic bag (for at least a few hours) in advance.

Low FODMAP protein powder (plain, vanilla, chocolate, or mint)

I typically use a vanilla-flavored protein powder for this recipe, but you could also get away with plain, chocolate, or even a mint-flavored low FODMAP protein powder of your choice.

(Note that a chocolate protein powder may alter the color of your shake to make it a little less green and more muddy.)

Frozen spinach or baby kale

A few tablespoons of frozen spinach can go a long way in this recipe – not just for adding natural green color, but also to give you a boost of vitamins, minerals, and vitality (life-force energy).

Related reading:

When is Spinach Low FODMAP? (Holistic Guide to Navigating Spinach and IBS)

Avocado

Fresh ripe-enough avocado is conditionally low FODMAP in servings of up to 3 tablespoons, according to the Monash App.

In this recipe, I recommend adding ~2 to 3 tablespoons of avocado for extra green pigment as well as for healthy fats, sustenance and satiety.

(If you don’t tolerate avocado due to histamine intolerance, you can swap it for a few teaspoons of coconut oil or ghee!)

Fresh mint leaves

Adding a sprig of fresh peppermint or spearmint leaves into this shake recipe will contribute to the real authentic peppermint flavor.

Flavor and green color aside, mint leaves have also been used traditionally to help settle the stomach, promote healthy digestive secretions, alleviate gas/bloating, support healthy motility, and even reduce inflammation.

Peppermint extract

A little peppermint extract (comparable to vanilla extract) will add an extra level of mint flavor to your shake. I highly recommend integrating this if possible!

You can find this in the baking aisle of any supermarket, near the vanilla extract.

(Note: Please do NOT sub this for peppermint essential oil, which is exponentially more potent and thus generally not safe to be taken internally.)

Low FODMAP dark chocolate (optional)

Add low FODMAP dark chocolate shavings into or on top of your shake.

Check out my favorite low FODMAP chocolate bars on the market here.

The recipe

Ingredients

1 frozen peeled, chopped banana
Handful (2 tablespoons) fresh or frozen dark leafy greens (spinach or baby kale)
2 to 3 tablespoons ripe-enough avocado
1 scoop low FODMAP protein powder of your choice (plain, vanilla, chocolate, or mint flavored)
1 cup milk or dairy substitute of your choice
1 tablespoon real maple syrup or 1 to 2 drops monk fruit/stevia leaf extract
1 sprig fresh mint leaves (or more for garnishing)
1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract (found near vanilla extract in baking section of supermarket)
2 to 3 tablespoons low FODMAP dark chocolate (optional)

Directions

Combine all ingredients together in high-speed blender, Vitamix or NutriBullet/Magic Bullet etc.
Blend for several minutes; optional garnish with fresh mint leaves and/or chocolate shavings.
Enjoy!