Low Fodmap Valentine’s Dessert: Flourless Chocolate Cupcakes
SIBO & Low FODMAP Friendly
Just because you’re on an elimination diet doesn’t mean you should feel deprived of your favourite foods. You can easily enjoy every holiday while having SIBO- it may just look a little different than usual!
Many of us associate chocolate with being a “treat” because what you find on the market these days isn’t really chocolate and is filled with tonnes of additives, flavouring agents and poor quality dairy. Sugar also increases inflammation which you want to actively be reducing when you have SIBO.
However, if you buy the right type of chocolate (dark, vegan and unsweetened) and sweeten it yourself with a good quality sweetener like coconut sugar, honey or maple syrup it can be a great healthy holiday dessert.
Raw cacao or 100% dark chocolate with nothing but cacao butter and cacao can actually have some good benefits including high in antioxidants & flavonoids to combat inflammation, support mood and cardiovascular system.
The key to remember is that the more pure and darker the chocolate the more beneficial it is for you health.
SIBO Supportive Meal: Valentines Dessert
If you have SIBO it’s likely that your body is more in a nutrient deficient state as the bacteria can compete with your body for the vitamins and minerals it needs to function properly. Minerals like magnesium, calcium and potassium are super critical for proper function of the muscles within your intestines and impact motility function.
Poor motility can slow down the movement of food through the intestines, contributing to the increase of bacteria in your small intestine. To improve overall motility it’s best to increase your intake of low fodmap containing foods that are mineral rich foods like dark chocolate, wild salmon, nuts & seeds, grass fed beef or tofu.
Honey is used as it’s allowed in small amounts during the elimination phase of the SIBO diet. You can switch to coconut sugar once you’ve moved into stage 4.
Note: if you have a sensitivity to eggs you may want to skip this recipe. Some people do have sensitivities to cacao as well so make sure you monitor how you feel after consuming this.
As a digestive health holistic nutritionist who specializes in SIBO/IBS and heartburn, it’s my goal to help you you navigate your diagnosis and the key role that food plays in helping you overcome it. Learn more about my 3 month SIBO Program here.
Recipe:
1 tbsp avocado oil
2 2/3 ozs Dark chocolate (unsweetened chocolate chips or baking chocolate)
2 tbsps Ghee
2 Egg (yolk & white separated)
2 tbsps honey or coconut sugar (or more to taste if you’re not on the SIBO diet)
1 cup of raw cacao powder
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 300F. Grease a muffin tray or ramekins with avocado oil or spray (use your fingers or wax paper to spread the oil around each muffin hole). If you don’t have a muffin tray, oil a 9 x 9 pan.
Add a small pot to the stove on the lowest temperature. Add the chocolate and ghee and slowly heat the chocolate until melted.
Meanwhile, in a bowl of a stand mixer, add the egg whites. Beat the egg whites on medium until soft peaks form (keep beating until the mixture becomes firm and when you push through a fork or knife in it soft peaks form). Slowly add the honey while beating 1 tsp at a time until fully incorporated.
Add the egg yolks to the chocolate mixture and mix well. Add 1/3 of the egg whites to the chocolate, then stir to combine and lighten the chocolate mixture. Gently fold in the remaining egg whites.
Pour the batter into the muffin tray or ramekins (or a pan if you don’t have them) and bake for 15 to 20 minutes. This may need to be done longer if using a pan (test by adding a toothpick to see if it comes out clean). Let the muffins cool completely, then remove them from the tray. If you make a cake form, se a knife to cut out squares as desired.
Food Storage Tip: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Sources:
Hee Shin, Ji et all. Consumption of 85% coca dark chocolate improves mood in assocation with gut microbial changes in healthy adults: a randomized controlled trial. June 3, 2021. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0955286321002746