Last Updated on November 5, 2022 by Aaron
If you have IBS (Irritable bowel syndrome), sensitive stomach or poor digestion, adding some aged cheese in your fodmap diet is generally okay. The main culprit here is actually the natural occurring lactose in milk. And fortunately, curing or aging the cheese will cause the bacteria to convert lactose into lactic acid, which is good if you have IBS (1).
The short answer to your question. Yes, Gorgonzola is considered low in Fodmap and generally safe for IBS.
What about the fodmap in other blue cheeses – Danish blue cheese, roquefort, stilton – and yes, they are low in fodmap too.
Here is an interesting infographic of milk lactose:
More importantly, months or sometimes years of cheese aging will turn the lactose in milk into lactic acid, which is easier to absorb by our body and good for IBS. And that will also give the sour-tangy sharp taste the longer it aged. The gorgonzola dolce is typically aged for 2-3 months like this one here, while the aged version is 5 months or above.
While you can basically get it anywhere or from any deli counter, below is an example of gorgonzola cheese from Target.
*Amount based on 1 slice (1 oz) serving
| Gorgonzola Cheese | |
| Energy | 100 kcal |
| Protein | 5.99 g |
| Total Fat | 8.99 g |
| Carbohydrate (lactose) | 1 g |
| Calcium | 100 mg |
| Cholesterol | 30 mg |
Still, portion control is advised.
That’s for gorgonzola.
What about other cheeses?
We have roughly 5% of lactose in milk. See breakdown below.
To further move down the lactose scale, first we’ll have to remove the water (or whey in general) part.
With the help of rennet and acid, most of the water gets drained away leaving a huge chunk of solid mass curd which contents fat, lactose, casein protein, whey, and ash. Notably, cheeses such as gouda and cheddar go through a process called curd washing, where it reduces acidity and also some lactose.
Cheeses high in FODMAP are usually soft cheese and cheese spread:
- Cottage cheese
- Cream cheese
- Brie
- Camembert
- Mozzarella
- Ricotta
- Quark cheese
In general always choose aged hard cheese than the fresh soft cheese if you concern about the fodmap. If you enjoy eating parmesan too, I have an article here about the fodmap in Parmigiano Reggiano.
Cheese in low FODMAP:
- Monterey Jack
- Parmesan
- Pecorino
- Manchego
- Swiss cheese
- Colby
- Edam cheese
While fodmap could be low, your body might also react to other allergens in feta cheese.
For pet owner, can you feed your dog/cat gorgonzola? Allergy reaction.
