Most legumes are limited in the first weeks of a low FODMAP diet. Monash University tested one from the Andes, and a serving came back low.
Monash University's guide to reading food labels lists lupin flour among the ingredients that raise a product's FODMAP content. Chocho (Lupinus mutabilis) is a lupin. On paper, that is not a promising start.
One serving tested low anyway. MIKUNA Chocho Plant Protein in Pure is Monash University Low FODMAP Certified™, a credential issued by the research group in Melbourne, Australia, that developed the low FODMAP diet. This guide covers what FODMAPs are, how the diet works, what Monash certification actually measures, and why a legume grown at 11,000 feet in the Ecuadorian Andes, stewarded by Indigenous Kichwa farming communities, came in under the line.
Quick answer
Yes, chocho protein can be low FODMAP. MIKUNA Chocho Plant Protein in Pure is Monash University Low FODMAP Certified at one serving, the serving size printed on the pouch. Samples were analyzed in a Monash-approved laboratory, and one serving fell under Monash's low FODMAP cutoffs. Pure Chocho is a single-ingredient, plant-based protein with 20 g of protein and 8 g of fiber per serving. The certification covers Pure only. MIKUNA's flavored blends are not certified.
| Detail | MIKUNA Chocho Plant Protein, Pure |
|---|---|
| Certification | Monash University Low FODMAP Certified™ |
| Certified serving | One serving, as listed on the pouch |
| Ingredients | Chocho (Lupinus mutabilis), nothing else |
| Protein per serving | 20 g |
| Fiber per serving | 8 g |
| Essential amino acids | All nine |
| Plant-based | Yes |
| Vanilla, Cacao, Cinnamon Horchata | Not certified |
A note on names: chocho is Lupinus mutabilis, the Andean lupin, also called tarwi.
What are FODMAPs?
FODMAP stands for Fermentable Oligosaccharides, Disaccharides, Monosaccharides And Polyols. They are short-chain carbohydrates that the small intestine absorbs poorly, and two things follow. They pull water into the bowel. Then, in the large intestine, gut bacteria ferment them and produce gas.
For most people, none of this is noticeable. Many FODMAPs feed beneficial gut bacteria, which is why some are sold as prebiotics. In people with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), the extra water and gas press on a gut that is more sensitive than usual, and that can show up as bloating, pain, and changes in bowel habits.
| FODMAP group | The carbohydrate | Common sources |
|---|---|---|
| Oligosaccharides | Fructans and galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS) | Wheat, rye, onion, garlic, beans, lentils, chickpeas |
| Disaccharides | Lactose | Milk, yogurt, soft cheese, whey protein concentrate |
| Monosaccharides | Fructose in excess of glucose | Honey, apples, mango, agave, high-fructose corn syrup |
| Polyols | Sorbitol, mannitol, and other sugar alcohols | Stone fruit, mushrooms, cauliflower, sugar-free sweeteners |
Monash estimates that IBS affects about one in seven adults, and its researchers report that a low FODMAP diet improves symptoms in up to three out of four people with IBS.
How does the low FODMAP diet work?
The diet is not meant to be permanent. Monash designed it as three steps for learning which FODMAPs a person reacts to, and recommends starting only after an IBS diagnosis, with a dietitian's guidance.
| Step | What happens | Typical length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Low FODMAP | High FODMAP foods are swapped for low FODMAP alternatives | 2 to 6 weeks |
| 2. Reintroduction | FODMAP groups return one at a time to identify personal triggers | 8 to 12 weeks |
| 3. Personalization | Only the FODMAPs that cause symptoms stay limited | Long term |
Monash describes step one as a substitution diet, not an elimination diet. You trade an apple for an orange, or onion for chives. That trade is where certified products earn their place. They have already been tested, so they can go into step one without guesswork.
Why is protein hard to find on a low FODMAP diet?
Unprocessed meat, fish, and eggs contain little to no carbohydrate, so they are naturally low in FODMAPs. People who eat them rarely run short of protein in step one, as long as the marinades and sauces skip garlic and onion.
Plant-based eaters have a harder time. Their core protein foods are legumes, and Monash notes that beans, peas, and lupins are naturally high in oligosaccharides, mainly GOS and fructans. Some legumes still fit in small servings, particularly canned ones that are drained and rinsed. The catch is that a small serving of legumes is also a small serving of protein.
Protein powders are less of a shortcut than they look. Monash has reported that, in its experience testing protein powders, isolating a pure protein is difficult for manufacturers, and many powders test high in FODMAPs. Pea protein shows the problem clearly. It was once listed as low FODMAP in the Monash app, but testing across brands has found that results vary with processing.
| Protein source | Main FODMAP concern | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Unprocessed meat, fish, eggs | Essentially none | Watch marinades and sauces with garlic or onion |
| Whey protein concentrate | Lactose | High FODMAP unless labeled lactose-free |
| Whey protein isolate | Much less lactose | Often suitable; check for added sweeteners and fibers |
| Pea protein | GOS, varies with processing | Results differ between brands |
| Soy | GOS and fructans in whole soybeans | Firm tofu can fit; whole soybeans and soy flour are high |
| Beans, lentils, chickpeas | GOS and fructans | Small servings of canned, drained legumes can fit |
| Lupin flour | GOS and fructans | Flagged by Monash as raising FODMAP content |
| MIKUNA Pure Chocho | Tested low at one serving | Monash University Low FODMAP Certified |
How to read a protein powder label for FODMAPs
When a protein powder is not certified, the ingredient list is the best tool you have. These are the ingredients that most often add FODMAPs to a scoop.
| On the label | FODMAP group |
|---|---|
| Inulin, chicory root, chicory root fiber | Fructans |
| FOS, GOS, "prebiotic fiber" | Oligosaccharides |
| Sorbitol, mannitol, xylitol, maltitol, isomalt | Polyols |
| Honey, agave, fructose, high-fructose corn syrup | Excess fructose |
| Apple, pear, or mango powder | Excess fructose, polyols |
| Milk solids, whey protein concentrate, milk protein concentrate | Lactose |
| Pea, lentil, chickpea, fava, soy, or lupin flour | GOS and fructans |
Two habits help. First, treat the word "prebiotic" as a flag. Monash points out that products marketed for gut health often add prebiotic fibers such as inulin, chicory root, FOS, and GOS, which can cause symptoms in some people with IBS. Second, favor short ingredient lists. Every added ingredient is one more thing to look up.
Pure Chocho has one ingredient. There is no sweetener, gum, added fiber, or flavoring to account for.
What does Monash University Low FODMAP Certification mean?
Monash's FODMAP research team developed the low FODMAP diet and has run a certification program for food products since 2014. Here is what the process involves.
Samples go to an audited lab. Monash accepts results only from laboratories it has audited, one in Wisconsin and one in Victoria, Australia, and it tests samples drawn from more than one batch.
Results are held to fixed cutoffs. Every FODMAP group has a limit per serving. A product qualifies only if the serving on its packaging stays under all of them.
The serving size is part of the certification. One certified serving is low FODMAP. A double serving is not covered.
Certified products are listed in the Monash app. The Monash University FODMAP Diet app, downloaded in more than 130 countries, lists certified products alongside the foods Monash has tested.
Formula changes must be reported. Certified brands have to tell Monash when a recipe changes.
Monash tests one thing, FODMAP content. It does not run clinical trials on certified products or endorse any claim beyond low FODMAP at the listed serving. Certification says nothing about allergens, and it is not a treatment.
The cutoffs
In 2017, Monash researchers published the cutoff values used to classify a serving as low FODMAP. They set the limits by comparing FODMAP levels in servings of foods that commonly trigger symptoms with foods that are generally well tolerated.
| FODMAP | Low FODMAP limit per serving |
|---|---|
| Oligosaccharides (fructans and GOS) | Under 0.3 g for grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds; under 0.2 g for other foods |
| Polyols (sorbitol and mannitol) | Under 0.4 g |
| Excess fructose | Under 0.15 g |
| Lactose | Under 1.0 g |
For scale, 0.3 g is less than a tenth of a teaspoon of sugar.
Why did a legume test low?
This is the part we find most interesting, and the part where we want to separate what we know from what we think.
What we know. Raw chocho contains the same family of carbohydrates that makes other legumes high in FODMAPs. Published analyses of Lupinus mutabilis report stachyose, raffinose, and verbascose, oligosaccharides of the raffinose family, which FODMAP testing measures as GOS.
What we also know. Chocho cannot be eaten straight from the plant. The seed is naturally bitter and has to be debittered first, and in the Andes that has meant water for centuries: soak the seed, cook it, then rinse it in changes of fresh water over several days.
And one more. Oligosaccharides dissolve in water. Monash's guidance on legumes explains that canned legumes, and legumes that are boiled and drained, tend to test lower because some of their oligosaccharides leach into the liquid and are poured off with it.
What we think. The days in water that take away chocho's bitterness likely carry off much of its GOS too. Sweet lupin varieties, the usual source of lupin flour, are bred to be low in bitterness and skip that long soak, which would be consistent with lupin flour testing high. We have not isolated this effect in a separate study. The result Monash measured is the only part we state as fact.
How to use Pure Chocho on a low FODMAP diet
Keep to one serving at a time. The certification covers one serving, the size printed on the pouch. A double serving in one shake is not covered.
Build the rest of the glass low FODMAP too. FODMAPs from different foods add up within a meal, an effect dietitians call FODMAP stacking. A certified protein cannot make a high FODMAP smoothie low FODMAP. Pair Pure Chocho with ingredients that have a low FODMAP serving in the Monash app, such as lactose-free milk or unsweetened almond milk, strawberries or a firm banana, a little maple syrup, and cinnamon, and check each serving size in the app.
Use Pure during step one. Vanilla, Cacao, and Cinnamon Horchata have not been certified, so Pure is the MIKUNA product with a low FODMAP result behind it.
Keep it steady during step two. Monash advises keeping the rest of your diet low FODMAP while you reintroduce one FODMAP group at a time. A certified protein you already use is one less variable.
Frequently asked questions
Is chocho protein low FODMAP?
MIKUNA Chocho Plant Protein in Pure is Monash University Low FODMAP Certified at one serving, the size listed on the pouch. The certification does not cover larger servings or MIKUNA's flavored blends.
What does Monash University Low FODMAP Certified mean?
It means samples of a product were tested in a Monash-approved laboratory and one serving, as listed on the package, came in under Monash's low FODMAP cutoffs. It is a statement about FODMAP content only.
What is the best protein powder for a low FODMAP diet?
The best choice is one certified low FODMAP at the serving you actually use, with no high FODMAP additives. For plant-based eaters, Pure Chocho is a single-ingredient option with a Monash certification and 20 g of protein per serving.
Is lupin low FODMAP?
Usually not. Monash lists lupin flour among the ingredients that raise a food's FODMAP content, and legumes in general are high in GOS. Pure Chocho, made from Andean lupin debittered in water, tested low at one serving.
Is pea protein low FODMAP?
It depends on the product. Pea protein was once listed as low FODMAP in the Monash app, but testing across brands has found that results vary with processing. Without certification, there is no way to tell from the label.
Are MIKUNA's Vanilla, Cacao, and Cinnamon Horchata flavors low FODMAP?
They have not been certified. During the first step of the diet, use Pure.
How much Pure Chocho can I have on a low FODMAP diet?
One serving at a sitting, the size listed on the pouch. That is the amount Monash certified.
Can I use chocho if I have a peanut allergy?
Talk to your allergist first. Chocho is a lupin, and people with peanut allergy can react to lupin. Lupin is also a regulated allergen in the European Union. Low FODMAP describes carbohydrates, not allergens.
Is the low FODMAP diet for everyone?
No. Monash developed it for people with IBS, as a three-step process with a short restrictive phase, and recommends following it after a diagnosis and with a dietitian. Most people have no reason to limit FODMAPs.
An old method, a new measurement
For centuries, communities across the Andes have soaked and rinsed chocho for days before eating it. Nobody was counting oligosaccharides. They were turning a bitter seed into food.
Monash University measured what is in the pouch today. One serving of Pure Chocho is low FODMAP, which puts a legume protein back on the table during the weeks when most legumes are off it.
The Monash credential sits with the rest of our lab results on our third-party testing page.
Sources
- Monash FODMAP. Join the Monash University Low FODMAP Certification program. https://www.monashfodmap.com/product-and-recipe-certification-program/about-certification/
- Monash FODMAP. Certify products as low FODMAP. https://www.monashfodmap.com/product-and-recipe-certification-program/certify-a-product/
- Monash FODMAP. Including legumes on a low FODMAP diet. https://www.monashfodmap.com/blog/including-legumes-on-low-fodmap-diet/
- Monash FODMAP. Label reading and FODMAPs. https://www.monashfodmap.com/blog/update-label-reading/
- Monash FODMAP. The 3 steps of the FODMAP diet. https://monashfodmap.com/blog/3-phases-low-fodmap-diet/
- Varney J, Barrett J, Scarlata K, Catsos P, Gibson PR, Muir JG. FODMAPs: food composition, defining cutoff values and international application. J Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2017;32 Suppl 1:53-61. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28244665/
This article is general education, not medical advice. The low FODMAP diet should be followed with guidance from a healthcare professional. Nutrition values are per serving of MIKUNA Chocho Plant Protein, Pure, and may vary slightly by lot.
Monash University Low FODMAP Certified™ trade marks used under license in the United States by MIKUNA Foods, Inc. One serving of MIKUNA Chocho Plant Protein, Pure, can assist with following the Monash University Low FODMAP Diet™. A low FODMAP diet does not treat a disease but may help meet nutritional needs with reduced gastrointestinal symptoms. A strict low FODMAP diet should only be commenced under the supervision of a healthcare professional. Monash University receives a license fee for use of the Monash University Low FODMAP Certified™ trade marks.
