FODMAPs and Faba Bean Protein: What We Can Tell You
If you're following a low-FODMAP diet and wondering whether our faba bean protein isolate is safe to use, the honest answer is: we don't know. It hasn't been FODMAP tested, and we're not claiming it is low FODMAP. If you're on a supervised protocol, speak to your dietitian before adding any new protein powder.
Why this question comes up
Faba beans — also called broad beans or Vicia faba — are legumes. Whole faba beans are considered high FODMAP, primarily because of their galacto-oligosaccharide (GOS) content. GOS is a fermentable carbohydrate. In the context of whole faba beans, these fermentable carbohydrates are associated with symptoms such as bloating, gas, cramping or changes in bowel habits in people with IBS or gut sensitivities — which is why the question about the isolate arises.
Why isolate and whole bean are different
Protein isolate is made by processing the whole legume to extract and concentrate the protein fraction. The carbohydrate fraction — which is where GOS sits — is largely removed during this process. That is why, in principle, a protein isolate from a high-FODMAP legume can end up with a substantially lower FODMAP load than the whole food it came from.
Here is what the verified analysis shows for our isolate. Per 100g: total carbohydrate 2g, of which available carbohydrate 0.9g, sugars 1.4g, and dietary fibre less than 0.5g. Protein is 87.6g, which is the typical analysed value; the specification minimum is 85% on a dry basis.
At a 30g serving, all carbohydrate of every type combined comes to roughly 0.6g. GOS is a subset of that total carbohydrate figure — it cannot exceed 0.6g and is realistically far less. Monash University's published guidance typically treats GOS above around 0.2g per serving as a moderate-to-high FODMAP level — check the current Monash app for the latest figures, as thresholds are periodically revised. The isolation process is also specifically the step that removes the carbohydrate fraction where GOS is found.
We haven't carried out a GOS assay on this product. We can't tell you the GOS figure directly. What we can tell you is the maths: GOS is bounded by total carbohydrate, and total carbohydrate at a 30g serving is 0.6g. That is the extent of what the carbohydrate data allows us to infer. Anyone on a dietitian-supervised low-FODMAP protocol should treat this as an untested variable and check before using it.
What we don't know
Without a formal FODMAP test and Monash certification, we can't confirm this product meets low-FODMAP standards. The reasoning above is grounded in real numbers, but it is not a substitute for assay data. If you need certainty rather than inference, look for a product that has been formally tested and certified. Some manufacturers publish those results. That is a higher standard of evidence, and for people managing gut symptoms carefully, it matters.
What to do next
If you have not yet had a diagnosis and are experiencing gut symptoms, speak to your GP before making dietary changes. If you are already working with a dietitian on a low-FODMAP protocol, ask them before introducing any new supplement. We're happy to share the full product specification sheet — including processing details — if your dietitian wants to review it. Get in touch with us directly.
About our faba bean protein isolate
The protein itself is manufactured by Australian Plant Proteins in Horsham, Victoria, Australia, and supplied to us through First Grade International Ltd in Bromsgrove. Pump House blends and packs in Weston-super-Mare. Shelf life is 24 months from manufacture, unopened.
The isolate is free from cereals containing gluten, egg, fish, crustaceans, peanuts, tree nuts, soya, milk, molluscs, lupin, celery, mustard, sesame and sulphites — at product, factory and production line level, with batch testing to confirm. It is suitable for vegans and vegetarians. It is free from gluten-containing cereals, batch tested at below 5 ppm — well inside the 20 ppm limit that a gluten-free claim requires — making it suitable for people with coeliac disease. It is free from tree nuts and peanuts at product, factory and production line level. Faba bean is itself a legume; if you have a diagnosed legume allergy, speak to your GP before using this product.
Protein contributes to a growth in muscle mass, to the maintenance of muscle mass, and to the maintenance of normal bones.
