Masa Harina Is Low FODMAP
IBS FRIENDLY • GLUTEN-FREE • LACTOSE-FREE • VEGAN • LOW FODMAP
Masa harina (dough flour), corn flour and cornmeal are not the same things. Masa is corn that has been cooked with alkaline (nixtamalization) and when ground is smoother and more flavorful for making dough. Corn flour is ground dried corn that does not offer the same texture or flavor for tamale dough. Cornmeal is dried ground corn that is generally more coarse and gritty in texture.
Monash has tested masa harina to be low FODMAP in servings of 2/3 cup (100 grams) each. This is a generous LoFO amount. For example, when making corn tortillas I pull a golf ball sized piece of dough (1.6-ounce / 45 grams) to form into a ball and press into thin tortillas. At two tortillas per serving, that’s below the low serving portion at 90 grams.
Masa Harina is also a versatile ingredient for making homemade tamales, thickening stews and chili, mixing into cookie and pancake batter, and thickening Mexican hot chocolate, to name a few uses.
If you are looking to add masa harina to your pantry staples, the following recipes are delicious, with step by step methods —
• Tamale Presents – for steamed tamale dough
• Santa Fe Soup (Taco Soup) – as a flavorful thickener
• Albondigas Gigante (Giant Meatballs)
• Southwest Seafood Tower – for mini corn tortillas
• Empanada Taco Salad – as a flavorful filling thickener
Wishing you great success and big flavor with your low FODMAP cooking!
Amy 
Note: Maseco Gluten-Free Masa Harina is an excellent brand that can be found in most southwestern grocery stores, carnicerias, and in the Latin foods section of specialty stores. If it is not available to you, Tap Here for our online ingredients shop.
If you have questions or a dish suggestion for FODify It! please write to us via our Contact Page.
To learn more about the Low FODMAP Diet, visit the Monash University website.