A low FODMAP foods list only works if you understand why certain foods are on it. FODMAPs are five groups of short-chain carbohydrates that ferment in the gut and pull water into the intestines — fructose, lactose, fructans, galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS), and polyols. Not all of them will bother you. The elimination diet is about finding which groups are your personal triggers, then avoiding only those.
This guide breaks down each FODMAP group, names the worst offenders, and lists safe alternatives with serving sizes. For ready-to-eat ideas, see our low FODMAP snacks guide.
Fructose
Fructose is a simple sugar found in fruit, honey, and high-fructose corn syrup. The issue isn't fructose itself — it's excess fructose, meaning foods where fructose exceeds glucose. When there's more fructose than glucose, your small intestine can't absorb it efficiently.
High-fructose foods to avoid: apples, pears, mangoes, watermelon, honey, agave nectar, high-fructose corn syrup.
Safe low-fructose alternatives:
- Banana (firm, medium) — 1 medium. Ripe bananas have more fructose, so choose ones that are still slightly green.
- Blueberries — 1/4 cup (40g)
- Strawberries — 5 medium berries
- Orange — 1 medium
- Grapes — 6 grapes
- Strawberries — 10 medium
- Cantaloupe — 3/4 cup cubed
- Maple syrup — 2 tablespoons (a safe sweetener swap for honey)
Lactose
Lactose is the sugar in milk. People with lactose malabsorption lack enough of the enzyme lactase to break it down. The severity varies widely — some people tolerate hard cheese but not a glass of milk.
High-lactose foods to avoid: cow's milk, soft cheeses (cottage cheese, ricotta in large amounts), regular yogurt, ice cream, custard.
Safe low-lactose alternatives:
- Cheddar cheese — 2 oz (aged cheeses lose most lactose during aging)
- Parmesan — 2 tablespoons grated
- Swiss cheese — 2 oz
- Brie — 2 oz
- Butter — 1 tablespoon (virtually lactose-free)
- Lactose-free milk — 1 cup (same nutrition, lactase enzyme added)
- Lactose-free yogurt — 3/4 cup
- Coconut milk (unsweetened) — 1 cup
- Oat milk — 1/2 cup (larger servings may contain enough fructans from oats to cause issues)
Fructans
Fructans are chains of fructose molecules found in wheat, onions, and garlic. They are the most common FODMAP trigger and the hardest to avoid when eating out, because onion and garlic show up in sauces, seasonings, broths, and marinades.
High-fructan foods to avoid: garlic, onions (all types), wheat-based bread, wheat pasta, rye, barley, inulin/chicory root fiber, artichokes.
Safe low-fructan alternatives:
- Sourdough spelt bread — 2 slices (long fermentation reduces fructans)
- Gluten-free bread — 2 slices (check for inulin or chicory root)
- White rice — 1 cup cooked
- Oats — 1/2 cup dry
- Potatoes — 1 medium
- Green tops of spring onions — 1/2 cup chopped (a flavor substitute for onion)
- Garlic-infused olive oil — 1 tablespoon (fructans are water-soluble, not oil-soluble, so they don't transfer into the oil)
- Chives — 1 tablespoon
GOS (Galacto-Oligosaccharides)
GOS are found primarily in legumes and pulses. They're the reason beans cause gas in almost everyone — but for people with IBS, the effect is amplified.
High-GOS foods to avoid: kidney beans, black beans, chickpeas (large servings), lentils, soybeans (large servings), baked beans.
Safe low-GOS alternatives:
- Canned chickpeas (rinsed) — 1/4 cup (42g). Canning and rinsing reduce GOS content.
- Canned lentils (rinsed) — 1/2 cup. Same principle — draining the liquid helps.
- Firm tofu — 2/3 cup diced (firm tofu is pressed, which removes much of the GOS-containing liquid)
- Tempeh — 1/2 cup (100g). Fermentation breaks down GOS.
- Edamame — 1/2 cup shelled (small portions only)
- Peanuts — 32 nuts. Peanuts are legumes but very low in GOS.
- Walnuts — 10 halves (30g). Low in GOS at this serving size.
Polyols
Polyols are sugar alcohols — sorbitol and mannitol — found naturally in some fruits and vegetables, and added to sugar-free products. They draw water into the bowel and ferment, causing bloating and diarrhea in sensitive people.
High-polyol foods to avoid: apples, pears, stone fruits (peaches, plums, cherries, nectarines), mushrooms, cauliflower (large servings), sugar-free gum and mints with sorbitol/mannitol/xylitol.
Safe low-polyol alternatives:
- Banana (firm) — 1 medium
- Blueberries — 1/4 cup
- Strawberries — 5 medium
- Grapes — 6 grapes
- Carrots — 1 medium
- Green beans — 3/4 cup
- Bell peppers — 1/2 cup sliced
- Zucchini — 1/2 cup sliced
- Romaine lettuce — 1 cup raw or 1/2 cup cooked
- Cucumber — 1 cup sliced
How to Use This Low FODMAP Foods List
Start with elimination: avoid all five groups for 2-6 weeks. Then reintroduce one group at a time over three days, increasing the portion each day. If you react, that group is a trigger for you. If you don't, those foods go back on your safe list.
Serving sizes matter more than food choice. Many foods are low FODMAP at a small serving and high FODMAP at a regular serving — walnuts, avocado, oats, and canned legumes all fall into this category.
For practical ways to turn this list into actual meals, check out our low FODMAP meal ideas for a full week of breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Take the Guesswork Out of Dining
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