Are you wondering “Are grapes low FODMAP?”. Unfortunately, they are no longer low FODMAP at normal portion sizes since they were rested in June 2024. Read on to find out why and if you can still eat them if you have Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS).
Grapes are a popular, nutrient-rich fruit known for their many health benefits. However, for people with IBS, grapes can be tricky due to their fructose content. In this blog, we’ll take a closer look at the FODMAP content of red and green/white grapes. I’ll also explain why these serving sizes have changed, and explore how fructose intolerance in IBS affects digestion.
Are Grapes Low FODMAP?
Both red and green/white seedless grapes contain fructose, which can cause digestive symptoms for people with IBS, even at a very low portion size.
Grapes have previously been given a much more generous low FODMAP serving size. However, in June 2024, Monash University retested grapes and they were unfortunately found to be high FODMAP this time. The low FODMAP serve was changed to just 2 grapes for both red and white/green grapes.
Find out more about the low FODMAP diet here, especially if you follow a plant-rich diet.
Green/white grapes FODMAP content
Here is a summary of the low, moderate and high FODMAP levels of green or white grapes:
- A low FODMAP serving is 11 grams (about 2 medium grapes).
- A moderate FODMAP serving is 15 grams (about 3 medium grapes), which may trigger symptoms for some individuals.
- A high FODMAP serving is 75 grams (around 15 medium grapes). This amount is likely to cause digestive issues for those with fructose intolerance.
Red grapes FODMAP content
Here is a summary of the low, moderate and high FODMAP levels of red grapes:
- A low FODMAP serving is 10 grams (about 2 medium grapes).
- A moderate FODMAP serving is 14 grams (about 3 medium grapes), which could cause symptoms in some people.
- A high FODMAP serving is 75 grams (about 15 medium grapes). Eating this amount may may lead to digestive discomfort if you have fructose intolerance.
Are Grapes Low FODMAP?
I’ve made a table showing you the FODMAP content of red and white or green grapes:
Why has the Grapes FODMAP serving size changed?
Monash University, the founders of the low FODMAP diet, have found the need to retest foods from time to time. It has been found that the FODMAP content of foods, particularly fresh foods like fruit and vegetables, can vary significantly between varieties and depending on where they were grown. This is partly due to the impact of climate change on agriculture and soil quality.
Additionally plants can themselves increase the production of fructans to improve their hardiness and resistance to stressors such as environmental changes, pests and disease.
Another cause is that fresh produce undergo chemical changes during storage. This includes breaking down starches into fructans, fructose and other sugars in a phenomemon known as ‘cold-induced sweetening’.
Demand for sweeter tasting fruits has also led producers to breed varieties which have higher a fructose content as they are more popular with consumers.
Fructose intolerance in IBS
Fructose intolerance is a common reason why people with IBS experience bloating, stomach pain and changes in their bowel habits. Fructose is a type of carbohydrate known as a FODMAP (fermentable carbohydrates; ‘fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides and polyols’), which can cause digestive problems for some people. This happens because fructose isn’t always fully absorbed in the small intestine. Instead, it draws water into the gut and gets quickly fermented by bacteria, leading to gas production, bloating, discomfort and sometimes pain.
In the small intestine, fructose is absorbed with the help of two transporters in the intestine wall. One of these also transports glucose, a simple sugar found in many plant foods. This is why fructose is easier to absorb when eaten along with glucose, such as is found in honey, agave nectar, brown sugar and maple syrup. However, if a meal contains more fructose than glucose, the body struggles to absorb fructose as well. This unabsorbed fructose ends up in the large intestine, where gut bacteria ferment it, producing gas and contributing to bloating and other symptoms.
Fructose can also pull more water into the gut, speeding up digestion and sometimes causing loose stools or diarrhoea. This effect is stronger with fructose than some other FODMAPs including galactooligosaccharides (GOS) and fructans.
Because of these effects, fructose intolerance is often a major reason why people with IBS feel bloated or experience gas-related symptoms.
What are the Health Benefits of Grapes?
Grapes offer several health benefits due to their rich content of bioactive compounds, such as polyphenols, flavonoids and antioxidants. These compounds have been shown to have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, cardioprotective, anticancer and gut microbiota-modulating effects.
Regular consumption of grapes or grape-based products can help reduce oxidative stress, improve heart health by lowering blood pressure and may also provide anti-aging and neuroprotective benefits.
So you can see that if you are able to tolerate grapes even at a moderate FODMAP level, starting at around 3 grapes, it is beneficial for your health to do so. This level of FODMAP intake may still keep your IBS symptoms under control, as long as you’re avoiding other triggers at the same eating time, particularly other moderate or high FODMAP foods.
If you do have fructose intolerance, make sure you limit your fruit intake to no more than 2-3 portions per day and spread them out throughout different meals with at least a three hour gap between them.
Which Fruits are Low FODMAP?
So if you can’t rely on grapes any more, which fruits are low in FODMAPs and won’t trigger your IBS? I’ve put together a list of low FODMAP fruits for you and their low FODMAP serving sizes, shown in brackets:
- Bananas; firm, not overripe (95 g, one medium fruit)
- Blueberries (up to 125 g or more)
- Strawberries (5 medium)
- Kiwi (150 g)
- Oranges (130 g)
- Raspberries (58 g, 1/3 cup)
- Pineapple (140 g)
- Cantaloupe melon (121 g, ¾ cup)
- Papaya (140 g or more)
- Dragon fruit (330 g, 1 medium)
Incorporating these fruits into your diet can offer variety, flavour and essential nutrients, such as vitamin C and A and magnesium and potassium, as well as antioxidants. All without aggravating IBS symptoms.
Conclusion
Although grapes have been found to be high FODMAP in larger servings, they still offer many health benefits, such as antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. If you can tolerate grapes at a low or moderate FODMAP level, they can still be a healthy addition to your diet. For those with fructose intolerance, managing portion sizes and spreading your fruit intake throughout the day can help you avoid symptoms. Understanding your triggers will allow you to enjoy the benefits of grapes while keeping your IBS in check.
