Almonds
Serving sizes
Almonds changes rating with portion size. These are the amounts tested in the literature behind our ratings.
- About 16 nuts (20g)
- Larger portions
- Much larger portions
Almonds are Low FODMAP at about 16 nuts (20g), so the handful needs to stay small.
- About 16 nuts (20g) sits low.
- GOS builds quickly after that, so larger portions climb to moderate and much larger portions land high.
- Sliced and slivered almonds over salads or baking add up fast, so measure rather than pour.
Count out a small handful for a snack, and mix in a different nut if you want more.
Why almonds is rated low
Almonds come in low at about 16 nuts (20g), which is why they show up on so many low FODMAP snack lists. The catch is how quickly that changes: larger portions are moderate and much larger portions are high, and the gap is only a few nuts. GOS is what builds as the handful grows. Almonds are one of the easiest foods in the pantry to overshoot because a small handful looks like almost nothing in the palm of your hand. So the honest answer is yes, low, but only as a counted portion rather than a poured one.
What changes your risk
- The count is the whole story About 16 nuts (20g) is low, larger portions are moderate and much larger portions are high. There is no middle trick that raises the cap, so the useful habit is counting out about 16 nuts (20g) and putting the bag away rather than eating straight from it.
- Grazing across the afternoon A few nuts here, a few more an hour later, then a handful while cooking adds up to the same load as one big serve. Treat about 16 nuts (20g) as the amount for a sitting, and leave real space between servings rather than topping up.
- Sliced, slivered and flaked forms hide the amount A scattering of flaked almonds over a salad or a spoonful of slivers in a stir fry is more nut than it looks, because it has been cut thin and spread out. Weighing whole nuts and chopping them yourself keeps the amount visible.
- Almond meal and marzipan concentrate the nut Ground almonds pack a lot of nut into a small volume, so a wedge of almond cake, a macaron or a lump of marzipan can carry far more than about 16 nuts (20g). The serves here cover whole nuts only.
- What else is on the plate A low serving is per food, not per meal. About 16 nuts (20g) alongside several other borderline items in one sitting builds the overall FODMAP load of that meal, so keep the rest of the plate to low servings too.
- Coatings and flavourings Honey roasted, barbecue, chilli lime and other seasoned almonds bring whatever is in the coating with them, and onion and garlic powder are common in savoury blends. Plain raw or dry roasted almonds keep the serving predictable.
What else works
If about 16 nuts (20g) is not enough to feel like a snack, bulk it out with other nuts and seeds that are low at their own servings rather than simply eating more almonds: peanuts, macadamias, walnuts, pecans and pumpkin seeds all fill the same crunchy, salty role, and a mixed handful spreads the load instead of concentrating it in one food. The two lookalikes to leave out are cashews and pistachios, which are high at ordinary snacking amounts and are the usual culprits in supermarket nut mixes and trail mixes, so check what is in the bag before you scoop. For a nut butter on toast, smooth peanut butter is the straightforward swap.
How to keep it low
Buy plain almonds, raw or dry roasted, and portion them the day you open the bag: count about 16 nuts (20g) into small containers or snap bags so a snack is already portioned when you are hungry and reaching. Store the bulk bag somewhere less convenient than the portions, because the nuts you eat by the fistful are almost always the ones sitting open on the counter. If you are baking or making a salad for a group, chop weighed whole almonds rather than pouring flaked ones from a packet, and scatter them so each plate gets a similar share. Eating out, ask for nuts on the side of a salad or pilaf so you decide how many land on the plate, and skip the seasoned and honey roasted tins where the coating is an unknown.
Common questions
how many almonds can i eat on a low fodmap diet
About 16 nuts (20g) is the low serving. Larger portions move to moderate and much larger portions are high, so counting rather than grabbing a handful makes the difference.
is a big handful of almonds ok
A big handful is past the low serve: about 16 nuts (20g) is low, larger portions are moderate and much larger portions are high. If you want more volume in a snack, keep almonds at about 16 nuts (20g) and add peanuts, macadamias or pumpkin seeds alongside.
can i eat almonds during the elimination phase
Yes, at about 16 nuts (20g), kept to plain almonds without seasoned coatings. Tolerance still varies between people, and any broader reintroduction is best worked through with a dietitian.
is almond flour the same as eating almonds
Not in practice. Ground almonds pack much more nut into a small volume than you would weigh out by hand, so a slice of almond meal cake or a piece of marzipan can go well past the low serve of about 16 nuts (20g) of whole almonds. The serves here apply to whole almonds.
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Where this rating comes from
Almonds is rated from published lab measurements of its FODMAP content, using the low, moderate and high cutoffs of Varney et al. (2017).
Feedback sent through the FODMAP Foods app has led to changes in this list.
Sources
- Fructan and free fructose content of common Australian vegetables and fruit. Muir et al. (2007), J. Agricultural and Food Chemistry 55(16):6619-6627.
- Measurement of short-chain carbohydrates in common Australian vegetables and fruits by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Muir et al. (2009), J. Agricultural and Food Chemistry 57(2):554-565.
- Quantification of fructans, galacto-oligosaccharides and other short-chain carbohydrates in processed grains and cereals. Biesiekierski et al. (2011), J. Human Nutrition and Dietetics 24(2):154-176.
- Dietary sorbitol and mannitol: food content and distinct absorption patterns between healthy individuals and patients with irritable bowel syndrome. Yao et al. (2014), J. Human Nutrition and Dietetics 27(Suppl 2):263-275.
- FODMAPs: food composition, defining cutoff values and international application. Varney et al. (2017), J. Gastroenterology and Hepatology 32(Suppl 1):53-61. Supplies the low, moderate and high cutoffs used on this page.
Informational only, not medical advice. Individual tolerance varies. Talk to a healthcare professional or a dietitian for personal guidance.