Amaranth

Why amaranth is rated low

Amaranth is rated low FODMAP overall, estimated from what the grain is made of rather than from a measured serving. The ladder shows a Small serving at LOW and a Large serving at MODERATE, so amaranth porridge or a side of cooked amaranth fits when it is kept to a Small serving, and the level climbs when it becomes the bulk of the plate. It is a naturally gluten free seed that cooks like a grain, which makes it a useful break from wheat, but low here means low at a Small serving, not low at any amount.

What changes your risk

• Serving size A Small serving reads low and a Large serving reads moderate. Amaranth absorbs a lot of liquid as it cooks, so portion the cooked grain rather than guessing from the dry seed.
• Stock and seasoning Amaranth is often simmered in stock for savoury dishes. Ordinary stock and seasoning blends commonly contain onion and garlic, which can turn a low side into a high one. Cook it in water or a stock made without them, and add flavour with garlic-infused oil and chives.
• Popped amaranth and bars Popped amaranth often turns up in cereal mixes and snack bars bound with honey, agave or inulin. Those binders are high FODMAP even when the amaranth is not.
• Flour blends Amaranth flour is frequently blended with wheat flour in breads and crackers, which brings wheat's own FODMAP load into a product that sounds like an amaranth food.
• Whole meal load Low is per serving, not per meal. Pairing a Small serving of amaranth with rice, quinoa or potato fills the plate without pushing amaranth itself to a Large serving.

What else works

For the same role as a porridge base or a side grain, quinoa, rice, oats, buckwheat and polenta are all reliable low FODMAP options, and mixing amaranth with one of them gives a fuller bowl without relying on a Large serving of amaranth. The lookalikes that are not low are the ones that share its shelf: couscous, barley and rye, plus multigrain breads and crackers where amaranth is a minor ingredient next to wheat flour.

How to keep it low

Simmer amaranth in water or a homemade stock without onion or garlic. Cooked amaranth thickens and sets as it cools, so make porridge to order or loosen leftovers with lactose-free milk. When batch cooking, portion a Small serving into each container so the serving stays where the data puts it. When buying puffed amaranth, bars or flour blends, read the ingredients for honey, agave, inulin, chicory root fibre or wheat flour.

Common questions

is amaranth low fodmap

Yes. Amaranth is rated low FODMAP overall, estimated from what the grain is made of. A Small serving reads low and a Large serving climbs to moderate.

how much amaranth can you eat on low fodmap

Keep it to a Small serving, which reads low. A Large serving reads moderate, and no gram or cup figure is given for either rung because the rating is estimated from composition.

is puffed amaranth low fodmap

The amaranth itself is rated low overall, but puffed amaranth is often sold in bars and cereals bound with honey, agave or inulin, which are high FODMAP. Check the ingredient list before assuming the product follows the grain's rating.

can i eat amaranth during the elimination phase

A Small serving of plain amaranth reads low, so it can fit the elimination phase. Cook it without onion or garlic stock and avoid blends that include wheat flour.