Apple Juice

High FODMAP

Tested serving

1 cup (250mL) High

Sorbitol

Apple juice is High FODMAP at 1 cup (250mL), driven by its concentrated Sorbitol content.

The Sorbitol in apples is a sugar alcohol that becomes highly concentrated when the fruit is pressed into juice, so a full 1 cup (250mL) serving lands firmly in the high range.
Juice tends to be sipped in generous glassfuls and often shows up in blends, smoothies, and mixers, so it is worth keeping an eye on where it hides in flavored drinks and processed foods.

If you are after something fruity, a glass of water with a squeeze of citrus can be a refreshing way to go.

Per 1 cup (250mL): 1.25g sorbitol.

Why apple juice is rated high

Apple juice is high FODMAP at 1 cup (250mL), and sorbitol is what puts it there. Pressing apples into juice takes the sorbitol from several pieces of fruit, leaves the fibre behind in the pulp, and delivers the rest in a glass that goes down in a couple of minutes. Only one serving has been tested, 1 cup (250mL), and it comes in high, so there is no lower rung on this ladder to fall back on and no tested amount that sits in the low range. Apple in its whole form is not a low FODMAP fruit either, and juicing makes the same sugars far easier to take in quickly.

What changes your risk

Juicing is the whole story Juice concentrates the sugars of several apples into one glass and leaves the fibre behind, which is why a drink made from a fruit behaves differently from the fruit itself.
Serving size, with nothing lower tested The published data gives one rung only, 1 cup (250mL), and it is high. No smaller amount of apple juice has been tested, so there is no tested serving to point you toward.
Stacking sorbitol across a meal Sorbitol adds up from several sources at once. Stone fruit such as peach, plum, apricot and nectarine, blackberries, and sugar-free gum or mints sweetened with sorbitol all draw on the same pool, so a glass of apple juice next to any of them makes the load worse than either alone.
Hidden apple juice in other products Apple juice concentrate is a common sweetener and bulking juice in drinks labelled no added sugar, in fruit smoothies, snack bars, fruit purees, cider and many cordials, so the ingredient list matters more than the front of the pack.
Cooking it down does not help Simmering apple juice into a glaze or sauce only concentrates it further. Heat does not break sorbitol down, so a reduction carries more in a smaller volume, not less.

Swaps

For thirst, water with a squeeze of lemon or lime, plain sparkling water, or a cup of tea fill the role without the sorbitol. If it is fruit you are after, eat it whole: oranges, mandarins, kiwi, grapes, strawberries, pineapple and cantaloupe are all low FODMAP options that give you flavour and fibre together. Where a recipe uses apple juice to sweeten a glaze, dressing or baked dish, maple syrup, table sugar or rice malt syrup does the same job. Do not swap in pear juice, cloudy apple juice, apple cider, mango or watermelon juice, or anything sweetened with apple juice concentrate or high fructose corn syrup, because those run into the same trouble.

How to lower the load

Labels are where this gets decided. Cartons sold as apple and berry, tropical blend or no added sugar are usually apple juice doing the bulking work, so check the ingredient list rather than the flavour name. The same goes for pork and ham glazes, barbecue sauces, marinades, cordials and children's drink boxes. Ordering out, soda water with lime or plain water is the reliable ask, since cafe juice blends and smoothies are built on apple more often than not. If you want apple flavour in the house for other people, keeping the carton in a separate spot in the fridge door makes it harder to pour by habit.

Common questions

how much apple juice is low fodmap

No tested amount comes in low. The published serving data gives one rung, 1 cup (250mL), and it is high FODMAP, so there is no tested serving of apple juice that sits in the low range.

is apple juice high in sorbitol

Yes. Sorbitol is the subgroup that drives the rating, and it is concentrated by pressing the fruit into juice, which is why 1 cup (250mL) lands high.

can i drink apple juice during the elimination phase

Apple juice is kept out during the elimination phase because its only tested serving is high. Whether it comes back later is worked out during reintroduction with a dietitian, and tolerance varies from person to person.

what juice can i drink instead of apple juice

Water with lemon or lime, sparkling water, or whole low FODMAP fruit such as oranges, mandarins or grapes fill the same role. Pear juice and apple cider are not swaps, since they carry the same trouble.

Learn more

Informational only, not medical advice. Individual tolerance varies. Talk to a healthcare professional or a dietitian for personal guidance.

References

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 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. 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.