Apricot Juice

High FODMAP

Serving sizes

Apricot Juice changes rating with portion size. Its rating is estimated from what it is made of, so the servings are described rather than weighed.

Small serving Moderate
Moderate serving High
Large serving High

Sorbitol

Apricot juice is High FODMAP, since juicing concentrates the natural sugars of this stone fruit into a strong, sweet pour.

Apricots carry plenty of sorbitol, and juicing packs that polyol into every sip, so even a small serving lands at moderate and climbs to high by a moderate glass.
Whole and dried apricots share the same sorbitol load, and juices from other stone fruits tend to behave the same way, so watch the pours of any that concentrate the fruit.

When you want something fruity to drink, reach for a low-FODMAP juice like orange or a splash of cranberry to keep things comfortable.

Why apricot juice is rated high

Apricot juice is high FODMAP, and sorbitol is the reason. Apricots carry this polyol, and juicing presses the sorbitol of several fruits into one glass while leaving the fibre behind, so it is more concentrated than eating an apricot. The rating is estimated from what the juice is made of rather than from a measured serving. The lowest rung on the ladder, a "Small serving", already reads MODERATE, and a "Moderate serving" or "Large serving" is HIGH. There is no low rung, so there is no pour of apricot juice this page can call low.

What changes your risk

Serving size "Small serving" is MODERATE, while "Moderate serving" and "Large serving" are both HIGH. The step from the first rung to the second is where it tips into high.
Juice, nectar and dried Juicing concentrates the sorbitol of several apricots into one drink. Nectars made from apricot purée and juice concentrates follow the same logic, and dried apricots concentrate it further by removing the water.
Heating and reducing Simmering apricot juice into a glaze or sauce does not break down sorbitol. Reducing it boils off water and leaves the sorbitol more concentrated in what remains.
Stacking sorbitol Sorbitol adds up across a meal. Apricot juice with pear, peach, plum, nectarine, cherries, blackberries or apple, or followed by sugar-free gum or mints, piles more of the same polyol on top.
Mixed fruit drinks Multi-fruit juices and smoothies can use apricot, peach or pear as a base, so the sorbitol may be there even when apricot is not in the name.

Swaps

Whole apricots, dried apricots and other stone fruit juices are not swaps, because they carry the same sorbitol. For a fruity drink, whole oranges, mandarins, pineapple or kiwi bring sweetness and tang, and sparkling water with sliced strawberries or orange slices covers the cold-drink role. Where apricot juice goes into a glaze or marinade, maple syrup with grated orange zest and ginger gives a sticky, fruity finish without the sorbitol. Avoid pear, peach, plum, nectarine, cherry, apple or sugar-free sweeteners as replacements.

How to lower the load

If apricot juice is in a recipe, replace it outright rather than cutting it down, since even a "Small serving" reads MODERATE. Read fruit drink labels carefully: apricot can turn up in tropical blends, nectars and breakfast juices, and sorbitol itself can be listed as a sweetener in sugar-free drinks. When ordering a smoothie or juice blend out, ask what the base fruit is before it is made. At home, a jug of water infused with orange slices and strawberries kept in the fridge makes the fruity drink easy to reach for instead.

Common questions

is apricot juice low fodmap

No. Apricot juice is rated high FODMAP overall because of sorbitol, estimated from what it is made of. Its smallest rung, "Small serving", reads MODERATE, and "Moderate serving" is HIGH.

is apricot juice high in sorbitol

Yes, sorbitol is the subgroup behind its rating. Juicing gathers the sorbitol from several apricots into one glass, which is why the juice climbs quickly.

are dried apricots better than apricot juice for fodmap

No. Drying removes water and concentrates the sorbitol, so dried apricots are not a lower FODMAP way to get the flavour. Neither form is a low FODMAP swap.

what can i drink instead of apricot juice

Whole oranges, mandarins, kiwi or pineapple, or water infused with strawberries or orange slices, fill the fruity drink role without the apricot's sorbitol. Peach, pear, plum, cherry and apple juices are not swaps.

Learn more

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

Apricot Juice is an estimated rating: it is inferred from the food's ingredients and composition and cross-checked, not measured directly in the papers below. The low, moderate and high cutoffs are still those of Varney et al. (2017).

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.