Artichoke

High FODMAP

Serving sizes

Artichoke 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

Fructans

Artichoke is High FODMAP, one of those vegetables that packs a lot of fermentable fiber into every bite.

Artichokes are rich in inulin-type Fructans, so even a small serving lands at moderate, and a moderate to large serving pushes it firmly high.
This applies to most forms you will find, from fresh globe artichokes to hearts, though heavy marinades or added ingredients can shift the picture.

When you want that tender, savory heart flavor, try a low-FODMAP vegetable like canned bamboo shoots or the green tops of spring onions in your dish instead.

Why artichoke is rated high

Artichoke is high, and the reason is fructans. Much of what gives an artichoke its dense, fibrous character is inulin-type fructan, and it is concentrated enough that the food is high overall. That rating is estimated from what the artichoke is made of rather than measured from a weighed portion, so the ladder is written in words. The climb is short and steep: a "Small serving" already reads moderate, a "Moderate serving" is high, and a "Large serving" stays high. There is no rung anywhere on that ladder that comes in low, which is the honest answer to the question most people arrive with. Having just a little is not a way around it, because the smallest tested amount is already moderate.

What changes your risk

Serving size, and how little room there is The whole ladder lives between moderate and high. A "Small serving" is moderate, and by a "Moderate serving" it is high and stays there at a "Large serving". Because nothing is tested below moderate, cutting the helping down is not a strategy the data supports.
Stacking with other fructan foods Fructans add up across a meal, so artichoke alongside ordinary wheat bread or pasta, onion, garlic, or anything listing inulin or chicory root fibre compounds the load quickly. Antipasto plates and pizzas are the usual offenders, since they tend to gather several fructan sources in one sitting.
Cooking does not help Steaming, grilling, roasting and frying leave fructans intact, because heat does not break them down. A char-grilled heart is the same food as a boiled one as far as this diet is concerned. Boiling in plenty of water and discarding that water can carry off some water-soluble FODMAPs, since fructans dissolve into cooking liquid, but that is a partial effect on a food that starts high and it does not turn artichoke into a safe ingredient.
Jars, cans and marinades Some fructan leaches into the brine or canning liquid, which is a real mechanism and a reason to drain rather than to relax. Marinated hearts also arrive with garlic and onion in the marinade far more often than not, so the jar usually adds a second problem on top of the first.
The oil from the jar Oil that has been sitting on solid artichoke and garlic pieces is not the same thing as a properly made infused oil. Infused oil works because the solids are removed. Marinade oil keeps them in, so pouring it over a salad carries the load with it.

Swaps

For the tender, savoury heart texture in a salad, on a pizza or folded through pasta, canned bamboo shoots come closest, and roasted zucchini, chargrilled bell pepper and blanched green beans all fill the same spot with more colour. For a creamy artichoke-style dip, build it on baby spinach with lactose-free cream cheese or a hard cheese such as parmesan or cheddar, and get the savoury base from garlic-infused oil with the green tops of spring onions stirred through at the end. Two things to be clear about: Jerusalem artichoke is not a milder option, it is another concentrated fructan source under a similar name, and a smaller portion of artichoke is not a swap for artichoke, since the smallest tested serving is already moderate.

How to lower the load

The most useful habit is reading labels and menus rather than managing portions, because there is no portion here that comes in low. Artichoke hearts turn up uninvited in antipasto mixes, deli salads, pizza toppings, spinach dips, tapenades and jarred pasta sauces, so scan ingredient lists before the jar reaches the trolley. Eating out, ask for the artichoke to be left off rather than served on the side, since dips and sauces cannot be picked apart. If someone else is cooking, the easy request is a plain grilled vegetable in its place, which most kitchens can do without fuss. Keep garlic-infused oil, canned bamboo shoots and a bag of green beans in the house so the substitution is already made when a recipe calls for hearts.

Common questions

how much artichoke is low fodmap

None of the tested servings comes in low. The smallest rung, a "Small serving", already reads moderate, and it is high by a "Moderate serving" and at a "Large serving". Artichoke is high overall, so a smaller helping is not a low option.

is artichoke high in fructans

Yes. Fructans are the subgroup driving the rating, and artichoke is a concentrated source of the inulin type. That is why the food is high overall even though the ladder starts at moderate.

are canned or marinated artichoke hearts any better

Some fructan does leach into the canning liquid, because fructans are water-soluble, so draining is worth doing. It does not make the hearts a low food, and marinated jars usually add garlic and onion to the picture as well.

what can i use instead of artichoke hearts

Canned bamboo shoots give the closest tender texture, and roasted zucchini, chargrilled bell pepper or green beans fill the same role in salads, pizzas and pasta. Jerusalem artichoke is not an alternative, despite the name.

Learn more

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

Artichoke 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.