Camelina Oil

Low FODMAP

Typical portion

Any typical portion Low

Camelina oil is Low FODMAP, a pure plant oil that's all fat with no fermentable carbohydrate to cause trouble.

As a pressed plant oil, camelina is essentially all fat with negligible carbohydrate, so it carries no FODMAPs and stays comfortable at any typical portion.

Use it freely for drizzling or finishing dishes, and pair it with garlic-infused oil when you want that savory depth without the fructans.

Why camelina oil is rated low

Camelina oil is low FODMAP. It is a pressed seed oil, made of fat with essentially no carbohydrate, and FODMAPs are carbohydrates, so there is nothing in the oil for them to come from. This rating is estimated from what camelina oil is made of rather than from a measured serving, and it covers Any typical portion. The thing to watch is not the oil itself but what it is mixed with: a dressing, marinade or flavoured oil can carry far more than the plain bottle does.

What changes your risk

Plain versus flavoured Plain camelina oil is low at Any typical portion. Flavoured or blended oils with pieces of garlic, onion or shallot left in the bottle are a different product and can carry a real FODMAP load.
Dressings and marinades A dressing made with camelina oil is only as low as everything else in it. Honey, onion, garlic and some fruit-based vinegars or purées can turn a low oil into a high dressing.
Stacking across the meal The oil adds nothing to the load, but the foods it is drizzled over do. A salad of low foods with a camelina dressing stays low, while the same oil over a bowl with onion, mushroom or chickpeas does not change their rating.
Typical portions only The rating covers Any typical portion of the plain oil used as a cooking or finishing fat. It is not a claim about every amount or every product that contains it.

What else works

Other plain pressed oils fill the same role in the kitchen, and garlic-infused oil is the one to reach for when you want savoury depth, because fructans do not dissolve into oil and the flavour comes through without them, as long as no solid garlic is left in the bottle. The lookalikes that are NOT automatically low are oils sold with whole cloves, chopped garlic or onion still inside, ready-made salad dressings, and herb oils whose ingredients list includes onion or garlic powder. For a dressing, combine camelina oil with chives, the green tops of spring onions, or a little maple syrup rather than honey or onion.

How to keep it low

Camelina oil is usually sold cold pressed and has a mild, slightly nutty, grassy flavour that suits dressings, drizzling over roasted carrots or potato, and gentle cooking. Store it in a cool, dark cupboard with the cap tightly closed, and smell it before use, since any pressed oil can turn stale over time. When buying, read the label: a bottle that lists only camelina oil is the low option, while anything described as flavoured, seasoned or blended needs its ingredients checked for onion, garlic or honey.

Common questions

is camelina oil low fodmap

Yes. Camelina oil is low FODMAP at Any typical portion, a rating estimated from the fact that it is a pure pressed oil with essentially no carbohydrate.

can you use camelina oil on the elimination phase

Plain camelina oil is low and works as a cooking or dressing oil during the elimination phase. The ingredients you pair it with decide whether the dish stays low.

what about flavoured camelina oil

A flavoured or seasoned oil is a different product. If it contains pieces of garlic or onion, or onion or garlic powder, it is no longer the same low option as the plain oil.

how do you get garlic flavour with camelina oil on a low fodmap diet

Mix it with garlic-infused oil, which carries the flavour without the fructans as long as no solid garlic is left in it. Chives and the green tops of spring onions add an onion note.

Learn more

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

Camelina Oil 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.