Cauliflower
Serving sizes
Cauliflower changes rating with portion size. These are the amounts tested in the literature behind our ratings.
- About ¾ cup (75g)
- Larger portions
- Much larger portions
Cauliflower is Low FODMAP at about ¾ cup (75g), with Fructans building at larger portions.
- Cauliflower is low at about ¾ cup (75g), a typical side portion.
- Fructans build as the portion grows, moderate at larger portions and high at much larger portions, so a full plate of cauliflower rice or mash can overshoot.
Keep roasted, steamed or riced cauliflower to about ¾ cup per serve and bulk the plate out with other low FODMAP vegetables.
Why cauliflower is rated low
Cauliflower is low FODMAP at about ¾ cup (75g), so a normal side of florets fits on the plate during the elimination phase. The group to keep in mind is fructans. They are what build up as the portion grows: larger portions are moderate and much larger portions are high, so the ¾ cup (75g) figure is a cap for one serving, not a sign that cauliflower is free to eat in any amount. A bowl of cauliflower rice or a plate of mash used as the base of a meal is easily more than ¾ cup (75g).
What changes your risk
- Serving size About ¾ cup (75g) is low, larger portions are moderate and much larger portions are high. Cauliflower used as the whole base of a dish, such as riced cauliflower in place of rice or a mash in place of potato, usually runs well past the low serve.
- Riced and mashed forms Grating or blending changes the texture, not the fructans. A cup of rice or mash packs down tighter than a cup of whole florets and is easy to eat quickly, so measure the finished amount rather than the florets you started with.
- Stacking with other fructan foods Fructans add up across a meal. Cauliflower alongside wheat pasta or ordinary bread, or in a curry or soup built on onion and garlic, loads the same group more than once, even when the cauliflower itself is kept to ¾ cup (75g).
- Cooking water Fructans dissolve in water, so boiling cauliflower and pouring the water away can take some out. Roasting, steaming, air frying and microwaving leave them all in place. Neither changes the serving to measure.
- Hidden onion and garlic Cauliflower cheese sauces, soups, curries, frozen cauliflower rice blends and cauliflower pizza bases often come with onion or garlic in the mix, which adds fructans the cauliflower serving does not account for.
What else works
Cauliflower is low at about ¾ cup (75g), so the useful comparison is with the vegetables that can sit beside it and fill the plate out. Carrots, zucchini, green beans, bok choy and potato all roast, steam and mash well and can make up the rest of the tray or the bowl. For a larger rice style base, plain white rice, quinoa or polenta mixed with a smaller amount of riced cauliflower keeps the look without piling on more cauliflower. Broccoli is the lookalike people treat as interchangeable, but it is a different food with its own serves, so check it separately rather than assuming it behaves the same.
How to keep it low
Portion a serving once, cooked or raw, so you know what about ¾ cup (75g) looks like on your plate, then eyeball it after that. Frozen riced cauliflower and florets are handy because you can take out one portion and leave the rest in the bag. Read the labels on cauliflower rice blends, cauliflower gnocchi, pizza bases and ready made soups for onion, garlic or wheat. In restaurants, a whole roasted cauliflower or cauliflower bites often arrive as a large portion with a garlic heavy sauce, so ask for the sauce on the side and share the plate.
Common questions
is cauliflower low fodmap
Yes, at about ¾ cup (75g). Larger portions are moderate and much larger portions are high, as fructans build.
how much cauliflower can i eat on low fodmap
About ¾ cup (75g) is the low serving. Keep each serving to that amount and fill the rest of the plate with other low FODMAP vegetables.
is cauliflower rice low fodmap
Riced cauliflower is the same food, so the same ¾ cup (75g) serving applies. A bowl used as a full rice replacement is usually more than that, so mix it with plain rice or quinoa to make up the volume.
is cauliflower high in fructans
Fructans are the FODMAP group in cauliflower. At about ¾ cup (75g) the amount is low, and it builds up as the serving grows.
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Where this rating comes from
Cauliflower is rated from published lab measurements of its FODMAP content, using the low, moderate and high cutoffs of Varney et al. (2017).
Feedback sent through the FODMAP Foods app has led to changes in this list.
Sources
- 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 high-performance liquid chromatography (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 between healthy individuals and patients with irritable bowel syndrome. 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.
Informational only, not medical advice. Individual tolerance varies. Talk to a healthcare professional or a dietitian for personal guidance.