Chicory

Why chicory is rated low

Chicory leaves are low at about ½ cup (75g), so a modest handful of the crisp, bitter leaves belongs in a low FODMAP salad without any hedging. The ladder has more rungs: at larger portions chicory is moderate and at much larger portions it is high, which is the amount you reach when the leaves are the base of a big bowl rather than one component of it. Nothing about the leaf changes between those points, the GOS and mannitol simply build with the serving. The bigger source of confusion with this food is not the portion at all, it is the name. Chicory root, and the chicory root fibre added to packaged foods, is a separate ingredient that the leaf rating does not cover.

What changes your risk

• A half cup is low, a big bowl is not About ½ cup (75g) sits in the low range, larger portions are moderate and much larger portions are high. Chicory works best as part of a mixed salad rather than as the entire base, because leaves are bulky and it takes very little heaping to move up the ladder.
• The root is not the leaf Chicory root fibre and inulin, the versions that turn up in snack bars, yoghurts, protein powders and fibre supplements, are not low FODMAP ingredients, and the roasted root sold as a coffee substitute is not covered by this rating either. Check ingredient lists for chicory root, chicory root fibre and inulin, which are common in foods marketed as high fibre.
• The dressing decides the salad Vinaigrettes and creamy dressings routinely carry onion powder, garlic, honey or agave, and those bring more FODMAP load to the bowl than the leaves do. Build dressings on olive oil or garlic infused oil, vinegar or lemon, mustard, maple syrup and herbs instead.
• Stacking in the bowl A low serving is per serving, not per meal. A half cup of chicory next to several other salad components, a dressing and a bread side adds up to a much larger total, so count the whole plate rather than the leaf on its own.
• Bitter is not the same as high The sharp edge chicory is known for comes from its bitter compounds, which have nothing to do with the FODMAP rating. Braising, grilling or searing the heads softens the bitterness and changes the flavour, but it does not raise or lower the FODMAP content.

What else works

Chicory is low at about ½ cup (75g), so the practical question is how to fill a bowl without stacking more chicory into it. Baby spinach, cucumber, grated carrot, green beans and zucchini all sit in the low range at a normal serve and bulk out a salad while the chicory stays at ½ cup (75g). There is no honest low FODMAP substitute that delivers exactly the same bitterness, so it is better to use chicory sparingly and lean on lemon, vinegar, mustard and black pepper for sharpness than to reach for a swap that does not hold up. The things that share the name but not the rating are chicory root, chicory root fibre and inulin in packaged foods, and the roasted root ground as a coffee substitute. Mushroom is not a low FODMAP salad filler either, and celery and cauliflower only work in modest amounts.

How to keep it low

Pick heads that are tightly furled and pale, with crisp leaf edges and no browning at the tips, since browning is where bitterness and limpness set in first. Keep them wrapped and away from light in the crisper, because light deepens the green and makes the leaves noticeably more bitter over a few days. To portion, separate the leaves whole and weigh out about ½ cup (75g) per person before dressing anything, which is far more accurate than judging a mixed bowl after the fact. Whole leaves also double as scoops for a dip, which keeps the serving countable. If the raw bitterness is too much, halve the heads and sear or braise them, then dress with garlic infused oil, lemon and a little maple syrup. When shopping for packaged foods, scan the ingredient list for chicory root fibre and inulin, especially on anything sold as high fibre or low sugar.

Common questions

how much chicory is low fodmap

About ½ cup (75g) is low. Larger portions are moderate and much larger portions are high, so keep it as one element of a salad rather than the whole base.

is chicory root fibre the same as chicory leaf

No. This rating covers the leaf at about ½ cup (75g), while chicory root fibre and inulin are concentrated ingredients added to packaged foods and are not low FODMAP.

is chicory coffee low fodmap

Chicory coffee is made from the roasted root, which is a different product from the leaf and is not covered by the leaf rating here. Chicory root is not a low FODMAP ingredient.

can i eat chicory on the elimination phase

Yes, at about ½ cup (75g) chicory leaves are low. The dressing and anything with chicory root fibre on the label are the parts to check during elimination.