Chocolate Chip Biscuit

Why chocolate chip biscuit is rated low

A small chocolate chip biscuit is low FODMAP. At about 8g fructans stay at a low level, which is why it sits comfortably in the low range and why a small one works as an everyday treat. What moves it is nothing more exotic than the count: larger portions are moderate, and much larger portions are high, as the fructans in the flour build. That is a short climb, so the biscuit itself is not the issue. The amount on the plate is.

What changes your risk

• How much you eat This is the lever that matters. It is low at about 8g, moderate at larger portions and high at much larger portions. Biscuits vary in size, so check the weight on the packet: a large biscuit can already be past the low serve, and a second one matters far more than anything about the first.
• What else the meal is carrying A low rating is per serving, not per meal. A biscuit after a lunch that already pushed close to its limit adds to the same total, so the biscuit is easier to place after a light meal than at the end of a big one.
• The ingredient list of your particular packet Biscuits vary enormously. Ones sweetened with honey or corn syrup, ones with inulin or chicory root fibre added as fibre, and ones studded with sultanas or dried apple sit outside this rating, whatever the count.
• Spreading them across the day The same day's total is easier to manage when a treat is spaced out rather than eaten in one sitting, which is really an argument for the plate rather than the packet.
• Nothing in the baking or storing changes it Warming a biscuit, freezing the dough or keeping them in the tin longer does not alter the FODMAP load. Heat does not break these carbohydrates down.

What else works

If one biscuit is not enough to feel like a treat, build around it rather than doubling it: a biscuit with strawberries or a few squares of plain chocolate spread the pleasure without climbing the ladder. Plain oat biscuits made without honey, gluten free biscuits that do not list inulin or chicory root fibre, and corn thins with peanut butter all fill the crunchy sweet role. The lookalikes to be careful with are the ones that look equally innocent: sugar free biscuits sweetened with maltitol or isomalt, fruit biscuits with sultanas or dried apple, anything glazed or bound with honey, and biscuits topped with cashews or pistachios. None of those are covered by this rating and all carry their own problems.

How to keep it low

The most useful habit here is physical rather than nutritional. Take one biscuit out, put the packet back in the cupboard, and eat the biscuit on a plate rather than out of the sleeve, because the ladder turns moderate before most people would call it a second serving, and a large biscuit may already weigh more than about 8g. Packets sold as individually wrapped sleeves make the serving decision for you. When you are buying, turn the packet over and scan for honey, corn syrup, inulin, chicory root fibre and dried fruit, since those change the picture regardless of the count. For baking at home, table sugar and maple syrup are the straightforward sweeteners to work with.

Common questions

are chocolate chip biscuits low fodmap

Yes, in a small amount. About 8g is low FODMAP, with fructans building at larger portions.

how many chocolate chip biscuits can i eat on a low fodmap diet

About 8g is low, which is a small biscuit. Larger portions are moderate and much larger portions are high, so check the biscuit weight on your packet.

can i have biscuits during the elimination phase

A chocolate chip biscuit at about 8g fits within the elimination phase, as long as the ingredient list does not add honey, corn syrup, inulin or dried fruit. Tolerance still varies between people.

what is a low fodmap biscuit alternative

Plain oat biscuits made without honey, gluten free biscuits with no inulin or chicory root fibre, or corn thins with peanut butter all work. Sugar free biscuits sweetened with maltitol or other sugar alcohols are not a better choice.