Crayfish

Why crayfish is rated low

Yes, crayfish is low FODMAP. Plain crayfish meat is shellfish protein with next to no carbohydrate, so there is nothing in it for a FODMAP rating to hang on. That rating is estimated from what crayfish is made of rather than from a measured serving, and the published serving data gives a single rung: "Any typical portion" is LOW. Larger helpings than that are not covered by the rating, and in practice the crayfish is rarely the problem. The seasoning, the butter sauce and the stock it is cooked in are what decide whether the plate stays low.

What changes your risk

• Boil seasoning and stock Crayfish boils, bisques and stews usually lean on onion, garlic and seasoning blends that contain onion or garlic powder. Those bring FODMAPs into the dish, and any broth or sauce made from that cooking liquid carries them too.
• Sauces and dips Garlic butter, garlic aioli and creamy dips built on onion or ordinary cream turn a low plate into a higher one, even though the crayfish underneath has not changed.
• Stacking across the meal The crayfish adds next to nothing, but a crayfish roll on an ordinary wheat bun with a garlic mayonnaise, eaten alongside other sides from a garlic-heavy boil, piles several FODMAP sources into one sitting. The total load of the meal is what counts.
• Brined, marinated and imitation products Crayfish tails packed in a flavoured brine or marinade, and imitation seafood, have their own ingredient lists. Check the label for onion, garlic, wheat or added sweeteners before treating them like plain crayfish.
• Cooking method Boiling, steaming and grilling do not change the rating of plain crayfish. What changes the dish is whatever goes into the pot or the pan with it.

What else works

Other plain shellfish and fish sit in the same place: prawns, crab, lobster and plain white fish are all protein with next to no carbohydrate, as are eggs and plain poultry if you want a different protein. The lookalikes that are NOT reliably low are the prepared dishes: crayfish étouffée or gumbo built on onion and celery, seafood bisque made with onion and cream, crab cakes bound with wheat breadcrumbs and onion, and imitation crab sticks, which are a processed product with their own ingredients and are not covered by this rating.

How to keep it low

Buy live, whole cooked or frozen plain crayfish tails, and read the label on any tub sold in brine. For a home boil, skip the onion, the garlic and the ready-made seasoning mix, and season the water with salt, paprika, cayenne, bay and lemon instead, then serve with potatoes and rice. For the dipping sauce, warm garlic-infused oil with chives or the green tops of spring onions, which gives the garlic and onion flavour without the FODMAPs as long as no solid pieces are left in the oil. When ordering out, ask whether the boil seasoning or sauce contains garlic or onion, because that is where a crayfish dish usually picks up its load.

Common questions

is crayfish low fodmap

Yes. Crayfish is rated low FODMAP, estimated from what it is made of, and "Any typical portion" comes in LOW. The seasoning, sauce and stock are what to watch.

is a crawfish boil low fodmap

The crayfish is, but a traditional boil usually includes onion, garlic and seasoning blends with onion or garlic powder, so the dish as a whole is not low. Building the seasoning without them keeps it in line with the crayfish.

can i eat crayfish on the elimination phase

Plain crayfish fits the elimination phase, since "Any typical portion" is LOW. Keep the dressing to garlic-infused oil, chives and lemon rather than garlic butter.

what can i use instead of garlic butter on crayfish

Garlic-infused oil with chives or the green tops of spring onions gives a similar flavour without the FODMAPs that fresh garlic brings, as long as no garlic pieces are left in the oil.