Dill

Low FODMAP

Typical portion

Any typical portion Low

Dill is Low FODMAP, a leafy herb with barely any fermentable carbohydrate to worry about.

As a fresh herb used to brighten dishes, dill carries negligible fermentable carbohydrate, so it sits comfortably low at any typical portion.

Stir a handful of chopped dill through eggs, fish, or potatoes for a fresh flavor lift without any FODMAP fuss.

Why dill is rated low

Dill is low FODMAP. The rating is estimated from what it is made of rather than from a measured serving: dill is a leafy herb with very little carbohydrate in it, and it is used to season food rather than eaten as a main ingredient, so the published ladder rates it low at "Any typical portion". Where dill becomes a problem is not the herb but the dishes it is famous for. Dill dips, dill sauces, dill pickles and ranch-style seasonings are often built on garlic, onion, yoghurt or soft cheese, and those carry a load the herb does not.

What changes your risk

Dill dips and sauces Dill dip, tzatziki and creamy dill sauce for fish are usually made with ordinary yoghurt, sour cream or cream cheese and often garlic. The dill is fine, but the base is not low.
Pickles and brines Dill pickles are sometimes brined with garlic cloves, and garlic flavour can be steeped into the brine. Check the label for garlic before treating every dill pickle as equivalent.
Seasoning blends Ranch seasoning, dill dip mixes and some seafood seasonings list dill alongside onion powder and garlic powder. The blend takes on the rating of its riskiest ingredient, not the dill.
Dried versus fresh Dried dill is the same herb with the water removed, so its flavour is stronger. It stays a seasoning used in small amounts, but it does not make a garlic-heavy blend any lower.
Stacking in the dish Dill often turns up in potato salad, egg salad and fish dishes. If those also include onion, celery or a yoghurt dressing, the total load comes from them, not from the dill.

What else works

Dill keeps company with other low herbs such as parsley, chives, basil, coriander, mint and tarragon, which can be swapped in or mixed with it. The lookalikes that are NOT low by default are prepared dill products: dill dip, tzatziki made with ordinary yoghurt and garlic, ranch dressing, and seasoning mixes with onion or garlic powder. For a creamy dill sauce, lactose-free yoghurt with lemon, chopped dill, chives and a little garlic-infused oil keeps the flavour and the low rating. Fennel fronds look similar to dill but come from a different plant with its own rating, so the two are not interchangeable here.

How to keep it low

Buy fresh dill with bright, feathery fronds and no yellowing, wrap it loosely in a damp paper towel and keep it in the fridge, or stand the stems in a glass of water. Chop it just before serving, since its flavour fades quickly with heat. Stir it through scrambled eggs, new potatoes with butter, grilled salmon or a cucumber salad dressed with lactose-free yoghurt and lemon. Make your own dill seasoning from dried dill, salt, pepper and dried chives rather than buying a blend that might include onion or garlic powder.

Common questions

is dill low fodmap

Yes. Dill is rated low at "Any typical portion", an estimate based on its being a leafy herb with very little carbohydrate.

is dried dill low fodmap

Plain dried dill is the same herb without the water and is treated as low too. Check that it is dill alone and not a blend with onion or garlic powder.

are dill pickles low fodmap

It depends on the brine. Some dill pickles are made with garlic, so read the ingredient list rather than assuming every dill pickle is the same.

is tzatziki low fodmap

Traditional tzatziki is made with ordinary yoghurt and garlic, so it is not low even though the dill in it is. A version with lactose-free yoghurt and garlic-infused oil is a low alternative.

Learn more

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

Dill 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.