Doughnut

High FODMAP

Serving sizes

Doughnut changes rating with portion size. Its rating is estimated from what it is made of, so the servings are described rather than weighed.

Small serving Moderate
Moderate serving High
Large serving High

Fructans Excess Fructose

Doughnuts are High FODMAP, a wheat-flour treat glazed with plenty of sugar and syrup that stacks up fast.

The wheat base brings Fructans while the sweet glaze adds Excess Fructose, so it sits at moderate even at a small serving and climbs to high by a moderate serving.
Doughnuts come in many styles, and heavier fillings, frostings, or syrup coatings only push the FODMAP load higher, so the sweeter and richer the doughnut, the quicker it adds up.

When you want something sweet, a small treat made with a certified gluten-free flour and a light hand on the sugar keeps things much easier on your gut.

Why doughnut is rated high

Doughnuts are high FODMAP overall, estimated from what they are made of. The wheat dough carries Fructans, and sweet glazes, fillings and syrups can add Excess Fructose on top. The ladder shows how fast it builds: a Small serving reads MODERATE, a Moderate serving reads HIGH, and a Large serving reads HIGH. So there is no low rung to aim for, and the doughnut turns high by the Moderate serving.

What changes your risk

Serving size The climb from MODERATE at a Small serving to HIGH at a Moderate serving means the amount eaten matters a great deal.
Glaze and filling Honey glazes, high fructose corn syrup coatings and fruit jam fillings are the kinds of extras that add Excess Fructose, so heavily topped doughnuts run higher than plain ones.
Frying does not help Frying cooks the dough but does not break down Fructans, and nothing is lost into the oil.
Stacking at breakfast A doughnut with fruit juice, honey in the coffee or toast on the side adds more Excess Fructose and Fructans to the same sitting.

Swaps

For the sweet, fried or baked dough role, a doughnut made with a gluten free flour blend removes the wheat that brings the Fructans. Glaze it with icing made from table sugar, a maple syrup glaze, or a dusting of cinnamon sugar instead of honey. Fill with fresh strawberries or a blueberry compote sweetened with sugar rather than an apple or mixed-fruit jam. Plain gluten free toast with butter and maple syrup is a quicker sweet breakfast in the same spirit.

How to lower the load

Bakery doughnuts are made with wheat flour, and their glazes and fillings can include honey, high fructose corn syrup or fruit jam, so there is no lower version to order out. Baked gluten free doughnuts are easy at home in a doughnut tin and avoid the deep fryer. Read the ingredients on bought glazes, sprinkles and fillings for honey, high fructose corn syrup, agave or inulin. An ordinary wheat doughnut, plain or filled, still reads MODERATE at a Small serving, so no bakery version comes in low.

Common questions

are doughnuts low fodmap

No. Doughnuts rate high FODMAP overall, estimated from what they are made of, and even a Small serving reads MODERATE.

are doughnuts high in fructose

They can be. Sweet glazes, syrups and jam fillings can bring Excess Fructose, while the wheat dough brings Fructans in every doughnut.

how much doughnut can i eat on low fodmap

None of the servings on the ladder come in low. A Small serving reads MODERATE, and a Moderate serving and a Large serving both read HIGH.

are gluten free doughnuts low fodmap

Swapping to gluten free flour takes out the wheat that brings the Fructans, which is the biggest change. The glaze and filling still matter, so choose sugar, maple syrup or berry toppings over honey or fruit jam.

Learn more

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

Doughnut 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.