Duck Liver

Low FODMAP

Typical portion

Any typical portion Low

Duck liver is Low FODMAP, a pure organ meat made of protein and fat with no fermentable carbohydrate to stir up trouble.

As a plain organ meat, duck liver is essentially protein and fat with negligible fermentable carbohydrate, so it stays low at any typical portion.

Enjoy it seared or made into a simple pate, and season with garlic-infused oil and the green tops of spring onions to keep the flavor building without adding FODMAPs; watch for onion, garlic, or wheat-based additions in prepared versions.

Why duck liver is rated low

Duck liver is low FODMAP. As an organ meat it is protein and fat with next to no carbohydrate, so it has nothing in it that FODMAP ratings are concerned with. The rating is estimated from what the liver 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 are not covered by the rating, and the catch with liver is rarely the liver itself. It is the shallot, garlic, cream, chutney and bread that usually come with it.

What changes your risk

Shallot and garlic in pâté Classic duck liver pâté and parfait recipes start by softening shallot or garlic, and those carry their FODMAPs into every spoonful.
Cream and soft cheese Some recipes loosen the pâté with ordinary cream or cream cheese, which add FODMAPs the liver does not have.
Sweet accompaniments Liver is often served with an apple or pear chutney, onion marmalade or a honey glaze. Each of those is a FODMAP source in its own right.
What it sits on Ordinary wheat toast, brioche and wheat crackers add their load under the liver. Stack them with a chutney and a shallot dressing and the whole plate climbs, even though the liver adds next to nothing.
Cooking method Searing, roasting or slow cooking does not change the liver's rating. What changes the dish is what goes into the pan with it.

What else works

Plain chicken liver, duck breast and other plain meat and poultry sit in the same place, and eggs or plain fish fill the same rich protein role. The lookalikes that are NOT reliably low are the prepared forms: shop-bought duck or chicken liver pâté and parfait made with shallot, garlic or cream, liver sausage and liverwurst that often contain onion, faggots made with onion and breadcrumbs, and liver and onions, where the onion is the point of the dish.

How to keep it low

Buy plain duck livers from a butcher or the frozen section, trim any sinew, and pat them dry so they sear well. Cook them quickly in garlic-infused oil and finish with chives or the green tops of spring onions for the allium flavour without the FODMAPs. For a homemade pâté, leave out the shallot and garlic and lean on garlic-infused oil, thyme and black pepper, and skip the cream. Serve it on gluten free crackers or traditional sourdough spelt bread with cucumber or pickled carrot instead of a fruit chutney.

Common questions

is duck liver low fodmap

Yes. Plain duck liver is rated low FODMAP, estimated from what it is made of, and "Any typical portion" is LOW.

is duck liver pate low fodmap

Plain liver is low, but most pâtés include shallot, garlic and sometimes cream, so a shop-bought one is not a safe assumption. A homemade version without them stays in line with the liver.

is foie gras low fodmap

This rating covers duck liver, and seared foie gras on its own is still liver. It is usually served with fruit chutney, honey glazes or brioche, and those are not low FODMAP.

how much duck liver can i eat on low fodmap

The published serving data gives one rung, "Any typical portion", and it is LOW. Larger helpings are not covered by the rating.

Learn more

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

Duck Liver 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.