Escarole

Low FODMAP

Serving sizes

Escarole 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 Low
Large serving Moderate

Escarole is Low FODMAP, a leafy chicory green that is mostly water and fiber with little fermentable carbohydrate to worry about.

Escarole stays low at a small serving and climbs to moderate at a large serving, as the fructans in this chicory-family green add up when the portion grows.
It comes fresh in heads and shows up braised, sauteed, or raw in salads, and the leafy green itself is what drives its FODMAP load, so keep an eye on anything cooked with it.

Enjoy escarole in a moderate handful, wilted into a soup or tossed in a salad, and lean on garlic-infused oil for flavor rather than the bulb itself.

Why escarole is rated low

Escarole is low FODMAP overall. That rating is estimated from what this leafy green is made of rather than from a measured serving. A Small serving sits at low, and a Large serving rises to moderate as the total load adds up. The data does not pin that rise on one FODMAP group. What it does make clear is that escarole is easy as a salad leaf or a side, while a plate built mostly from escarole moves toward the moderate end.

What changes your risk

Serving size A Small serving is low and a Large serving is moderate, so a side of escarole and a big braise eaten on its own are not rated the same.
Braising shrinks it Escarole collapses when braised or wilted into soup, so a cooked serving holds far more leaves than it seems. Heat does not break FODMAPs down.
Soup and broth Escarole is a classic in bean soups and wedding soup. Store-bought stock often contains onion and garlic, the beans bring their own load, and any water-soluble FODMAPs that leach out of the vegetables stay in the broth you eat.
Garlic in the pan The classic sauté of escarole with sliced garlic brings in garlic, which carries far more weight than the greens. Garlic-infused oil gives the same flavour without it.
Close cousins Escarole belongs to the chicory family, along with endive and radicchio. Those are rated separately, and chicory root fibre is not low FODMAP.

What else works

At a Small serving, escarole is already low, so it can stay on the menu. If you need a substitute for soups and braises, baby spinach and bok choy wilt the same way. For a crunchy salad, cucumber and bell pepper fill out the bowl. Be wary of the dishes more than the leaves: escarole and bean soup, wedding soup made with onion-heavy stock and breadcrumb meatballs, and greens sautéed with sliced garlic. Chicory root fibre, a relative of escarole sold as a fibre additive, is not low FODMAP.

How to keep it low

Choose heads with crisp, bright leaves. The pale inner leaves are tender and mild, which makes them ideal raw. The darker outer leaves are better braised or in soup. Wash carefully, since grit settles at the base, and store the head wrapped in a towel in the fridge. For soup, build the broth with an onion-free stock, garlic-infused oil and the green tops of spring onions, and pair the escarole with rice, potato or plain chicken rather than beans so the whole bowl stays low.

Common questions

is escarole low fodmap

Yes. Escarole is rated low FODMAP overall, estimated from what it is made of. A Small serving reads low and a Large serving reads moderate.

is escarole and bean soup low fodmap

Not as it is usually made. The escarole is low at a Small serving, but the beans and a stock with onion and garlic bring a much bigger load. A version with onion-free stock, garlic-infused oil and rice or potato in place of the beans keeps the bowl low.

does cooking escarole lower fodmaps

No. Heat does not break FODMAPs down. Braising shrinks the leaves, so a cooked serving can be a Large serving without looking like one, and water-soluble FODMAPs that leach into a soup stay in the broth.

how much escarole can i eat on low fodmap

A Small serving is where escarole rates low. At a Large serving it reaches moderate, so keep it as a side or one part of a salad.

Learn more

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

Escarole 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.