Glucose-Fructose Syrup
Serving sizes
Glucose-Fructose Syrup 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 serving
- Large serving
Glucose-fructose syrup is High FODMAP, a concentrated sweetener that packs in more free fructose than glucose.
- The free fructose outpaces the glucose here, which sets off Excess Fructose: a small serving sits at moderate, and it climbs to high by a moderate serving.
- This syrup shows up in sodas, sauces, candies, and baked goods, so it adds up fast across a day even when no single item feels like much.
Scan labels for glucose-fructose or high-fructose corn syrup, and reach for a splash of pure maple syrup or a little table sugar when you want to sweeten something at home.
Why glucose-fructose syrup is rated high
Glucose-fructose syrup is rated high FODMAP overall, estimated from what it is made of rather than a measured serving. It is a concentrated sweetener, and in the versions this rating describes the free fructose runs ahead of the glucose, which is what creates Excess Fructose. A Small serving reads MODERATE, the lowest rung on the ladder, and by a Moderate serving it reads HIGH, staying HIGH at a Large serving. No serving on this ladder reads low.
What changes your risk
- Serving size The ladder starts at moderate for a Small serving and turns high by a Moderate serving, so pouring more only moves it further into high.
- Hidden sources across the day It turns up in soft drinks, some ketchups and sauces, cereal bars, sweets and baked goods. Each of those adds Excess Fructose to the day even when no single item feels like much.
- Stacking with other fructose foods Honey, agave syrup, apple, pear, mango and fruit juice share Excess Fructose, so a sauce sweetened with this syrup next to an apple dessert stacks the load in one meal.
- Label names The same kind of ingredient appears as glucose-fructose syrup, high fructose corn syrup, isoglucose and fructose-glucose syrup, so a product can carry it under a name that is easy to miss.
- Heat does not change it Baking, simmering or glazing with the syrup does not break the fructose down, so a cake or sauce keeps whatever went into it.
Swaps
For sweetening at home, pure maple syrup, rice malt syrup and table sugar fill the same role in drinks, sauces, glazes and baking. Maple syrup and rice malt syrup pour like a syrup, so they slot into recipes that call for a liquid sweetener, while table sugar works wherever a dry sweetener will do. Do not reach for honey, agave syrup or high fructose corn syrup as a gentler option, since they carry the same Excess Fructose problem. Plain glucose syrup, without fructose in its name, is a different ingredient from this one.
How to lower the load
Read the ingredient list on sauces, soft drinks, cereal bars, sweets and packaged cakes, since the front of the pack rarely mentions it. When a recipe calls for this syrup in a glaze, sauce or bake, maple syrup or rice malt syrup usually stands in as the liquid sweetener. When a product containing it is hard to avoid, keep the rest of that meal free of honey, apple, pear, mango and fruit juice so the Excess Fructose does not pile up in one sitting.
Common questions
is glucose fructose syrup low fodmap
No. It is rated high FODMAP overall, estimated from what it is made of, because it carries Excess Fructose. A Small serving reads MODERATE and a Moderate serving reads HIGH.
is glucose-fructose syrup the same as high fructose corn syrup
They are closely related names for a syrup that blends glucose and fructose, and both are flagged for Excess Fructose on a low FODMAP diet. Check labels for either name, as well as isoglucose.
is a little glucose fructose syrup ok on low fodmap
Even a Small serving reads MODERATE, so there is no low serving on the ladder. Eating it alongside other fructose foods pushes the meal higher.
what can i use instead of glucose fructose syrup
Maple syrup, rice malt syrup and table sugar are low FODMAP sweeteners that fill the same role. Honey and agave syrup are not swaps, since they share the Excess Fructose problem.
Try FODMAP Foods
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Learn more
Informational only, not medical advice. Individual tolerance varies. Talk to a healthcare professional or a dietitian for personal guidance.
Glucose-Fructose Syrup 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.
Last reviewed October 17, 2026.