Glucose

Low FODMAP

Typical portion

Any typical portion Low

Glucose is Low FODMAP, a single simple sugar your body absorbs straight away with no fermentable carbohydrate along for the ride.

Glucose is a lone monosaccharide, meaning it carries none of the fermentable FODMAP subgroups, so it stays low FODMAP at any typical portion.

Use it freely as a sweetener when you want something that sits gently, and just keep an eye on blends or syrups that mix in other sugars, since added ingredients can change the picture.

Why glucose is rated low

Glucose is low FODMAP. It is a single simple sugar and does not belong to any of the FODMAP groups, so the rating, estimated from what it is made of rather than a measured serving, covers any typical portion. That makes plain glucose, also sold as dextrose, one of the more predictable sweeteners on the diet. The care needed is with products that only look like glucose: syrups and sweets that blend it with other sugars, or treats where the glucose is the least of what is in them.

What changes your risk

Blended syrups Plain glucose syrup and dextrose powder are the straightforward forms. High fructose corn syrup and blends with honey or agave are not the same product and are not low.
What it is baked into Glucose in a cake, biscuit or ice cream does not change the rest of the recipe. Wheat flour, milk, cream or dried fruit in the same treat set the overall load.
Sugar-free lookalikes Sugar-free sweets, gum and mints use sugar alcohols instead of glucose, and those sweeteners are not low.
Sports and energy products Drinks and gels that list glucose may also include other sugars, fruit juice concentrates or added fibre such as inulin, so the full ingredient list matters.
Portion The low rating applies to any typical portion. It describes normal use as a sweetener, not an open-ended amount.

What else works

If you are looking for other sweeteners that sit in the same low place, table sugar, maple syrup and rice malt syrup all fill a similar role. The sweeteners people often assume are equivalent but are not low include honey, agave syrup and high fructose corn syrup, along with anything sweetened with sugar alcohols. In baking, glucose syrup can be swapped one for one with rice malt syrup where a thick, sticky syrup is needed.

How to keep it low

Read the ingredient list rather than the front of the pack: look for the words glucose, glucose syrup or dextrose on their own, with no fructose syrup, honey or fruit juice concentrate alongside. Glucose syrup keeps well in a sealed jar at room temperature and is useful in candy making, sorbets and glazes where it stops sugar crystallising. Dextrose powder dissolves easily in cold drinks. When using it in baking, pair it with low FODMAP flours and lactose-free dairy so the finished treat matches the sweetener.

Common questions

is glucose low fodmap

Yes. Glucose is rated low FODMAP at any typical portion, estimated from what it is made of, because it is a single simple sugar outside the FODMAP groups.

is glucose syrup low fodmap

Plain glucose syrup is the same low choice. Blends with high fructose corn syrup, honey or agave are not, so check the ingredient list.

is dextrose low fodmap

Dextrose is another name for glucose, so plain dextrose sits in the same low place at any typical portion.

what sweeteners can i use instead of honey on low fodmap

Maple syrup, rice malt syrup, table sugar and glucose syrup all work as low FODMAP sweeteners in place of honey.

Learn more

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

Glucose 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.