Grits

Low FODMAP

Typical portion

Any typical portion Low

Grits are Low FODMAP, a simple ground-corn porridge with no fermentable carbohydrate to trip you up.

Made from ground corn (hominy), grits carry no FODMAP subgroups, so a typical bowl sits comfortably low and keeps things easy.

Cook them plain in water or lactose-free milk and season with salt, hard cheese, or garlic-infused oil, keeping in mind that heavy dairy or onion-based add-ins can change the picture.

Why grits is rated low

Grits are low FODMAP at Any typical portion. They are coarsely ground corn, and the rating is estimated from what they are made of rather than from a measured serving: plain ground corn cooked in water comes in low across Any typical portion. The catch is that the rating belongs to the grits themselves. A helping far larger than typical is not covered here, and what gets stirred in or spooned on top, the milk, the cheese, the gravy, often decides whether the finished dish stays low.

What changes your risk

Serving size and the whole plate The rating covers Any typical portion, not an unlimited one. A larger helping than typical is not rated here, and a plate that pairs grits with high FODMAP sides adds up to a bigger total load for the meal.
What they are cooked in Water or lactose-free milk keeps grits where the rating puts them. Ordinary milk or cream turns the dish high FODMAP even though the corn has not changed.
The cheese Hard cheeses such as cheddar and parmesan are low FODMAP and suit cheese grits well. Soft and fresh cheeses such as cream cheese and ricotta are not.
Onion and garlic in the topping Shrimp and grits and other savoury versions are often built on a sauce or gravy with onion, garlic, celery or a ready-made stock. That is where the load hides, not in the grits.
Flavoured packets Plain quick or instant grits are still just corn, but flavoured packets can include onion powder, garlic powder or milk solids, so check the ingredient list.

What else works

Close cousins that are also low include polenta, which is also ground corn, along with rice porridge, oats and quinoa as other warm, mild bases. The lookalikes that are not low: cornbread and hush puppies are often made with wheat flour mixed into the cornmeal, and creamy restaurant grits are frequently finished with ordinary milk, cream or cream cheese. Fresh sweet corn is a different food from dried ground corn, so do not assume it shares this rating.

How to keep it low

Buy plain grits, whether stone-ground, quick or instant, and check that corn (sometimes with salt) is the only ingredient. Cook them in water or lactose-free milk, then finish with salt, pepper and cheddar or parmesan, and use garlic-infused oil, chives or the green tops of spring onions wherever a recipe calls for garlic or onion. For shrimp and grits, make the sauce with garlic-infused oil and a homemade stock without onion. When ordering out, ask whether the grits are cooked with milk or cream and whether the sauce uses onion or garlic. Leftover grits set firm in the fridge and can be sliced and pan-fried, which changes the texture but not the FODMAP content.

Common questions

are grits low fodmap

Yes. Plain grits are rated low FODMAP at Any typical portion, estimated from their simple ground corn makeup. Keep the milk, cheese and sauce low FODMAP too.

are cheese grits low fodmap

They can be, if the cheese is a hard cheese such as cheddar or parmesan and the grits are cooked in water or lactose-free milk. Cream cheese, cream or ordinary milk push the dish out of low territory.

is shrimp and grits low fodmap

The grits and plain shrimp are fine. The risk is the sauce, which usually contains onion and garlic, so garlic-infused oil and the green tops of spring onions make a low FODMAP version.

can i swap polenta for grits on low fodmap

Yes. Polenta is also ground corn and is a low FODMAP option, so the two can stand in for each other.

Learn more

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

Grits 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.