Honey

High FODMAP

By Michael EisenwasserUpdated October 6, 2026

Serving sizes

Honey changes rating with portion size. These are the amounts tested in the literature behind our ratings.

About ½ teaspoon (4g) Low
Larger portions Moderate
Much larger portions High

Excess Fructose Fructans

Honey is High FODMAP at a usual serving, though about ½ teaspoon (4g) is low.

Honey is low at about ½ teaspoon (4g).
Excess Fructose and Fructans build together, so it turns moderate at larger portions and high at much larger portions.

For golden sweetness, maple syrup or rice malt syrup are the easy swaps.

Why honey is rated high

Honey is high FODMAP. It carries Excess Fructose, with more fructose than glucose, and it also carries Fructans, so it hits two FODMAP groups at once. About ½ teaspoon (4g) is low, larger portions are moderate, and much larger portions are high. That low serve is a scrape rather than a drizzle, so a normal spoonful over porridge or into tea is already past it.

What changes your risk

Any real amount counts About ½ teaspoon (4g) is low, larger portions are moderate and much larger portions are high. The low serve is smaller than most people ever use, so honey is easier to swap than to portion.
Hidden honey Honey mustard, glazes, barbecue sauces, granola, muesli bars, honey-roasted nuts and honey-sweetened yoghurt all carry it. Check labels for honey in the ingredient list.
Heat does not help Stirring honey into hot tea or baking it into a cake does not break down its FODMAPs. The Excess Fructose and Fructans are still there.
Stacking Honey on fruit such as mango or apple, or on wheat toast, adds its Excess Fructose and Fructans to foods that carry the same groups.

Swaps

Maple syrup is the closest swap for drizzling on porridge, pancakes or yoghurt, and rice malt syrup gives a thick, sticky texture for granola, glazes and baking. Table sugar, brown or white, works in tea and coffee and for caramelising. For honey mustard dressing, whisk mustard with maple syrup, oil and vinegar. Avoid the swaps that look similar but are also high: agave syrup and high fructose corn syrup carry the same kind of fructose problem.

How to lower the load

Swap honey for maple syrup in dressings, marinades and on breakfast, and use rice malt syrup where a recipe relies on honey's stickiness, such as flapjacks or glazed carrots. Read the ingredient list on granola, cereal bars, crackers and marinades, since honey is common in products marketed as natural. For a cold or sore throat drink, lemon and ginger with a little maple syrup or sugar keeps the ritual.

Common questions

is honey low fodmap

No. Honey is high FODMAP. About ½ teaspoon (4g) is low, but larger portions are moderate and much larger portions are high, so an ordinary spoonful is past the low serve.

is honey high in fructose

Yes. Honey carries Excess Fructose, and it also carries Fructans, which is why it rates high overall.

what can i use instead of honey on low fodmap

Maple syrup, rice malt syrup and table sugar all fill honey's role. Agave syrup is not a good swap.

is manuka honey low fodmap

Manuka is still honey, so it carries the same Excess Fructose and Fructans and is not a low FODMAP choice.

Learn more

Where this rating comes from

Honey is rated from published lab measurements of its FODMAP content, using the low, moderate and high cutoffs of Varney et al. (2017).

Feedback sent through the FODMAP Foods app has led to changes in this list.

See our full rating method →

Sources

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 high-performance liquid chromatography (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 between healthy individuals and patients with irritable bowel syndrome. 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.