Honeydew
Serving sizes
Honeydew changes rating with portion size. These are the amounts tested in the literature behind our ratings.
- About ½ cup (90g)
- Larger portions
- Much larger portions
Honeydew is High FODMAP at a usual serving, though about ½ cup (90g) is low.
- Honeydew is low at about ½ cup (90g).
- Fructans build as the bowl grows, so it turns moderate at larger portions and high at much larger portions. Juicy melon is easy to over-pour.
Enjoy a measured portion on its own or tossed through a fruit salad with other low FODMAP fruits.
Why honeydew is rated high
Honeydew is low at about ½ cup (90g), a small bowl of cubes, but the rating climbs with the portion: larger portions are moderate and much larger portions are high. The FODMAP group behind that climb is fructans, which build as the bowl grows. Because the bigger helpings go all the way to high, honeydew is a fruit to portion deliberately rather than one to graze from. Melon is cold, sweet and easy to keep eating, which is exactly why the serving is the thing to watch.
What changes your risk
- The size of the bowl About ½ cup (90g) is low, larger portions are moderate and much larger portions are high. The melon does not change, only the amount, and honeydew is unusually easy to keep spooning because it is refreshing rather than filling.
- Fructan stacking through the meal Fructans accumulate from several sources within a few hours. Honeydew after wheat toast at breakfast, or in a meal that also carries onion or garlic, pushes the total up even though each item was a modest amount.
- Juices and smoothies Juicing puts several pieces into one glass and leaves the fibre behind, so blended or juiced honeydew easily goes well past the low serve without looking like much.
- Added sweeteners Honeydew served in syrup, drizzled with honey or blended into a sweetened drink brings a second load on top of the melon's own.
- Chilling and cutting change nothing Refrigerating, freezing or blitzing honeydew does not lower its FODMAP content. Cold fruit simply goes down faster, which is a portion problem rather than a chemistry one.
Swaps
Cantaloupe is the melon to reach for when you want the same cold, sweet role at a normal serve. Strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, oranges, mandarins, kiwi and pineapple all work in a fruit salad or a summer platter. The fruits to keep out of that bowl are the ones that are high at ordinary servings: watermelon, mango, apple and pear will not lighten the load, and honey as a drizzle makes it worse rather than better.
How to lower the load
Cut honeydew into a small bowl and put the rest of the melon back in the fridge rather than eating from the cut half, because the half is not a serving. When you build a fruit salad, let cantaloupe and strawberries make up the bulk and let honeydew be the accent rather than the base. Buy a whole melon and portion it yourself instead of a mixed tub, where the melon to berry ratio is decided for you and usually favours the melon. At a buffet or a brunch, take the melon once rather than returning to it, and keep it away from the same plate as mango or watermelon.
Common questions
how much honeydew is low fodmap
About ½ cup (90g) of honeydew is low. Larger portions are moderate and much larger portions are high, so a modest bowl is the amount to aim for.
is honeydew high in fructose
Fructans are the FODMAP group in honeydew, and they are what take larger portions up to moderate and much larger portions to high. About ½ cup (90g) is low.
is honeydew ok on the elimination phase
About ½ cup (90g) is low, so a small bowl fits. Bigger helpings climb to high, so it is not a fruit to eat freely, and your dietitian is the right person to fit it into your own plan.
what about honeydew juice or a melon smoothie
Juicing and blending put several pieces of melon into one glass and leave the fibre behind, so a glass of honeydew juice is far more melon than it looks. Eat the fruit rather than drink it.
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Where this rating comes from
Honeydew 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.
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.
Informational only, not medical advice. Individual tolerance varies. Talk to a healthcare professional or a dietitian for personal guidance.