Mineral Water

Low FODMAP

Typical portion

Any typical portion Low

Mineral water is Low FODMAP, just water carrying dissolved minerals with nothing fermentable in it.

Mineral water is nothing more than water plus dissolved minerals, so there is no fermentable carbohydrate to cause trouble at any typical portion.

Sip it freely, plain or as a fizzy base for a homemade drink; just check flavored versions, since added syrups or sweeteners can change the picture.

Why mineral water is rated low

Mineral water is low FODMAP. It is water with naturally dissolved minerals and nothing fermentable in it, so the rating, estimated from what it is made of, holds as low at any typical portion. The only way mineral water stops being a low FODMAP drink is when something else is added to it, which is why the label on flavoured and sweetened versions matters far more than the water itself.

What changes your risk

Flavoured waters Some flavoured mineral waters are sweetened with fruit juice, honey, agave or high fructose corn syrup, which are not low FODMAP.
Sugar-free sweeteners Diet and sugar-free flavoured waters can use sweeteners such as xylitol, maltitol or isomalt, which are not low FODMAP even though the drink has no sugar.
Added fibre Some functional waters add inulin or chicory root fibre, which are high FODMAP.
Whole meal load The water itself adds nothing, but a low rating is per serving. What you eat alongside it still decides the total FODMAP load of the meal.

What else works

Plain still or sparkling water, soda water and plain tap water all sit in the same low spot. For flavour, add fresh lemon, lime, orange, strawberries or cucumber to plain mineral water. The lookalikes that are NOT low are fruit-juice spritzers made with apple, pear or mango juice, waters sweetened with honey or agave, sugar-free waters sweetened with xylitol or maltitol, and fibre waters with inulin or chicory root.

How to keep it low

When buying, the ingredients list on plain mineral water should read water, sometimes with carbon dioxide for sparkling. Anything longer deserves a closer look for juice, syrups, sugar-free sweeteners or added fibre. To make your own flavoured water, drop in citrus slices, strawberries or cucumber and chill it, which gives flavour without changing the rating. At a bar or restaurant, ask for plain mineral or soda water rather than a house flavoured water, since those are often sweetened with juice or syrup.

Common questions

is mineral water low fodmap

Yes. Plain mineral water is rated low FODMAP at any typical portion, estimated from what it is made of: water and dissolved minerals.

is sparkling mineral water low fodmap

Plain sparkling mineral water is low FODMAP. Check flavoured sparkling versions, since added juice or sweeteners can change that.

are flavoured sparkling waters low fodmap

It depends on the label. Waters flavoured with apple or pear juice, honey, agave, xylitol, maltitol or inulin are not low.

what can i add to mineral water for flavour

Fresh lemon, lime, orange, strawberries or cucumber add flavour while keeping the drink low FODMAP.

Learn more

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

Mineral Water 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.