Mizuna

Low FODMAP

Typical portion

Any typical portion Low

Mizuna is Low FODMAP, a delicate leafy salad green with almost no fermentable carbohydrate to worry about.

As a leafy brassica green, mizuna is low in fermentable carbs, so a typical portion carries negligible FODMAPs and sits comfortably low.

Toss it raw into salads or wilt it into stir-fries with a little garlic-infused oil for flavor without the FODMAP load.

Why mizuna is rated low

Mizuna is low FODMAP. This feathery, mildly peppery salad green carries very little of the carbohydrate that causes trouble on this diet, so it sits low at "Any typical portion". The rating is estimated from what the leaves are made of rather than from a measured serving. In practice the risk with mizuna is rarely the green itself but the stir-fry sauce, the salad dressing or the mixed bag it comes in.

What changes your risk

Portion size The rating covers "Any typical portion". Low is per serving, so a sensible plate of greens is what the rating describes, not an unlimited pile.
Wilting shrinks the volume Cooking does not change the FODMAP content, but wilted mizuna collapses to a fraction of its raw size. A plate of cooked mizuna holds far more leaves than the same plate raw, so judge the portion by what went into the pan.
Stir-fry and hot pot sauces Bottled stir-fry sauces, broths and hot pot bases often carry garlic, onion or onion powder. Garlic-infused oil and the green tops of spring onions keep the flavour without the load.
Stacking the meal Mizuna adds little on its own, but a bowl that also holds wheat noodles, garlic and onion adds up across the meal even though the greens stay low.

What else works

If mizuna is hard to find, baby spinach and bok choy fill the same role in salads and quick stir-fries, and both sit low. Mizuna is often sold in mixed salad or Asian greens bags, so check what else is in the mix. The common companions that are not low include sliced mushroom, onion, garlic and wheat noodles. Rice noodles, rice, firm tofu and eggs pair well with mizuna and keep the dish on the low side.

How to keep it low

Look for perky, bright green leaves with no slimy patches, and store mizuna dry in a lined container in the fridge, since it wilts and spoils faster than sturdier greens. Rinse it just before use. For a stir-fry, warm garlic-infused oil in the pan, add the mizuna last, and toss it for a moment so it keeps its bite. When buying ready-made noodle soups or stir-fries that list mizuna, ask about the sauce and broth, since that is where onion and garlic usually hide.

Common questions

is mizuna low fodmap

Yes. Mizuna is low FODMAP at "Any typical portion", a rating estimated from what the leaves are made of. Watch the sauces and dressings served with it.

is cooked mizuna still low fodmap

Cooking does not change its FODMAP content, so wilted mizuna is rated the same way. Because it shrinks so much, a cooked serving can hold a lot more leaves than it looks like, which matters for portion size.

what can i use instead of mizuna in a low fodmap salad

Baby spinach is the easiest swap for a soft, mild leaf, and bok choy works well in stir-fries. Both sit low.

Learn more

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

Mizuna 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.