Pancake Syrup

High FODMAP

Serving sizes

Pancake Syrup changes rating with portion size. Its rating is estimated from what it is made of, so the servings are described rather than weighed.

Small serving Moderate
Moderate serving High
Large serving High

Excess Fructose

Pancake syrup is High FODMAP, since most versions are built on high-fructose corn syrup that pours on a lot of fermentable sugar.

Most pancake syrup is high-fructose corn syrup based, which brings Excess Fructose: a small serving sits at moderate, and it climbs to high by a moderate serving and stays high at a large pour.
Pure maple syrup is a different animal, and added flavors or blends can shift the picture, so it is worth checking what is actually in the bottle.

For drizzling on pancakes, a modest amount of pure maple syrup is a well-loved low-FODMAP swap that keeps the sweetness without the corn syrup.

Why pancake syrup is rated high

Pancake syrup is rated high FODMAP overall, an estimate based on what it is made of rather than a measured serving. Most bottled pancake syrup is built on high fructose corn syrup, so the issue is Excess Fructose: more fructose than glucose, which the gut has trouble absorbing. The ladder never reaches low. A Small serving reads moderate, a Moderate serving is high, and a Large serving stays high, which matters because syrup on a stack of pancakes is rarely a small pour.

What changes your risk

Serving size A Small serving sits at moderate, a Moderate serving is high and a Large serving is high. A lighter drizzle reduces the load, but no rung on the ladder makes this syrup low.
What is in the bottle Pancake syrup and pure maple syrup look alike on the shelf and are very different underneath. Pancake syrup is typically corn syrup with maple flavouring, while pure maple syrup is the boiled-down sap of the tree with no corn syrup added.
Sugar-free versions A sugar-free pancake syrup is not an automatic fix. Some use sweeteners that are not low FODMAP either, so check the ingredient list before treating one as a swap.
Stacking at breakfast Excess Fructose builds across the plate. Syrup alongside apple, pear or mango, a glass of apple juice, or a honey-sweetened yoghurt stacks the same subgroup into one meal.
The pancakes underneath Ordinary wheat-flour pancakes carry their own FODMAP load, so the plate as a whole can run well past what the syrup alone suggests.

Swaps

Pure maple syrup is the natural swap: it fills exactly the same role on pancakes, waffles and French toast and is a low FODMAP sweetener. Rice malt syrup works too if you like a thicker, milder pour, and table sugar with fresh orange is another option. For toppings that add sweetness without more syrup, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and firm, just-yellow banana all work, as does lactose-free yoghurt. Honey and agave syrup are not swaps here, since both are high in the same subgroup.

How to lower the load

When shopping, look for the word pure on a maple syrup label and check the ingredient list: if corn syrup or glucose-fructose syrup is listed, it is pancake syrup, whatever the front says. Restaurant and hotel breakfast tables usually put out pancake syrup rather than pure maple, so it is worth asking what is in the jug or bringing your own. At home, make the pancakes with a gluten free flour blend or oats and lactose-free milk so the base of the plate is not adding to the load the syrup already brings.

Common questions

is pancake syrup low fodmap

No. It is rated high FODMAP overall, estimated from what it is made of, because most versions are based on high fructose corn syrup. A Small serving reads moderate and a Moderate serving is high.

is pancake syrup the same as maple syrup for fodmap

No. Pancake syrup is usually corn syrup with maple flavouring and is high in Excess Fructose, while pure maple syrup is a low FODMAP sweetener. Check the ingredient list to tell them apart.

is pancake syrup high in fructose

Yes. Its rating comes from Excess Fructose, since the corn syrup it is built on carries more fructose than glucose.

what syrup can i put on pancakes on a low fodmap diet

Pure maple syrup is the go-to choice, and rice malt syrup also works. Fresh strawberries or blueberries add sweetness on top without more syrup.

Learn more

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

Pancake Syrup 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.