Prosciutto

Why prosciutto is rated low

Prosciutto is low FODMAP. It is dry-cured pork, and the curing and ageing work with salt and time rather than adding any carbohydrate, so the finished ham is protein and fat with nothing fermentable in it. The rating is estimated from what prosciutto is made of rather than from a measured serving, and the portion guide reads "Any typical portion": LOW. That makes prosciutto one of the easier cured meats to work with. The trouble on an antipasto board usually comes from its neighbors: garlicky salami, wheat bread and breadsticks, and vegetables marinated with garlic.

What changes your risk

• Other cured meats Salami, chorizo, pepperoni and many cooked sausages are made with garlic, and some with onion powder. Prosciutto's rating does not carry over to them just because they share the platter.
• Flavored and glazed hams Seasoned or flavored prosciutto, and cooked hams finished with a honey glaze, can bring garlic or honey along. Plain prosciutto should list only pork and salt.
• The board around it An antipasto plate stacked with wheat bread, crackers, garlic-marinated vegetables and soft cheeses can add up to a high load even though every slice of prosciutto is low. The rating covers the ham, not the platter.
• Prosciutto on pizza and pasta Once it goes onto a wheat pizza base or into a cream and garlic pasta sauce, the dish is rated by those other ingredients, not by the prosciutto.
• What it is wrapped around Prosciutto is often wrapped around foods such as asparagus or figs, which are not low. Choose cantaloupe, green beans or a chicken breast instead.

What else works

Other plain cured or cooked meats that list only meat and salt sit in the same place, such as plain ham, speck and pancetta without added garlic, and plain bacon. Check every label, because the lookalikes that are not reliably low include salami, chorizo, pepperoni, many sausages and any ham with a honey glaze or a garlic rub. For a board that stays low, pair prosciutto with cantaloupe, grapes, cheddar or parmesan, walnuts, cucumber and gluten free crackers in place of wheat breadsticks.

How to keep it low

Buy prosciutto sliced to order at the deli counter or in sealed packs, and read the ingredients: they should be pork and salt, and anything listing garlic, onion or flavorings is a different product. Keep opened packs well wrapped in the fridge and use them within a few days. It is versatile: wrap it around cantaloupe, green beans or chicken breast before roasting, crisp it in the oven and crumble it over a salad of baby spinach and parmesan, or tear it over gluten free pasta with zucchini and garlic-infused oil. When ordering a charcuterie plate out, ask which meats contain garlic and swap the bread for gluten free crackers or traditional sourdough spelt.

Common questions

is prosciutto low fodmap

Yes. Prosciutto is rated low FODMAP, estimated from what it is made of, and "Any typical portion" reads LOW, provided the ingredients are just pork and salt.

is salami low fodmap like prosciutto

Not reliably. Salami and many other cured sausages are made with garlic, so prosciutto's low rating does not transfer to them.

is prosciutto and melon low fodmap

Prosciutto with cantaloupe keeps the pairing low, since cantaloupe is one of the low FODMAP melons. Avoid swapping in watermelon.

can i eat prosciutto on the elimination phase

Plain prosciutto fits the elimination phase. Check labels for garlic or flavorings and watch what it is served with, especially wheat bread and garlicky cured meats.