Pumpkin Seed Oil

Low FODMAP

Typical portion

Any typical portion Low

Pumpkin seed oil is Low FODMAP, a pure pressed oil that's essentially all fat with no fermentable carbohydrate to worry about.

Pressing seeds into oil leaves behind the carbohydrate, so what's left is pure fat with no FODMAPs to speak of, keeping it low at any typical portion.

Drizzle it over roasted vegetables or salads for its rich, nutty flavor without a second thought about your gut.

Why pumpkin seed oil is rated low

Pumpkin seed oil is low FODMAP at any typical portion. The rating is estimated from what it is made of rather than from a measured serving: it is a pressed oil, which means it is fat, and FODMAPs are carbohydrates, so there is little in the bottle to carry a load. Low here still means a typical portion, not an open tap, and the real risk sits in what the oil is mixed with rather than the oil itself.

What changes your risk

What it is blended into A dressing or pesto made with pumpkin seed oil can bring in garlic, onion or honey. Those ingredients set the rating of the finished sauce, not the oil.
Solid pieces in flavoured oils Fructans do not dissolve into oil, so an infused oil is only as low as its strained contents. A bottle with garlic cloves or onion pieces left floating in it is a different product.
The whole meal The oil adds little on its own, but drizzled over a dish that already stacks several moderate foods, the meal's total is what counts. Look at the full plate rather than the dressing alone.
Portion The rating covers any typical portion. Larger amounts are not covered by the rating, so treat it as a finishing drizzle rather than something to pour freely.

What else works

Similar low FODMAP ways to add rich, nutty flavour include garlic-infused oil, toasted pumpkin seeds, walnuts, pecans and macadamias. The lookalikes to watch are the products built on top of the oil: bottled pumpkin seed dressings sweetened with honey, pestos blended with fresh garlic, and dips that use the oil alongside onion. Those are not the same food, and their rating comes from what else went in.

How to keep it low

Buy plain pumpkin seed oil with nothing but the oil on the ingredient list, and keep it in a cool, dark cupboard or the fridge once open so the flavour holds. It is usually used as a finishing oil, so drizzle it over roasted carrots, potato, a grain bowl of quinoa or rice, or a salad of baby spinach and cucumber. For a dressing, whisk it with lemon juice, a little maple syrup, salt and chopped chives instead of garlic or honey.

Common questions

is pumpkin seed oil low fodmap

Yes, at any typical portion. The rating is estimated from what it is made of, and a pressed oil carries little carbohydrate for FODMAPs to come from.

can i use pumpkin seed oil on the elimination phase

Plain pumpkin seed oil is low FODMAP at any typical portion. Check that any dressing or blend made with it does not add garlic, onion or honey.

is pumpkin seed oil dressing low fodmap

It depends on the recipe. The oil is low, but bottled dressings often add garlic, onion or honey, which change the rating of the dressing.

what else is like pumpkin seed oil for low fodmap

Garlic-infused oil, toasted pumpkin seeds, walnuts and pecans all bring a similar richness and are low FODMAP options.

Learn more

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

Pumpkin Seed Oil 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.