Safflower Oil

Low FODMAP

Typical portion

Any typical portion Low

Safflower oil is Low FODMAP, a pure cooking oil with no fermentable carbohydrate to worry about.

Like other pure oils, safflower oil is fat only with negligible carbohydrate, so it carries no FODMAPs and stays gentle at any typical portion.

Use it freely for cooking, roasting, or dressing, and infuse it with garlic to add flavor without the fructans.

Why safflower oil is rated low

Safflower oil is low FODMAP. It is a neutral oil pressed from safflower seeds, and the finished oil is essentially pure fat, which leaves no fermentable carbohydrate behind for FODMAPs to come from. The ladder reflects that simply: Any typical portion is LOW. The rating is estimated from what the oil is made of rather than from a measured serving, and it applies to the plain oil, not to spreads, sauces or fried foods that list it as an ingredient.

What changes your risk

What it is fried with Safflower oil is popular for frying because of its neutral taste and high smoke point. The oil stays low, but a wheat batter, a seasoning mix with onion or garlic powder, or a breaded coating changes the dish completely.
Infusing it yourself Gently warming the oil with garlic or onion and then straining every piece out gives the flavour without the fructans, because fructans dissolve in water, not in oil. Leave solid pieces in and they carry their fructans with them.
Spreads and blends Some margarines and spreads list safflower oil alongside other ingredients such as milk solids or flavourings. The rating for the oil does not carry over to the whole spread.
The whole meal The oil contributes nothing to the meal's FODMAP total, so the risk of a high-FODMAP meal sits with the other foods in the pan. A low oil is not a reason to relax about everything else on the plate.

What else works

Any plain neutral oil fills the same role: canola, sunflower, rice bran and peanut oil all behave the same way for frying, roasting and baking, and olive oil works where some flavour is welcome. For savoury depth, garlic-infused oil, chives or the green tops of spring onions do the job that onion and garlic usually do. The things that look equivalent but are not are the products built on top of the oil: bought aioli and garlic mayonnaise, oil-based marinades with onion, and spreads made with milk or cream.

How to keep it low

Buy plain safflower oil and check the label says just that, since some bottles are blends. Keep it in a cool, dark cupboard with the cap closed, as light and warmth make it go stale. Because it is neutral and copes with heat, it is a good base for homemade garlic-infused oil: warm sliced garlic in the oil, let it sit for a few minutes, strain out every piece, and keep the strained oil in the fridge and use it within a few days.

Common questions

is safflower oil low fodmap

Yes. Safflower oil is low FODMAP at Any typical portion. The rating is estimated from what the oil is made of: it is essentially pure fat with no fermentable carbohydrate.

can i fry with safflower oil on a low fodmap diet

Yes, the oil itself is fine for frying. What matters is the food going into it, so watch for wheat batters, breadcrumbs and seasoning blends that contain onion or garlic powder.

how do i make garlic flavoured safflower oil low fodmap

Warm garlic pieces in the oil, then strain out every solid piece before using it. Fructans do not dissolve into oil, so the strained oil carries the garlic flavour without them.

what oils are similar to safflower oil

Canola, sunflower, rice bran and peanut oil are all neutral, heat-tolerant oils and all are pure fat, so they sit in the same low place as safflower oil.

Learn more

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

Safflower 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.