Salt

Why salt is rated low

Salt is low FODMAP, and it is about as straightforward as this index gets. It is a mineral, sodium chloride, with no carbohydrate in it at all, so there is nothing for a FODMAP rating to come from. The rating is estimated from what it is made of rather than from a measured serving, and it holds at Any typical portion. Where salt causes trouble on a low FODMAP diet is never the salt itself. It is the flavoured salts and seasoning blends sitting next to it on the shelf.

What changes your risk

• Garlic salt and onion salt These are salt mixed with dried garlic or onion, which are concentrated forms of foods avoided on the elimination phase. They are not salt for the purposes of this diet.
• Celery salt and seasoned salt Celery salt is made with celery seed, and seasoned salts, steak rubs and all purpose blends commonly list onion and garlic powder further down the label. Treat each as a different product from plain salt.
• Stock cubes and bouillon powder These taste mostly of salt, but they usually contain onion and garlic, so seasoning with stock is not the same as seasoning with salt.
• The whole meal Salt adds nothing to the FODMAP total, so whatever you are salting decides the load. A well salted dish of low FODMAP ingredients stays low, and salt cannot rescue a dish built on onion.

What else works

Every plain salt behaves the same way: fine table salt, sea salt, flaky salt, coarse salt, pink rock salt and smoked salt are all simply salt when nothing else is listed. The lookalikes that are NOT plain salt are garlic salt, onion salt, celery salt, seasoned salt, stock cubes, bouillon powder and many restaurant seasoning shakers. To get the savoury depth those blends promise, pair plain salt with garlic-infused oil, chives, the green tops of spring onions or asafoetida, and finish with grated parmesan.

How to keep it low

Read the ingredient list on any salt with a flavour in its name; plain salt lists only salt, sometimes with iodine or an anti-caking agent. Make your own blend at home by mixing plain salt with black pepper and dried herbs, then add allium flavour separately through garlic-infused oil, since fructans do not dissolve into oil. When eating out, ask for food seasoned with plain salt and pepper rather than the house seasoning, which often contains garlic or onion powder. The low rating is about FODMAPs only, so it says nothing about how much salt suits your diet for other reasons.

Common questions

is salt low fodmap

Yes. Salt is a mineral with no carbohydrate, so it is estimated low FODMAP from what it is made of, at Any typical portion.

is garlic salt low fodmap

Garlic salt should not be treated like plain salt, because it contains dried garlic, a concentrated form of a food avoided on the elimination phase. Use plain salt with garlic-infused oil instead.

is sea salt or pink salt low fodmap

Yes, as long as the label lists only salt. Sea salt, pink rock salt, flaky salt and smoked salt are all simply salt.

are stock cubes low fodmap

They are not the same as salt, because they usually contain onion and garlic. Check the ingredient list, or season with plain salt, herbs and garlic-infused oil instead.