Sweet Potato
Serving sizes
Sweet Potato changes rating with portion size. These are the amounts tested in the literature behind our ratings.
- About ⅓ cup (75g)
- Larger portions
- Much larger portions
Sweet potato is Low FODMAP at about ⅓ cup (75g), with the level climbing at bigger servings.
- At about ⅓ cup (75g) sweet potato is low.
- Fructans build at larger portions, which are moderate, and much larger portions are high.
Keep the sweet potato portion modest and make up the rest of the plate with regular potato.
Why sweet potato is rated low
Sweet potato is low FODMAP at about ⅓ cup (75g), a side portion rather than a whole baked potato, with only a little fructans at that serve. Fructans are the FODMAP it carries, and they build steadily with the portion: larger portions are moderate, and much larger portions are high. So a scoop of mash or a few roasted cubes sits comfortably low, while a large baked sweet potato or a heaped bowl of fries usually overshoots.
What changes your risk
- Portion size about ⅓ cup (75g) is low, larger portions are moderate and much larger portions are high. The climb from low to high is short, so second helpings matter.
- Stacking fructans Sweet potato shares fructans with wheat bread, pasta, onion and garlic. Sweet potato soup with onion, or sweet potato fries in a wheat bun meal, stacks fructans from several sources.
- Boiling versus roasting Fructans dissolve in water, so boiling cubes in plenty of water and draining it may remove some. Roasting, baking, air frying and microwaving remove nothing, so the serving is the lever there.
- Hidden onion and garlic Sweet potato soups, mashes and curries often start with onion and garlic, and stock cubes commonly carry both.
What else works
To fill the plate beyond about ⅓ cup (75g), regular potato is the easiest partner: it roasts, mashes and fries the same way and does not bring fructans. Carrots add the same sweetness and orange colour to a roasting tray or soup, and rice, quinoa or polenta make the meal filling. Watch the lookalikes that are not the same thing: sweet potato fries and chips are often served in much larger portions, and ready-made sweet potato soups usually contain onion and garlic.
How to keep it low
Cook a mixed tray: cube sweet potato and regular potato together and serve about ⅓ cup (75g) of sweet potato per person with as much regular potato as you like. For mash, make it mostly regular potato with a little sweet potato, flavoured with garlic-infused oil and chives. Measure the cubes after cutting, since one whole sweet potato can easily hold more than a single serving.
Common questions
how much sweet potato is low fodmap
About ⅓ cup (75g) is low. Larger portions are moderate and much larger portions are high.
is sweet potato high in fructans
Sweet potato carries fructans. At about ⅓ cup (75g) there is only a little, but it climbs to moderate at larger portions and high at much larger portions.
can i eat sweet potato fries on low fodmap
Yes, if the portion stays at about ⅓ cup (75g). Restaurant servings are often bigger, so share or pair them with regular potato fries.
does boiling sweet potato lower fodmaps
Fructans are water-soluble, so boiling in plenty of water and draining may remove some. Roasting and baking do not, so the serving size matters most.
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Where this rating comes from
Sweet Potato is rated from published lab measurements of its FODMAP content, using the low, moderate and high cutoffs of Varney et al. (2017).
Feedback sent through the FODMAP Foods app has led to changes in this list.
Sources
- 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 high-performance liquid chromatography (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 between healthy individuals and patients with irritable bowel syndrome. 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.
Informational only, not medical advice. Individual tolerance varies. Talk to a healthcare professional or a dietitian for personal guidance.