Tequila
Tested serving
- About 1 shot (30mL)
Tequila is Low FODMAP at about 1 shot (30mL), a distilled spirit with the fermentable sugars left behind.
- At about 1 shot (30mL) tequila is low, as distilling strips out the agave sugars and no FODMAP group reaches a meaningful level.
Enjoy it neat or with a low-FODMAP mixer, and watch sweetened margarita mixes or fruit juices, since those can change the picture.
Why tequila is rated low
Tequila sits at low, and the reason is what the drink is: agave is fermented and then distilled, and distilling carries the alcohol and aroma over while the fermentable carbohydrates stay behind in the still. About 1 shot (30mL) is low. Tequila carries no FODMAP group of note, so there is no single carbohydrate to point at as a problem. What the rating does not cover is the rest of the glass. Tequila almost never arrives alone, and a margarita mix, a syrup or a fruit juice brings its own FODMAP load that has nothing to do with the spirit.
What changes your risk
- What you mix it with The spirit is the low part of the drink. Sweetened margarita mixes, agave syrup, corn syrup sweetened sodas and fruit juices are where a tequila drink stops being low, and a juiced mixer runs higher than the whole fruit it came from because the sugars of several pieces end up in one glass.
- The rest of the meal With no FODMAP group of note in tequila itself, stacking here is about the overall FODMAP load of the whole sitting. A drink alongside a heavy meal does not add to that load, but it also does nothing to offset it, so judge the plate on its own terms.
- Flavoured and pre-mixed bottles A bottle labelled as a ready to drink tequila cocktail, or a flavoured tequila, is a different product from plain tequila, and the added sweeteners and fruit are what need checking.
- Alcohol itself A low FODMAP rating is a statement about fermentable carbohydrates and nothing else. Alcohol can unsettle the gut for reasons that sit outside this diet entirely, so low does not read as unlimited or as a promise of comfort.
What else works
If tequila is doing the job of a clear spirit in a long drink, other plain unflavoured distilled spirits are made the same way and behave the same way, and the mixer is where the real decision is made: plain soda water, a squeeze of fresh lime, or a splash of tonic keep the glass simple. The lookalikes that are not low are the things that usually come with it. A bottled margarita mix, agave syrup, honey syrup and a cocktail sweetened with corn syrup are all separate problems, and a cream based tequila liqueur is a dairy drink rather than a distilled one. Rum, dessert wines and sweetened liqueurs are not interchangeable with a plain spirit here.
How to keep it low
Order tequila neat, on ice, or as a spirit with soda and fresh lime, and ask for the syrup to be left out rather than reduced, since a bar's sour mix is usually pre sweetened. At home, the cleanest version of a margarita style drink is tequila, fresh lime juice and a little table sugar or maple syrup dissolved in, which puts you in control of what goes in. Read the label on anything sold as a tequila seltzer or a ready mixed cocktail, since those carry sweeteners the plain spirit does not. Keep the pour to about 1 shot (30mL) and treat the drink as part of the meal rather than a free extra.
Common questions
is tequila low fodmap
Yes. Tequila is low, because distillation leaves fermentable carbohydrates behind, and about 1 shot (30mL) is low.
how much tequila can i have on a low fodmap diet
About 1 shot (30mL) is low. Keep to that pour and judge the mixer separately.
is a margarita low fodmap
The tequila in it is, but a standard margarita usually is not, because bottled sour mix and agave syrup carry the FODMAP load. Tequila with fresh lime juice, soda water and a little table sugar keeps the glass much closer to the rating on this page.
can i drink tequila during the elimination phase
Tequila itself is rated low, so it is not the spirit that causes a problem, but alcohol can bother the gut independently of FODMAPs and the mixer often carries more than the drink. Any decision about alcohol during elimination is worth raising with the dietitian guiding you.
Try FODMAP Foods
Scan any food with your camera, search every rating in this list, and see your safe portion before you eat.
Learn more
Where this rating comes from
Tequila 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.