Low Fructose Diet - Foods to Eat and Avoid

Low Fructose Diet

On a low fructose diet, the concept is to limit the amounts of foods that are consumed which are high in fructose. It is also important to limit the foods which contain a higher proportion of fructose to glucose (whereas foods which have a balance of fructose to glucose are less problematic). Once diagnosis has been made with a hydrogen breath test, a low fructose diet can begin. Generally people start by removing all the foods which are high in fructose from their diet and then gradually reintroducing them to see if symptoms reappear. It is important to do this under the advice of a dietician as they can assist with ensuring adequate nutrition is maintained and that there is a good balance of foods in the diet.

Foods You Can Eat

The low fructose diet is fairly limiting, so let’s begin with the list of foods you can eat and then move on to the ones to be avoided!

Grains, flours and oats are all fine for someone with a fructose malabsorption problem (unless of course they also have celiac disease, in which case the grains must be gluten free and oats are generally off the menu).

Water and milk is fine to drink.

Biscuits and cakes which are made with low sugar content and without other high fructose foods are safe.

Fruits which are stone containing - nectarine, plum, peach etc

Fruits which are berries - strawberry, blackberry, raspberry etc

Fruits which are citrus - orange, lemon, kumquat etc

Other fruits - banana, kiwi fruit, passion fruit, jackfruit

Most vegetables (except for those listed below)

Maple or golden syrup (use this instead of honey)

Some food manufacturers (such as Silly Yaks in Australia) are modifying ingredients to cater for people on a low fructose diet. You will often see phrases like ’no onion’ or the inclusion of dextrose in the ingredient list.

Foods to Avoid

On a low fructose diet, the main foods to avoid are as follows (note that some contain fructans because they are in vegetables, rather than fructose, but the basic principle is the same):

• fruits such as apple, pear, watermelon, cantaloupe, guava, quince and star fruit

• coconut

• anything from the onion family (onion, spring onion, leek)

• foods with high fructose corn syrup (processed foods as well as soft drinks and cordials are the main culprits here)

• dried fruits (including fruit bars)

• wines

• fruit juices (although for some people a watered down fruit juice in small quantities is fine)

• honey