If you are on a low fodmap diet and wondering if strawberry jam is low fodmap and suitable for people with irritable bowel syndrome, then you are in the right place. The short answer is yes, as fresh strawberries are low fodmap! But there are some caveats that you must pay attention to when making a low fodmap strawberry jam or looking to purchase a store-bought strawberry jam.
While strawberries are the perfect fruit to make your jam with, you must be careful about the type of sweeteners you use to sweeten the jam, as many sweeteners contain fodmaps that can aggravate IBS and SIBO symptoms. Many store-bought jams contain high fodmap ingredients, with one of the worst offenders being high fructose corn syrup.
The excess fructose found in high fructose corn syrup and many fruits can trigger IBS symptoms and abdominal pain. According to Monash University, 5 medium-sized strawberries are a low fodmap food; thus, you can enjoy a strawberry jam with fodmap friendly ingredients such as this homemade low fodmap strawberry jam sweetened with maple syrup.
The Monash App lists strawberry jam as a low fodmap food in a serving size of 40 g or 2 tbsp. If you don’t have the desire or time to make a homemade strawberry jam, you can purchase store-bought jam, but be sure to read the labels and watch out for high fodmap polyols and sugars used in commercial jams.
High fodmap sugars and high fodmap polyols to avoid in jams
- high fructose corn syrup
- fructose
- agave syrup
- honey
- sorbitol
- xylitol
- maltitol
- isomalt
- mannitol
Low fodmap jam made without high fodmap sweeteners can be consumed on a low fodmap diet in a serving size of 2 tablespoons without triggering IBS symptoms, as fructose malabsorption triggers symptoms. While maple syrup is my natural low fodmap sweetener of choice to make low fodmap fruit spreads, you can also use other low fodmap sweeteners from the list below.
Best Low fodmap sweeteners for strawberry jam
- maple syrup
- palm sugar
- brown sugar
- white sugar
- rice malt syrup
- stevia
Pectin fruit, guar gum, and xanthan gum are other ingredients found in many jams as they are thickening and stabilizing agents. While these ingredients are not high fodmap, they do contain fermentable fibers. These fermentable fibers are less likely to cause GI upset and trigger IBS symptoms, although a sensitive individual to fermentable fibers may also need to watch out for these ingredients.
The best way to make a fodmap-free jam with strawberries is by making your own! This low fodmap strawberry jam with chia seeds, maple syrup, and fresh lemon juice is easy and yummy. It is the perfect spread for a healthy and easy breakfast to enjoy on low fodmap pancakes.
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