Are Cranberries Low FODMAP?

Cranberries have become a staple at everyone’s Christmas dinner table. Cranberries are a small fruit, with a dark red color and a tart flavor. Most cranberries are grown in North America, and Canada, but there are some that grow wild. Some people love cranberries, but are cranberries low FODMAP?

Cranberry Juice

Cranberry juice is packed full of nutrition, and comes with an array of health benefits. The most common one that you’ve probably heard of is that drinking cranberry juice can help to prevent urinary tract infections. They also have antioxidants, and anti-inflammatory properties, so they’re good to keep your heart healthy, and help against cancer. They can also help keep your digestive health in full working order. Cranberry juice is low FODMAP in 250ml serves. You do need to be careful when you’re buying cranberry juice. Some labels will say cranberry cocktail juice, or cranberry drink. These drinks tend to have high levels of corn syrup, and would be high FODMAP. Look for cranberry juice made from cranberries and only cranberries.

Dried Cranberries

Dried cranberries are a great snack, but they are also delicious added to other dishes as well. However, dried cranberries have almost none of the health benefits of fresh cranberries or cranberry juice. They do contain some amounts of fiber, but as cranberries have a very tart taste, most dried cranberries will have had sugar added to sweeten the flavor. You may prefer to look for brands that have no added sugars. Dried cranberries are considered by the Monash University to be medium FODMAP in a single serve of two tablespoons, but a half serve of one tablespoon is low FODMAP.

Fresh Cranberries

The Monash University hasn’t yet tested the FODMAP content of fresh cranberries. However, they have said that they believe that fresh cranberries would test as low FODMAP as dried cranberries have. However, FODMAP Friendly have said that their tests of fresh cranberries showed a 40 gram serving as high FODMAP. Many people who have tried fresh cranberries have had no reactions, so it’s entirely up to you to make your own decision.

Cranberry Sauce

Cranberry sauce hasn’t been tested, because it would be close to impossible to test every individual brand. Each brand has their own recipe, and different additives would changes the FODMAP content of the sauce. The only real way to make sure that the cranberry sauce you’re eating is low FODMAP is to make your own.

DIY Low FODMAP Cranberry Sauce

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup of dried cranberries
• 1/2 cup of fresh, or frozen blueberries
• 1/2 cup of cranberry juice
• 2 tablespoons of sugar
• A pinch of grated zest of a small orange
• A pinch of salt
• 1/4 teaspoon of Dutch cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon of rice flour
• 2 tablespoons of water
• 1/2 tablespoon of fresh lime juice

Method

1. Mix the water and rice flour together to make a paste.
2. Add the rest of the ingredients to a saucepan, except the lime juice, and bring to the boil.
3. Lower the heat, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes, or until the skins of the blueberries fall off.
4. Gradually add the rice flour paste to the mixture, stirring constantly.
5. Keep stirring until the mixture has cooked and thickened.
6. Add the lime juice, and stir.
7. Leave to cool to room temperature, and then leave in the refrigerator in an airtight container until needed.

So, do you now know the answer to this question: Are Cranberries Low FODMAP?