Coconut has many uses, and many health benefits. Over the last few years, it has gained a lot of popularity, and you will now find it listed as an ingredient in many different foods, and beauty products. However, people with IBS need to be careful with what foods they eat, so is coconut low FODMAP?

It depends. It depends on how you’re consuming the coconut, and how much of it you’re eating.

Coconut

A coconut has a hard outer shell, and is filled with water. When you’re choosing a coconut, you should give it a shake, and you should be able to hear plenty of water sloshing around inside. You can crack the coconut open, and scoop out the meat. Coconut can be shredded, toasted, and served as a garnish, chips, or in another dish. One serve is one cup of coconut, and the Monash University testing says that this serving size has moderate amounts of polyol-sorbitol, so it’s medium FODMAP. However, a half serving of half a cup is low FODMAP, so can be eaten.

Coconut Oil

Coconut oil is actually solid, and can be used in cooking as well as skin care, hair care, and soap making. It has a nutty flavour, and is also used in baked goods, and most cinema popcorn is popped in coconut oil. A serve is one tablespoon, so around 18 grams of solid coconut oil, and is low FODMAP.

Coconut Dairy

Coconut is often used as a replacement dairy product for people who are lactose intolerant, or are trying to lose weight. For most, it works well, but if you have IBS, you need to be careful with serving size.

• Coconut milk with inulin - This is high FODMAP in single serve of 250ml, and in a half serve of 125ml.
• Coconut milk, UHT - This is medium FODMAP in a single serve, but is low FODMAP in a half serve.
• Coconut milk, UHT, UK - UHT coconut milk made in the United Kingdom is high FODMAP in a single serve, but medium FODMAP in a moderate serve of 150ml. It’s low FODMAP in a half serve of 125ml.
• Canned coconut milk - This is low FODMAP in a single serve of half a cup. This is used for cooking, not drinking.
• Coconut yoghurt - A 125 gram tub is low FODMAP.

Other Coconut

There are other forms of coconut as well as fresh, and dairy products. Some of them are high FODMAP, and some of them are low FODMAP.

• Fresh coconut water - A single serve of 250ml fresh coconut water is high FODMAP as it has high amounts of polyol-sorbitol, and oligo-fructans. A moderate serve of 163ml is medium FODMAP, but a small serve of 100ml is low FODMAP.
• Packaged coconut water - A single serve of 250ml is high FODMAP, as it has high amounts of polyol-sorbitol, and moderate amounts of oligo-fructans. A moderate serve of 150ml is medium FODMAP. A small serve of 100ml is low FODMAP.
• Dried, shredded coconut - A serving of half a cup is medium FODMAP, but a half serve of a quarter cup is low FODMAP.
• Coconut flour - This is high FODMAP, and shouldn’t be used as a replacement flour in recipes.
• Coconut jam - This is medium FODMAP in a single serve of one tablespoon, but a half serving of half a tablespoon is low FODMAP
• Coconut sugar - A serve of one teaspoon is low FODMAP, however, a tablespoon is high FODMAP.
• Coconut treacle - A single serve of one tablespoon is medium FODMAP, but a half serve of half a tablespoon is low FODMAP.