Melons

Melons are fruits that belong to the gourd family, considered to be a berry botanically. They are fleshy, sweet, and are edible.  If you are on a low FODMAP diet, you might be wondering if the different types of melons are low FODMAP. 

All types of melons contain fructose, which is a type of sugar found in fruits. Fructose in the right fructose:sucrose ratios can be suitable for people on a low FODMAP diet. Foods containing high fructose levels relative to sucrose are high FODMAP. However, most melons, including watermelon, have high levels of fructans, making them high FODMAP.

Types of Melons

Watermelon
Watermelon is the most popular type of melon, and there are over one thousand different varieties. The outer part of a watermelon is green in color, and the inner part varies from pink to red. 
According to Monash University testing, 15g (1.5 tablespoons) of watermelon is low FODMAP. Higher serving sizes are high FODMAP due to fructose, fructans and mannitol.

Muskmelon
Muskmelon is another melon with many cultivars, including Korean melon, Cantaloupe, and Honeydew melon. All these varieties share similar nutrition values and contain high natural sugar levels. 

Honeydew Melon
Honeydew Melon is a fruit and a type of Muskmelon. The melon is pale in color, which makes them distinct. Honeydew is high in vitamin C like other melons. 

According to Monash University testing, 90g (0.5 cups) of honeydew melon is low FODMAP. Higher serving sizes are high FODMAP due to fructans.

Bitter Melon
Bitter melon, also known as bitter gourd, is not actually a melon. It is a tropical, fruit​-like gourd which originated in India and China. Unlike the melons it is bitter, not fruity and juicy. According to Monash University testing, 15g (1.5 tablespoons) of bitter melon is low FODMAP. Higher serving sizes are high FODMAP due to high levels of oligosaccharides (GOS).

Conclusion
Melon can be safely enjoyed on the low FODMAP diet as long as you keep to appropriate serving sizes. Read more about low FODMAP fruits here.