Is Pineapple Low FODMAP?
I love pineapple in pretty much all forms: fresh, canned and juice. In fact, I eat pineapple almost every day. It, along with bananas, are my go-to fruits. You can imagine, then, how happy I was to learn that pineapple can be a good low FODMAP option.
Fresh pineapple is low FODMAP. A half cup of raw pineapple chunks has .35 grams of excess fructose. This is below the low FODMAP limit of .40 grams of excess fructose per serving. A half cup of juice-packed canned pineapple chunks has no excess fructose, making it an excellent low FODMAP option.
In this post we’ll explore the FODMAP content of pineapple. We’ll begin by looking at fresh pineapple. I love fresh pineapple, but cost means I often buy the canned version instead. Fortunately, I like canned pineapple a lot, too. So, we’ll look at FODMAPs in canned pineapple, before ending with a short discussion of pineapple juice.
Is Pineapple FODMAP Friendly?
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Fresh pineapple is generally a FODMAP friendly food. But, as with any food, you need to be mindful how much you eat, since large servings of pineapple exceed low FODMAP guidelines.
The only well-documented FODMAP in pineapple is fructose. Pineapple isn’t a high fructose fruit, like apples, but it does contain more fructose than glucose, which means excess fructose can be an issue.
If a food has more glucose than fructose, we say it has no excess fructose. If a food has more fructose than glucose, we say it has excess fructose. It’s the amount of excess fructose that determines whether a food is low FODMAP.
Low FODMAP researchers have two standards for acceptable amounts of excess fructose in foods. If fructose is the only FODMAP present in a food, the total amount of excess fructose should be .40 grams per serving or less. If there are other FODMAPs present, excess fructose should be .20 grams per serving or less.1
Since fructose is the only FODMAP in pineapple, we use the higher standard of .40 grams per serving or less. Fortunately, most normal sized servings of fresh pineapple fall well within this guideline, as shown in the following table.
Glucose, Fructose and Excess Fructose in Fresh Pineapple
| Serving Size | Weight (ounces) | Glucose (grams) | Fructose (grams) | Excess Fructose (grams) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Small wedge/slice | 2.0 | .97 | 1.2 | .23 |
| Medium wedge/slice | 3.0 | 1.45 | 1.8 | .35 |
| Large wedge/slice | 5.8 | 2.9 | 3.5 | .60 |
| Chunks, 1/2 cup | N/A | 1.4 | 1.75 | .35 |
As shown, pineapple is generally a good, low FODMAP fruit option. Most normal serving sizes of fresh pineapple contain acceptable levels of excess fructose.
You’ll need to be careful if serving fresh pineapple with other fruits, though, as you could quickly exceed the recommended level of excess fructose. This is why I often eat pineapple with banana, since banana is one of the few fruits that has no excess fructose.
Though I love fresh pineapple, I rarely eat it due to cost. Most of the pineapple I eat is from a can. Fortunately, canned pineapple is an even better low FODMAP option than the fresh version.
Note: there are reports online that pineapple contains fructans. However, I haven’t found evidence to support this. You can read more about the debate in the pineapple juice section in my post on low FODMAP juices.
Is Canned Pineapple Low FODMAP?
Canned, or tinned, pineapple is low FODMAP. FODMAP content varies based on packing liquid (juice or syrup), but canned pineapple generally has less excess fructose than fresh pineapple, so is a safer choice for those eating low FODMAP.
The type of packing liquid matters because heavy syrup is another way of saying added sugars. This can be cane sugar or something like high fructose corn syrup. The addition of sugar can alter the glucose-to-fructose ratio of the fruit. As a result, pineapple packed in 100% juice will usually have less sugar overall, and less fructose in particular, than pineapple packed in syrup.
Canned pineapple choices seem to vary by location. I’ve never seen water-packed canned pineapple at my local grocery stores. Typically I have two options: juice packed or heavy syrup packed. I’ve seen references online to “light syrup,” but have never seen pineapple packed in light syrup in my local stores, either.
The difference between juice and syrup packed canned pineapple is shown in the table below. Neither contains excess fructose, so both are low FODMAP at half-cup servings. But you can see that pineapple packed in heavy syrup has a much higher fructose content.
Glucose, Fructose and Excess Fructose Content of Canned Pineapple
| Liquid | Glucose (grams) | Fructose (grams) |
|---|---|---|
| Juice | 9.6 | 8.1 |
| Heavy syrup | 9.5 | 9.15 |
Since it has no excess fructose, canned pineapple is a great choice for low FODMAPers. During the summer, I often use canned pineapple as an alternative to watermelon, which I can’t eat due to extremely high FODMAP content.
Still, I have trouble with fructose in general, so have to monitor my total fructose intake, even with foods than rank low FODMAP. One of my favorite combinations is canned pineapple paired with bananas and cantaloupe, which is the most FODMAP friendly melon.
Since canned pineapple is low FODMAP, you may be wondering if canned or bottled pineapple juice is low FODMAP, too. Well, if you like pineapple as much as I do, I have great news!
Is Pineapple Juice Low FODMAP?
Pineapple juice is low FODMAP. A normal one cup (8 ounce) serving of canned or bottled unsweetened pineapple juice has no excess fructose, which makes it a FODMAP friendly juice option.
More specifically, the US Department of Agriculture reports that one cup of unsweetened pineapple juice contains 11.7 grams of glucose and 9.5 grams of fructose.5 Since the glucose content is greater than the fructose content, there’s no excess fructose in unsweetened pineapple juice, making it low FODMAP.
If your overall sugar intake is a concern, you’ll need to be careful with pineapple juice, but that’s true of all fruit juices due to how they concentrate sugars. If you can drink pineapple juice without issue, you’ll get lots of nutritional benefits. Among other things, pineapple juice is loaded with Vitamin C and manganese, a trace mineral that aids bone health and strengthens the immune system.6,7
Final Thoughts on Low FODMAP Pineapple
When I first went low FODMAP, I was really worried that I’d have to give up many foods. And I did have to eliminate high fructose fruits, like pears, from my diet. But, as I’ve done more research, I’ve been happy to find that I can still eat a variety foods, which luckily includes pineapple.
As mentioned, I use often use pineapple as an alternative to watermelon in the summer. I tolerate canned pineapple really well and often pair it with seasonal fruits: strawberries in summer and kiwi in the fall and winter.
As I learn more about living low FODMAP, I realize there are quite a few fruits that will fit into my diet. And while I like many of them, none will supplant my love for pineapple. It’s one of my treasured “good mood” foods.
About the Author
Amanda Coleman, PhD, studies food culture and teaches a popular Food and Society course. Years of digestive problems led her to live low FODMAP. Now she uses her research and analysis skills to help others understand FODMAP essentials, so they can lead better, healthier lives.
Disclaimer: the author is not a certified medical professional. Opinions expressed and content contained on this website are for informational purposes only and should not be interpreted as medical advice. Exercise caution and due diligence when using this site and the information contained herein and understand your experiences may vary.
