4 Low FODMAP Ways To Replace Honey

Honey is delicious, but it is a common high FODMAP ingredient that needs to be avoided during the strict low FODMAP phase of the diet. Luckily there are four easy low FODMAP ways to replace honey:

1. Pure Maple Syrup (1:1 Replacement)

Pure maple syrup is a low FODMAP sweetener made from the sap of sugar maple trees, which is boiled down to a thick syrup (1). You can use it as a direct replacement for honey. When replacing honey with maple syrup use a 1:1 ratio. This means if the recipe contains two tablespoons of honey, you replace it with two tablespoons of maple syrup. A low FODMAP serve of maple syrup is two tablespoons (2).

2. Golden Syrup (1:1 Replacement)

Golden syrup is a light golden-coloured treacle produced by the evaporation of cane sugar juice, used to sweeten and flavour cakes and puddings. Golden syrup consists of 50% glucose and 50% fructose, and according to the Monash University it is low FODMAP in 1 teaspoons serves (2). Please note that golden syrup becomes high FODMAP at 1 tablespoon serves (2). You can use a 1:1 ratio when using golden syrup to replace honey.

3. Rice malt syrup (1:1 Replacement)

Rice malt syrup is a low FODMAP sweetener derived from fermenting brown rice with enzymes to disintegrate the starch (4). Next the fermented liquid is cooked and strained until it becomes a syrup. Some rice syrups contain gluten, which is only a problem if you suffer from Coeliac disease. You can use a 1:1 ratio when replacing honey with rice malt syrup. A low FODMAP serving size of rice malt syrup is one tablespoon (2).

4. Brown sugar (1:1 + ¼ Liquid Replacement)

Brown sugar is made by adding molasses to refined white sugar, or by leaving the molasses intact when refining sugar crystals. It is another low FODMAP sweetener that can be used to replace honey. However, brown sugar is dry and honey contains liquid. This means you need to add more liquid to the recipe. For every cup of honey, replace it with one cup of brown sugar and add ¼ cup of liquid to the recipe.

High FODMAP Sweeteners

Avoid replacing honey with agave syrup, yacon syrup or high fructose corn syrup, as these are high FODMAP sweeteners. Be careful when using golden syrup as it can become high FODMAP in larger serves.