What Sourdough Breads Are Low FODMAP?
Choosing a low FODMAP bread can be a difficult challenge on the low FODMAP diet, as many contain high FODMAP ingredients like wheat flour, honey, high fructose corn syrup or inulin. Traditional sourdough breads made from wheat, wholemeal wheat, and spelt flours are low FODMAP because they contain reduced levels of fructans (2). This means they can make a great low FODMAP bread option.
Article updated: 20th July 2018
How is traditional sourdough bread made?
The tradition of making sourdough bread is thousands of years old. A culture is made from water and flour, and left to ferment over several days with regular additions of water and flour (3). The culture develops the naturally occurring yeasts and lactobacilli found in the ground grain (3 4). Next this culture is added to the bakers dough. The yeast and bacteria in the culture feast on the carbohydrates in the flour creating gas, which causes the dough to rise slowly and leaven over a prolonged period (5).
Why are some sourdough breads Low FODMAP?
According to Monash University, the levels of fructans (from the oligosaccharide FODMAP group) are reduced during the sourdough fermentation process (1). This is because the yeasts ferment the fructans during the natural leaven process while the bread rises (1). Typically the dough should be allowed to prove for around 12 hours.
What flour bases for sourdough breads are low FODMAP?
Not all sourdough breads are low FODMAP. Some flours are higher in fructans than others, and the fermentation process may not reduce the fructans to a low FODMAP level.
- White Wheat Sourdough Bread is low FODMAP. Safe serving size is 2 slices (109g or 3.95oz) (2).
- 100% Spelt Sourdough Bread is low FODMAP. Safe serving size is 2 slices (82g or 2.90oz) (2). Watch your serving size as the Monash app notes that 3 slices (123g or 4.33oz) of 100% Sourdough Bread from the USA can contain high amounts of fructans (2).
- Spelt Sourdough Bread can be low FODMAP. This type of bread often contains a mixture of flours. Choose one with a higher percentage of spelt flour. A low FODMAP serving size is 2 slices (52g or 1.83oz) (2). Beware that some spelt sourdough breads from the USA can be high FODMAP fructose. If you are reacting to sourdough bread try a loaf that is made 100% from spelt and does not contain any high FODMAP sweeteners.
- Wholemeal Wheat Sourdough is low FODMAP. Safe serving size is 2 slices (97g or 3.42oz) (2).
- Oat Sourdough Bread is moderate FODMAP. Low FODMAP serve is 1 slice (26g or 0.91oz), whereas 2 slices (52g or 1.83oz) of oat sourdough bread will contain moderate levels of fructans (2).
- Kamut Sourdough Bread is high FODMAP and contains high levels of both fructans and fructose (2). The high fructose levels could have been due to a high FODMAP sweetener in the bread. It is recommended that you avoid kamut sourdough bread during the elimination phase of the low FODMAP diet.
- Rye Sourdough Bread is high FODMAP for fructans and should be avoided during the elimination phase of the diet (2).
How do you choose a low FODMAP sourdough bread?
- Check for high FODMAP sweeteners. Always check the ingredient list for high FODMAP sweeteners like honey or high fructose corn syrup (5). In theory, the fermentation process should reduce the FODMAP levels in the sweeteners, but it is unclear by how much. If a high FODMAP sweetener has been used, check that the label says zero residual sugar, or avoid the sourdough bread (5).
- Ask your local bakery if they use a slow leavening process for their sourdough bread. Otherwise, ring the manufacturer and ask about their bread making process.
- If you don’t tolerate one brand of sourdough bread, try a different brand
Note on Yeast
Previously it was suggested that adding yeast (additional to the sourdough starter) to sourdough bread could mean it has a higher FODMAP level as it might take less time to prove. However, this hypothesis is not supported by evidence and we have low FODMAP certified sourdough bread that contains added yeast. Additionally, yeast itself is low FODMAP. This means we do not need to worry about added yeast. Just focus on choosing a traditional wheat or spelt sourdough bread and test your tolerance to it.
This section was updated on 20th July 2018.
Final Thoughts
Sourdough bread can be a tasty addition to the low FODMAP diet! However, you need to check that it is made from white, wholemeal wheat, or spelt flour and that it is made using a traditional sourdough bread process. Also, remember to keep an eye on your portion sizes.
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karen walsh says
October 9, 2018 at 12:49 pmHi
Is Irish soda bread made with spelt flour low fodmap?
Thanks
Alana Scott says
October 13, 2018 at 12:10 amHi Karen,
You might find you can enjoy 1 slice of that bread during the first phase of the low FODMAP diet, however more than that might become high FODMAP. If you want to eat a larger serve of bread then swap to a traditionally made spelt sourdough bread as the fermentation/leavening process will help reduce the FODMAP content.
Donna says
March 8, 2019 at 6:33 amIs bakers delight sourdough fodmap friendly
Alana Scott says
March 8, 2019 at 6:26 pmHi Donna,
Bakers Delight actually make a low FODMAP loaf that has been tested and certified as safe for the low FODMAP diet. Try asking for that when you are in store.
Daniela says
March 12, 2019 at 9:43 pmHi,
A serving size of two slices, does this mean 2 slices per day or per meal?
Alana Scott says
March 16, 2019 at 10:46 pmHi Daniela,
Two slices per serve is for each meal. You can repeat foods throughout the day just leave 2 to 3 hours between each serve. I hope that helps!
Joyce Bragg says
May 10, 2019 at 12:43 pmIs Wholewheat flour the same as Wholemeal flour
Alana Scott says
May 12, 2019 at 10:04 pmHi Joyce,
Yes wholewheat flour is the same as wholemeal flour. I hope that helps!
Charlene Howe says
May 24, 2019 at 12:45 pmI have in’s, started aa sourdough starter with gold medal all purpose flour, white, am going to make my own sour dough bread, was going to use gold medal white flour to make bread. Is this Low FODMAP?
Alana Scott says
May 28, 2019 at 5:36 amHi Charlene,
Thanks for leaving a comment. Providing the gold medal all purpose flour is made from wheat or spelt flour then your sourdough bread should be low FODMAP at a 2 slice serve. Let us know how it turns out!
Linda Polk says
May 31, 2019 at 8:40 pmHello again. A few days ago, I posted a question about making bread with a mixture of gluten free flour and spelt flour. Now I can’t find my question on the website to find if I received a reply. My doctor handed me a 1-page sheet about the FODMAP diet, but offered no guidance, and to my knowledge, there are no dieticians or nutritionists in my area familiar with it, so I’m on my own. I’ve had some confusion about appropriate breads, as the doctor’s list only stated GF bread OR “100% spelt bread” but didn’t mention sourdough. I have had some success with the diet over the past several weeks. Could you please direct me to the correct page where I posted my bread/flour question, if it still exists? Thank you.
Alana Scott says
June 3, 2019 at 8:59 pmHi Linda,
Sorry about the slow reply. We’ve been having a few issues with comments disappearing! It looks like your comment might have been one of those. Okay so we tend to recommend traditional spelt sourdough bread or traditional wheat sourdough bread as the sourdough culture helps gobble up the fructans in the spelt or wheat flour which lowers the FODMAP content. This has been confirmed by laboratory testing by Monash University. It is possible that the list of foods your doctor gave you might be out of date so you might want to cross-reference it with the Monash Low FODMAP app. What flours are you going to use with your sourdough starter?
Linda Polk says
May 31, 2019 at 8:40 pmP.S. I am in the process of making a sourdough starter at this time.
Linda Polk says
June 12, 2019 at 3:47 pmSorry, I’m just now discovering your reply. 🙂
My spelt starter failed. It was working, so I mixed dough for bread, left overnight to rise, and it didn’t rise at all, and I checked the starter and it appeared to have died, so I threw it all out, dough and starter.
I am this morning attempting again to make a starter, and this time will start with white all purpose for the starter. Hopefully it will “start” better than spelt.
I intend to use spelt flour for my sourdough bread (if my starter survives), but since sourdough does “gobble up the fructans” (and since I have a new bag of all purpose and no other use for it!), I might try a combination of spelt and all-purpose wheat, as the mixture might create a lighter loaf.
Thank you so much for your feedback.
Alana Scott says
June 16, 2019 at 5:45 amHi Linda,
Thanks for the update! I’ve got my fingers and toes crossed that your next start works and that you end up with a lovely sourdough loaf!
Linda Polk says
July 7, 2019 at 11:50 pmUPDATE: After my “new” starter had a week to “work” it seemed to be ready. I mixed dough and left overnight (a full 12 hours) to rise. Maybe it needed even more time, as it did not rise much if at all, but was very sour smelling. I was determined to have bread, so I decided to proceed and dissolved a packet of yeast in warm water, kneaded it into the dough, left to rise a few more hours, then baked. The result was a good loaf, but I was disappointed that I’d had to add the yeast so it wasn’t true sourdough.
After feeding my starter for a couple more weeks, I decided to double the amount of starter per loaf. The recipe I had been using, and most recipes I have seen, called for 1/2 cup starter and 3 cups flour per loaf; I used a full cup of starter this time, left dough to rise overnight, and it doubled nicely this time. After kneading and shaping into pan, it took only a couple of hours to rise above top of pan (even though the recipe said 6-8 hours)! This made a beautiful, delicious loaf!
Hope this info is helpful to others who might be having similar issues.
Alana Scott says
July 8, 2019 at 8:56 pmAwesome work! I hope your tummy is also enjoying your traditional sourdough loaf.
Jessica Botterman says
July 8, 2019 at 6:49 pmI make all my bread at home with all purpose flour. I haven’t gotten to sourdoughs yet though. Is all-purpose flour with salt, water, and yeast, low FODMAP?
Alana Scott says
July 8, 2019 at 9:52 pmHi Jessica,
Thanks for commenting. It’s the bread making process that makes the sourdough bread low FODMAP. Your traditional bread is likely to only be low FODMAP at 1 slice serve and then will become high FODMAP. To enjoy a larger serve you would need to add a sourdough culture to the bread and allow it to rest/prove for around 12 hours. The bacteria in the sourdough culture will break down some of the fructans in your all purpose wheat flour and reduce the FODMAP content. Does that make sense?
Spinninghands says
July 28, 2019 at 9:06 pmIs it possible to make sourdough bread with brown or white rice?
Alana Scott says
July 29, 2019 at 9:50 pmYes, we have seen sourdough bread made from brown or white rice flour that is low FODMAP. You might need to contact your local gluten-free bakeries to see what options they have available.
Sara Ayech says
August 5, 2019 at 4:26 pmHi, my son and I are making a rye starter as we were given a kit for it. If I use 100 spelt flour to make bread using the rye starter will this still be high fructan because of the starter?
Alana Scott says
August 6, 2019 at 9:46 pmHi Sara,
The fermentation process in the starter will reduce some of the fructan content in the rye flour used in the starter. However, unless the bread is laboratory tested we won’t know the FODMAP content of the overall loaf. My gut feeling is that if you stick to a 2 slice serve of the spelt sourdough bread with the rye starter it will probably be well tolerated. This means we would recommend testing your tolerance to the homemade bread.
Doreen Vernarec says
August 11, 2019 at 10:20 pmI’m new to the FODMAP diet and just began the elimination phase. Still very fuzzy on the sourdough ingredients. I walked away from a bakery loaf because it listed wheat flour but, after reading the posts, this may not have been necessary? These are the ingredients: “unbleached unbromated wheat flour ((wheat flour, niacin, reduced iron, thiamin mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid), malted barley flour), filtered water, natural sourdough starter, organic whole wheat flour, sea salt”. Is this low FODMAP? Is it ok to eat? When is wheat flour ok? If it’s ok, can you explain why so I can begin to understand? Thank you 🙂
Alana Scott says
August 12, 2019 at 8:00 pmHi Doreen,
Sourdough bread made from wheat flour is low FODMAP because the sourdough starter helps break down the fructans. We would suggest trying a small 2 slice serve of that sourdough loaf and see how your body goes. In theory, we think it meets low FODMAP criteria.
Also here is an article on wheat and the low FODMAP diet which will help answer your question: https://alittlebityummy.com/can-you-eat-wheat-on-the-low-fodmap-diet/
Jennifer Howell says
November 4, 2019 at 6:11 amHi there, I have found a company that ships sourdough but I’m still kinda new to all this so can you tell me if these ingredients are Low FODMAP…. organic unbleached wheat flour, organic sourdough culture, organic apple cider vinegar, water, sea salt. Thank you
Alana Scott says
November 4, 2019 at 8:35 pmHi Jennifer,
Those ingredients look good. I think that sourdough bread would be worth trying. Let me know how you get on.
Mary N. says
March 5, 2020 at 1:01 pmHello, Alana.
In a low FODMAP support group, it was recently said that the malted barley in sour dough has yet to be tested as safe. I find this in many on- shelf sour dough breads. I saw it listed in the ingredients in an above question, but it wasn’t mentioned in the answer. So I was hoping you might be able to shed some light on this particular ingredient. I’ve been avoiding sour dough since reading this (in group); however, I am getting ready to make my own soon. I’d just like to know for those times I’d like to just grab a loaf.
Thank you for your time.
Alana Scott says
March 12, 2020 at 12:01 amHi Mary,
That is correct – malted barley is currently untested for FODMAPS. I’ve been doing some looking into why malted barley is added to bread. Apparently the barley malt contains an enzyme that helps break down the starches in the flour and then converts these to sugar. The amount added is normally small – about 3 to 4 teaspoons per loaf. This means the amount per slice of bread, in theory, should be quite low. We suggest trying a slice of sourdough that contains malted barley and just see how you go. I hope that helps!
Becky says
May 8, 2020 at 6:05 pmHi, I’m looking into starting to bake my own sourdough bread now. Is sourdough made with white flour low fodmap or should I be sticking to spelt or whole wheat? Is one better than the others? I’m having a hard time finding information on this so any guidance is much appreciated!!
Alana Scott says
May 10, 2020 at 5:30 amHi Becky,
Thanks for contacting us! Okay so we know that sourdough bread made from white flour is low FODMAP in small serves. That means you should be okay to use white flour in your sourdough starter. We wish you all the best with your sourdough bread making and look forward to hearing how you get on!
Sarah says
May 19, 2020 at 3:32 pmI’m sorry, but I’m so confused still. I’m trying to help my spouse who’s been given the lowfod diet, so bear with me. I’m reading the first paragraph. Wheat flour is bad, but wheat and wholemeal wheat is good? or Is it the process of making sourdough? Thanks for the site. I’ll be using it often.
Alana Scott says
May 23, 2020 at 9:00 pmHi Sarah,
It’s actually the fermentation process that sourdough bread goes through that turns wheat flour from high FODMAP from low FODMAP. That’s why you need to chose a wheat/wholemeal/spelt sourdough during the first phase of the low FODMAP diet. Does that make more sense now?
Caroline Kelly says
July 1, 2020 at 1:04 pmHi, do you know if sourdough pizza bases would be classed as a low fodmap? I’ve just started looking into fodmaps recently as have been having abdominal pains and other symptoms since April. I am slightly confused by the different types of information out there. I’ve noticed things like brocolli, orange juice and jam come under high fodmap on some sources but low on others.
Alana Scott says
July 1, 2020 at 7:42 pmHi Caroline,
Thanks for commenting. We know the low FODMAP diet can be confusing and we are here to help.
I’ve had a quick look into sourdough pizza dough – it does contain sourdough starter culture which is good – this culture is full of healthy bacteria that help break down the fructans in the bread. However, the proving time (rising time) for the pizza dough is quite short (2 to 4 hours) so this might not be long enough for the bacteria to break down a large percentage of the fructan content. This means it’s hard to know what the FODMAP content of the pizza dough will be without laboratory testing.
This means we suggest you test your tolerance to the pizza dough once your symptoms are settled: https://alittlebityummy.com/can-i-eat-this-testing-your-fodmap-tolerance-to-untested-foods/
Now in terms of differing foods lists – most of the food lists you find online will be out of date. FODMAP research is being continuously updated and portion size is also really important. The best place to find up to date high and low FODMAP food lists is in the Monash University Low FODMAP App. Monash University is the lead researcher of the low FODMAP diet and the money you pay goes straight back into research: https://www.monashfodmap.com/ibs-central/i-have-ibs/get-the-app/