Lifestyle | Health & Wellness

Are Grapes Low FODMAP?

By Dédé Wilson

Published October 4, 2024

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Are grapes low FODMAP? Yes, in fact some grapes contain no FODMAPs at all, while others have FODMAP content.

This article gives you the at-a-glance of what you need to know in reference to grapes and the low FODMAP diet. For a deep-dive, please refer to our other grape article, Everything You Need To Know About Grapes & FODMAPs; it will help you understand the whys and how’s discussed in this post.

Grapes.
Melandaaini via Shutterstock.

Grapes, Vitis vinifera, are a very popular fruit and there is keen interest in their inclusion – or exclusion – in the low FODMAP diet. This is because FODMAP lab testing of grapes has shown everything from no FODMAP content at all, to a high FODMAP content suggesting a low FODMAP serving size of just 2 grapes. 

Table Of Contents
  1. Monash University & FODMAP Friendly Lab Testing of Grapes
  2. What Does This Mean To You? 
  3. The Synopsis: Grapes Can Be Low FODMAP
  4. Frequently Asked Questions & Comments
  5. What Should I Do About Grapes If I Am Following The Low FODMAP Diet?
  6. Resources

Monash University & FODMAP Friendly Lab Testing of Grapes

harvesting grapes.
AlexandrMusuc via Shutterstock.

Over the past few years, the low FODMAP serving size for grapes has changed within both the Monash University and FODMAP Friendly smartphone apps, due to testing and re-testing. This post was updated October 2024. 

Monash University Lab Testing of Grapes

Grapes.
Lucky Business via Shutterstock.

Before December 2021 grapes were presented as low FODMAP in large 1 cup (150 g) servings. The serving size was determined by governmental guidelines, but the smaller print stated that “FODMAPs were not detected in this food”. In fact, “no FODMAPs” were found in green, red or black grapes. In app updates, black grapes were inexplicably removed from the app.

In December 2021, Monash University updated the serving size on the app, due to re-testing, and grapes were presented as low FODMAP in a 6 grape serving, after which they became high FODMAP for excess fructose.

June 2024 Monash University updated the serving size for grapes again. Currently grapes are presented as low FODMAP in a 2 grape serving (not enough for a snack) and 3 grapes or more showed excess fructose, in that round of lab testing.

Make sure you download the Monash University FODMAP Diet App for more information.

FODMAP Friendly Lab Testing of Grapes

grapes.
Lucky Business via Shutterstock.

FODMAP Friendly had lab tested green grapes and gave them a “Pass” at 24 grapes (100 g). 

Then, they lab tested “white”, red, and black grapes. During this batch of testing, “white” grapes showed a 24 g low FODMAP serving size (fructans), generic red grapes had a 150 g serving size (no fructose, but showed a small amount of fructans, and even less GOS and sorbitol); these showed a max serve of 900 g. Black grapes had a low FODMAP serving size of 100 g, with a max serve of 1100 g. They show no fructose, but show an equal, but very small, amount, of GOS, sorbitol and fructans. 

The present app entries show white grapes, red grapes, black grapes, and specifically Red Globe grapes.

White grapes have a low FODMAP serving size of 26 g. Fructose is the main FODMAP, with fructans as well.

Red grapes have a low FODMAP serving size of 150 g, with a max serve of 750 g. Fructans is the main FODMAP, with a small amount of GOS and sorbitol as well.

Black grapes have a low FODMAP serving size of 100 g, with a max serve of 1000g. (Very small amount of fructans detected).

What Does This Mean To You? 

woman wondering. Questioning, thinking.
Image credit Cast Of Thousands via Shutterstock.

It means grapes can contain no FODMAPs; they can also contain FODMAPs, and not always the same one. The grapes you buy will be indeterminate. We have no way to know what they are, FODMAP wise. If you have been tolerating grapes, no changes are needed to your diet. Please refer to our article, When Low FODMAP Lab Test Results Differ.

The Synopsis: Grapes Can Be Low FODMAP

eating grapes.
RossHelen via Shutterstock.
  • All the lab tests conducted by Monash University and FODMAP Friendly are accurate. The results reflect the batches of grapes that were tested at the time.
  • The lab tests have proven that grapes are capable of containing no FODMAPs at all, and they can also be high FODMAP.
  • The apps only allow one batch of lab test results to be displayed at any given time; the most recent are presented. This does not mean they are more correct than prior tests. The data simply represent what was tested at that moment in time.
  • The grapes that you buy today, or next month, literally cannot be the same as those tested. Their FODMAP content could be anywhere on a spectrum.
  • Both Monash University and FODMAP Friendly have stated that they expect FODMAP variances in fresh produce (fruits and vegetables).
  • If you have always tolerated grapes, there is no need to change your approach.
  • If grapes have given you digestive upset, take a break from them, then experiment with the varieties available to you, starting with small servings.
  • Please use the Monash University and FODMAP Friendly smartphone apps as guides, not absolutes.
  • Any of the lab tests can be a place for you to begin your exploration of your unique relationship with FODMAPs.

Monash University Statement About Produce: “Unsurprisingly, we have found that the FODMAP content of foods (especially fresh produce) can vary significantly…”

FODMAP Friendly Statement About Grapes: “We confirm the (grape) results, as all of our results, are accurate at the time at which they were tested. Obviously, climate change/different varieties/seasons/etc. will all play a role in any retest we conduct.”

Frequently Asked Questions & Comments

How Can Grapes Contain No FODMAPs?

We know this is possible for two main reasons. 1) Because Monash University and FODMAP Friendly have lab tested grapes at various times, and results have shown no FODMAP content; and 2) Because we have interviewed grape industry experts and grape growers and have learned about the science of sugars in grapes. When it comes to grapes and FODMAPs, what we are primarily concerned about is if there is excess fructose. If fructose and glucose are in equal amounts, then there are “no FODMAPs”. 

Apparently, when grapes are ripe and harvested at the right time (every grape has its optimal sugar/ripeness level), they have equal amounts of fructose and glucose. This is how it is possible that some grapes have lab tested with results showing no FODMAPs. Our article, Everything You Need To Know About Grapes & FODMAPs, explains this more n-depth.

Why Does FODMAP Content Vary So Much In Grapes?


All agricultural products like, fruits, vegetables, and grains will vary in their FODMAP content for myriad reasons. Variety is just one reason (Australian government documents list at least 31 grape varieties available; about 50 varieties are available in the U.S.) and there are grapes grown in other regions, which are exported.

Different grape varieties contain different amounts of sugars. Sugar content in grapes depends on ripeness at harvest. Then, there is country of origin, terroir (the microclimate), how they are stored and handled, age upon purchasing, to name just a few variables. For instance, did you know that cold storage can affect fructan levels? No wonder the lab results vary – and now you can see why they are even expected to vary.

Sugar content in grapes, from the same vine (even the same bunch) can vary when tested in the morning, and again later in the day. All of this is documented in our article, Everything You Need To Know About Grapes & FODMAPs.

There Is So Much Conflicting Information About Grapes and FODMAPs!


We know. That was the impetus for these articles. We believe we have done more research on sugars and grapes than anyone (short of testing for FODMAPs ourselves). We stand by what we have said. It all aligns with Monash University and FODMAP Friendly lab testing. We have also discussed this issue with both entities and the approach we present is supported. Please refer to our other article, for more information.

How Do I Know If The Grapes I Just Bought Contain FODMAPs?


You cannot know. Lab testing and grape science have shown us that grapes have a huge range of FODMAP content. In fact, there are studies showing that certain black grapes can vary as much as 70% in sugar content. One thing we do know is that in general, cold storage can increase FODMAP content.

How Do I Know If Grapes Will Trigger My IBS?


You don’t know. If you have always tolerated grapes, there is no need to change your approach. If grapes have given you digestive upset, take a break from them, then experiment with the varieties available to you, starting with small servings.

What Should I Do About Grapes If I Am Following The Low FODMAP Diet?

Eating grapes.
EduardSV via Shutterstock.

Treat grapes as you would any other fresh fruit. Use the Monash University and FODMAP Friendly lab testing results, from any of the tested batches, as a place to begin your exploration of your tolerance to grapes. 

A conservative approach would be to start with small servings. Always keep in mind that one variety or batch of grapes could vary significantly from another. If you love grapes and have an adverse reaction, take a break and then try a different variety purchased at a different time.

For more information, please read our article, Everything You Need To Know About Grapes & FODMAPs.

Resources

  1. Biosecurity and Agricultural Management, Agriculture Standards Regulations, Australia. (2013). Minimum standards of maturity for table grapes. https://www.agric.wa.gov.au/sites/gateway/files/Minimum%20standards%20of%20maturity%20for%20table%20grapes%20in%20Western%20Australia%202020-21.pdf
  2. Bogdanovi, J., Mojovi, M., Milosavi, N., Mitrovic, A., Vucinic, and Spasojevic, I. (2008, January 23). Role of fructose in the adaptation of plants to cold-induced oxidative stress. European Biophysics Journal. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00249-008-0260-9
  3. Brasil, I. M., & Siddiqui, M. W. (2018). Preharvest modulation of postharvest fruit and vegetable quality. In Postharvest quality of fruits and vegetables: An overview. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/B9780128098073000019?via%3Dihub
  4. (n.d.-b). Crop profile for grapes (table) in California. https://ipmdata.ipmcenters.org/documents/cropprofiles/CAgrapes-table.pdf
  5. Dami, I. (2014, January 22). Determining grape maturity and fruit sampling. Ohio State University Extension. https://ohioline.osu.edu/factsheet/HYG-1436
  6. Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. (2010). Table grapes. https://unece.org/DAM/trade/agr/promotion/2010_CapeTown/TechnicalSessions/Table%20grapes/tableGrapes_PresentationOfTheStandard.pdf
  7. Dharmadhikari, M. (2021). Composition of grapes. Iowa State. https://www.extension.iastate.edu/wine/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/compositionofgrapes.pdf
  8. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. (2005). Grape: Post-harvest operations.https://www.fao.org/fileadmin/user_upload/inpho/docs/Post_Harvest_Compendium_-_Grape.pdf
  9. FreshPoint. (2022, May 6). Understanding brix: Is a higher number always better? https://www.freshpoint.com/news/understanding-brix-is-a-higher-number-always-better/
  10. Government of Western Australia, Agriculture and Food. (2023). Minimum standards of maturity for table grapes in Western Australia. https://www.agric.wa.gov.au/table-grapes/minimum-standards-maturity-table-grapes-western-australia
  11. Guntars. (2024, April 13). How to measure brix in grapes and why it matters. AgNote. https://agnote.com/how-to-measure-brix-in-grapes-and-why-it-matters/
  12. Hamie, N. (2023). Maturity assessment of different table grape cultivars grown at six different altitudes in Lebanon. PMC. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10536932/
  13. Hazel Technologies, Inc. (2023). The state of Western Table grapes: United States and Mexico season forecast. https://www.hazeltechnologies.com/blog/the-state-of-western-table-grapes-united-states-and-mexico-season-forecast
  14. International Fruit Genetics. (2023). Table grape catalog. https://www.ifg.world/licensees/images/downloads/IFG%202023%20Grape%20Variety%20Catalog%20v7-0823.pdf
  15. Team, M. F. (2022, December 2). Retested foods – why FODMAP content might change. Monash FODMAP. https://monashfodmap.com/blog/retested-foods-why-fodmap-content-might-change/
  16. Tyagi, K., & Maoz, I. (2020). Linalool. Postharvest Biology and Technology. In Linalool – an overview. ScienceDirect Topics. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0925521419303813
  17. United States Department of Agriculture. (2016). The commercial storage of fruits, vegetables, and florist and nursery stocks. https://www.ars.usda.gov/is/np/CommercialStorage/CommercialStorage.pdf
  18. United States Department of Agriculture. (2020). Technical procedures manual – agricultural marketing service. https://www.ams.usda.gov/sites/default/files/media/TechnicalProceduresManual.pdf
  19. University Display Gardens. (2014). Table grape fact sheet.https://universitydisplaygardens.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/tabegrape_factsheet2014.pdf
  20. UNL Food. (2022, March 2). Fruits that continue to ripen after picking. https://food.unl.edu/article/fruits-continue-ripen-after-picking
  21. Urbina, L. (2023, December 19). The quality of table grapes: The secret of what makes each bite so special. Divine Flavor. https://divineflavor.com/2020/06/05/the-quality-of-table-grapes-the-secret-of-what-makes-each-bite-so-special/
  22. Valluru, R., & Van den Ende, W. (2008, July 4). Plant fructans in stress environments: Emerging concepts and future prospects. OUP Academic. Journal of Experimental Botany. https://academic.oup.com/jxb/article/59/11/2905/608172
  23. Wiberley-Bradford, A. E., Busse, J. S., Jiang, J., & Bethke, P. C. (2014, November 16). Sugar metabolism, chip color, invertase activity, and gene expression during long-term cold storage of potato (solanum tuberosum) tubers from wild-type and vacuolar invertase silencing lines of Katahdin. BMC Research Notes, BioMed Central. https://bmcresnotes.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1756-0500-7-801