13 Science-Backed Ways to Avoid Fructose

Co-authored by Claudia Carberry, RD, MS and Janice Tieperman

Last Updated: November 11, 2022 References

Are you switching to a low-fructose diet? Sticking with low-fructose foods is a great and effective way to combat fructose intolerance and/or GI issues like IBS—best of all, it’s totally doable. Read on for plenty of tips, tricks, and suggestions to help you cut fructose from your day-to-day meals and snacks.

Things You Should Know

Eat fruits and veggies in moderation, and stick to options that are low in fructose such as bananas, strawberries, avocados, and spinach.
Avoid foods with lots of added sugars. These include sugary cereals, flavored yogurts, and many pre-made sauces and condiments.
Eat bread that is gluten- and wheat-free. Rice bread, potato bread, and spelt sourdough are all good options.
Choose sugar-free drinks and avoid alcohol.

1

Stay away from high-fructose fruits.

Apples are one of the biggest offenders out there. While fruit is fine to eat in moderation, high-fructose fruits like mango, pear, watermelon, grapes, and raisins will only leave you with gut pain and other uncomfortable symptoms.^{[1]
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Research source} Instead, stick with low-fructose fruits, like:
- Lemons and limes
- Bananas
- Cranberries
- Mandarin oranges
- Strawberries
- Avocados^{[2]
  X
  Trustworthy Source
  PubMed Central
  Journal archive from the U.S. National Institutes of Health
  Go to source}
- Dieticians advise only eating 1-2 baseball-sized servings of fruit each day to help keep your symptoms away.^{[3]
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  Research source}

2

Steer clear of high-fructose veggies.

Onions, asparagus, and other veggies are full of fructose. Veggies like artichokes, broccoli, leeks, mushrooms, shallots, red peppers, peas, and okra are known to cause unpleasant flare-ups for fructose-intolerant individuals.^{[4]
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Trustworthy Source
PubMed Central
Journal archive from the U.S. National Institutes of Health
Go to source} Stock up on plenty of low-fructose veggies instead, such as:
- Sweet potato
- Turnip greens
- Spinach
- Green pepper
- Chives^{[5]
  X
  Trustworthy Source
  PubMed Central
  Journal archive from the U.S. National Institutes of Health
  Go to source}
- Dieticians advise eating no more than 3 servings of veggies each day on a low-fructose diet.^{[6]
  X
  Research source} For reference, one serving of vegetables equals 1 cup of leafy greens or a ½ cup of any frozen, fresh, or canned veggies.^{[7]
  X
  Trustworthy Source
  American Heart Association
  Leading nonprofit that funds medical research and public education
  Go to source}

3

Limit flavored dairy products.

Dairy products like flavored milk and yogurt can be high in fructose. Dairy items with fruit flavoring are also high in added sugar and fructose-containing products—even products flavored with natural fruit. To be safe, stick with plain dairy products instead.^{[8]
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Trustworthy Source
American Heart Association
Leading nonprofit that funds medical research and public education
Go to source}
- If you want to add some flavor to your yogurt, mix in natural flavors and spices like vanilla or cinnamon.

4

Skip sugary cereals.

Shop for low-fructose cereals with less than 6 grams of sugar per serving. Make sure that the sugar or sweetener ingredient is towards the bottom of the ingredients list, too.^{[9]
X
Trustworthy Source
Cleveland Clinic
Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals
Go to source} Here are a few safe, low-fructose varieties to choose from:
- Cornflakes
- Frosted Flakes
- Crispix
- Rice Krispies or Frosted Krispies
- Oatmeal, oat-based cereals, and porridge are also safe options if you’re on a low-fructose diet.^{[10]
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  Research source}

5

Ditch ready-made meals and desserts.

Strive to eat meals you prepare for yourself at home. Homemade meals are better than boxed dinners or other microwavable meals, which are often made with high-fructose corn syrup. Also, try to avoid any commercial baked goods and desserts, which are often high in fructose.^{[11]
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Trustworthy Source
Cleveland Clinic
Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals
Go to source}
- In moderation, chocolate can be a great dessert option on a low-fructose diet. Dieticians suggest limiting yourself to 5 squares of dark chocolate, 4 squares of milk chocolate, or 3 squares of white chocolate.^{[12]
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- A bowl of lactose-free ice cream is another refreshing, low-fructose dessert alternative.^{[13]
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6

Toss out any high-fructose snacks.

Fruit leathers, muesli bars, and dried fruit are all bad news.^{[14]
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Research source} Thankfully, there are plenty of low-fructose snack options out there that shouldn’t trigger any unpleasant symptoms, like:
- Tortilla chips
- Coconut yogurt^{[15]
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- Pretzels
- Boiled eggs^{[16]
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7

Avoid high-fructose condiments and sauces.

Tomato sauce, jam, and Asian-style sauces are just a few to steer clear of. Many condiments and sauces have some amount of fructose in them, including reduced-fat mayonnaise, pasta sauce, tomato paste, and chutney. If possible, clear these items out of your refrigerator and pantry if you have them on hand.^{[17]
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Research source}
- Some condiments, like mayonnaise, tomato sauce, and BBQ sauce, can be enjoyed in small servings that are less than 3 US tbsp (44 mL).
- Like tomato paste and tomato sauce, ketchup also isn’t recommended for people with fructose intolerance.^{[18]
  X
  Trustworthy Source
  PubMed Central
  Journal archive from the U.S. National Institutes of Health
  Go to source}

8

Switch to a low-fructose bread.

Wheat, rye, and barley bread aren’t good options for a low-fructose diet.^{[19]
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Research source} Instead, stick with bread that is wheat-free and gluten-free. Cornbread, rice bread, potato flour bread, and spelt sourdough bread are all safe options to choose from.^{[20]
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Research source}
- Feel free to change things up with gluten-free or wheat-free pasta, too.
- Talk to your doctor and ask for their recommendation on how much bread you can eat. Not everyone on a low-fructose diet can tolerate bread, even low-fructose varieties.

9

Stop drinking high-fructose beverages.

Soda and fruit juice are a few drinks to avoid. If you’d like to add a little variety to your beverage line-up, opt for low-fructose drinks like coffee or sucrose-sweetened soda.^{[21]
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Trustworthy Source
Cleveland Clinic
Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals
Go to source}
- Apple juice is especially high in fructose, so try to avoid it if you can.
- Stick with sugar-free drinks that are pretty low in fake sweeteners like acesulfame k and aspartame.

10

Steer clear of any high-fructose alcohol.

Rum is a big red flag for low-fructose diets. Alcohol can be pretty irritating to your GI system in general, so it’s really best to save it for special occasions. When you do pour yourself a glass, opt for beer, wine, or spirits low in fructose.^{[22]
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Research source}

11

Ditch any items with fructose listed on the label.

Check the ingredients for things like high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS). Reading food labels is one of the most effective ways to limit and avoid fructose in your diet. The key is knowing what to look for. As you read each food label, scan for a few different fructose-based sweeteners:^{[23]
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Trustworthy Source
Mayo Clinic
Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals
Go to source}
- Agave nectar
- Palm or coconut sugar
- Maple syrup
- Molasses
- Sorghum
- Invert sugar

12

Kick high-fructose corn syrup from your diet.

HFCS is an especially unhealthy form of fructose. Commonly found in candy, soda, and processed foods, excess HFCS can lead to serious health concerns like obesity, insulin resistance, and type 2 diabetes.^{[24]
X
Trustworthy Source
Cleveland Clinic
Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals
Go to source} Always avoid this ingredient when you’re grocery shopping, as it can also pop up in unexpected places like:
- Canned food
- Cereal
- Jellies
- Condiments^{[25]
  X
  Trustworthy Source
  PubMed Central
  Journal archive from the U.S. National Institutes of Health
  Go to source}

13

Create a meal plan with your doctor.

A customized meal plan can cater to your exact level of fructose tolerance. Safe fructose levels vary from person to person, so it helps to ask a doctor or dietician for advice. Schedule an appointment to figure out what you can and cannot eat. Also, ask about the exact amount of fructose you can have per day so you don’t go over.^{[26]
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Research source}
- If you’re sensitive to a lot of different foods and ingredients, ask your diet or dietician if you can try a low FODMAP diet. This type of diet limits a lot of triggering foods and ingredients, including fructose.

Warnings

Steer clear of any foods or beverages with “sorbitol” included on the ingredients list. Sorbitol is a sugar alcohol that can worsen digestive symptoms for some, so it’s best to avoid it altogether.^{[28]
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