Is potato Low FODMAP?

Key points:

• Potatoes can be part of a balanced diet and are FODMAP friendly.
• Potatoes are low in FODMAPs in large servings*. 
• Sweet potatoes and white potatoes do not have the same FODMAP content.

Potatoes, spuds, taters, whatever name you give this popular root vegetable, they often get a bad rap due to the misinformation about potatoes and weight gain, but they’re perfectly healthy as part of a balanced diet.
While they are a carbohydrate-rich, energy-providing food, potatoes are high in vitamin C, and are a good source of several B vitamins and potassium, while their skins provide dietary fibre.

According to the Monash University FODMAP Diet App, white potatoes and red potatoes are both low FODMAP foods and remain low in FODMAPs in a serving size of up to 500g. While this gives people free range to eat as much as they want, it’s important to note that one serving of potatoes according to the Australian Dietary Guidelines is ½ a medium potato, or 75g. 

Are potato chips low FODMAP?

A small packet of plain potato chips (around 30g) that consist of only potatoes, oil and salt is considered low FODMAP.

Unfortunately, flavoured potato chips can often be high in FODMAPs due to added ingredients such as high FODMAP onion, garlic and honey  - just small amounts can trigger symptoms for some. Also, any dairy products that are usually added for taste, such as sour cream or buttermilk, have varying levels of FODMAPs depending on the amount, so keep an eye out for these ingredients. 

Other popular types of potato products

• Hot chips - on a low FODMAP diet, you don’t need to give up on this treat! But watch your serve of tomato sauce if you prefer to have it with your chips. A small 16g of tomato sauce is safe on a FODMAP diet, but larger amounts contain moderate amounts of fructans.
• Potato wedges - similar to hot chips, potato wedges are FODMAP friendly. But you might want to avoid the store-bought aioli as it can be high in FODMAPs due to added garlic.
• Hash browns - as another variation of fried potatoes, hash browns are also low FODMAP. Again, watch out for the amount of tomato sauce you’re having with it, if that’s your preference.
• Mashed potatoes - as long as your mashed potatoes consist of potatoes and lactose-free milk, then it’s a safe dish on a low FODMAP diet. Lactose-free milk is a low FODMAP option. Regular cow’s milk is high in FODMAPs due to its lactose content.  Also, while butter is dairy it is high in fat and does not contain carbohydrates (FODMAPs).
• Potato salad - As long as you keep to the FODMAP friendly amounts of dijon mustard and mayonnaise and avoid garlic, potato salad can be a FODMAP friendly dish. 
• Potato bake - With so many variations of potato bake, it’s best to make your own so you know exactly what goes in it. Avoid using high FODMAP ingredients such as onion, garlic and leek, as small amounts can trigger symptoms. Opt for hard cheeses and lactose-free milk over soft cheese and cream as they can easily contain lactose in small amounts. 

Potatoes vs sweet potatoes

Unlike white or red potatoes, you’ll need to watch your portion size for sweet potatoes. Sweet potatoes are low FODMAP in servings of ½ cup (75g) per meal, but once you hit a ⅔ cup (100g) serving, it’s moderate in FODMAPs. More specifically, it contains moderate amounts of the polyol mannitol. A large serving of ¾ cup (112g) is considered high FODMAP.

Summary

If you’re following a low FODMAP diet you can enjoy potatoes quite freely, as well as many food products made from potatoes. The main thing to watch out for are the high FODMAP ingredients added to popular potato products, such as flavoured potato chips. You’ll still want to keep your portion sizes in check as part of a healthy, balanced diet.

*up to 500g

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Reviewed by healthylife health experts May 2023.