Back to ingredients

Overview

About Asparagus

Asparagus is anti-inflammatory and clean on histamine, yet it is one of the higher-FODMAP vegetables because it is rich in fructans, the same fermentable fiber that makes onion and garlic hard to tolerate.

Even a couple of spears can trigger bloating, wind and loose stools if you have IBS, and the low-FODMAP serving is tiny, well under a single spear. Asparagus is also moderate in salicylates and oxalate, so it is a mild secondary trigger for people sensitive to those.

Sensitivities

How Asparagus scores

Watch for

What trips people up

  • High in fructans, so even a small serving can bloat a FODMAP-sensitive gut
  • One of the vegetables people react to most quickly on a low-FODMAP reintroduction
  • Moderate in salicylates and oxalate, minor considerations if you react to those

Diet fit

Where it fits

Swap ideas

More alternatives

FAQ

Common questions about Asparagus

Is asparagus high FODMAP?

Yes. Asparagus is high FODMAP because of its fructan content, and the low-FODMAP serving is very small, roughly two-thirds of one spear. Ordinary portions of several spears are firmly in the high range.

Why does asparagus cause gas and bloating?

The fructans in asparagus are fermentable fibers your gut cannot absorb. Bacteria in the colon ferment them and produce gas, which drives the bloating and wind. That is the same mechanism behind onion and garlic, which are also fructan-rich.

References

Read the background

Ratings reflect the Triggerbites ingredient database and may vary with portion size and preparation.