vodka
Beverages
Trigger checker for vodka
See vodka rated across every trigger — FODMAP, histamine, salicylate, oxalate, tyramine and more — plus diet compatibility, all in one quick ingredient profile.
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Serving size, prep, and portion notes for vodka
Vodka is the plainest thing on the back bar: distilled to a high proof and filtered until almost nothing but ethanol and water is left, which is why it grades A for gluten, A across every FODMAP column, A for lactose and A for sulfites, and why it keeps turning up as the fallback pour on sensitivity lists. That reputation is earned. Vodka carries the lowest congener load of any common spirit, which is the practical reason it behaves differently from whiskey or brandy the next morning. The honest limit is that clean is not the same as inert: vodka still grades B for histamine and B for histamine liberation, because the ethanol itself is a trigger regardless of how pure the spirit around it is. If you are searching for the safest alcohol for histamine intolerance or the safest gluten free spirit, vodka is the sensible answer, with the caveat that the safest drink is still a drink.
Watch for
Graded B, not A, for histamine and histamine liberation. The spirit contributes almost nothing itself, but ethanol is its own trigger, so a very clean vodka is still capable of setting off flushing, a stuffy nose or a headache in someone sensitive / Lowest congener content of the common spirits. Congeners are the methanol, acetaldehyde, fusel alcohols and barrel-derived compounds that give darker drinks their colour and flavour, and vodka is the comparison point researchers use when they want an alcohol with almost none of them / The base grain does not survive the still. Wheat, rye and corn vodkas all grade A for gluten because the protein stays behind in the wash, and potato and grape vodkas never contained any to begin with / Flavoured vodka is a different product. Sugar syrups, fruit and confectionery essences, citrus oils and occasionally cream or caramel are added after distillation, and none of that is covered by the plain spirit grades / Poor for SIBO (grade E) and not AIP compliant, which is true of alcohol generally rather than of vodka specifically / Mixers usually outweigh the spirit. Vodka is FODMAP free, but tonic, cola, energy drinks and fruit juice bring the fructose, the sugar and sometimes the caffeine with them
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FAQ
What does the FODMAP rating mean for vodka?
Low FODMAP: usually easier for most people, still watch portion size.
Is vodka generally well tolerated?
Low Fermentation (Avoid) and Histamine (Low) Start with those if you react.
What should I check next?
Compare within the Beverages group.