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apple

Fruit

Is apple high in lectin?

Lectin status
Safe

Find out whether apple is high or low in lectin, see its exact rating, and check its FODMAP, salicylate, oxalate and diet compatibility all in one place.

Sensitivity notes

Why lectin food checker matters

Lectins are proteins found in many plant foods, especially legumes and grains. Some people follow low-lectin diets believing they reduce inflammation and digestive issues, though properly cooked foods have reduced lectin content.

  • Proper cooking destroys most lectins - never eat raw beans
  • Pressure cooking is highly effective at reducing lectins
  • Peeling and deseeding reduces lectin content

Triggers

HistamineSafe
Histamine Liberators
FODMAPsHigh
FructansSafe
GOSSafe
FructoseHigh
PolyolsHigh
GlutenSafe
LactoseSafe
Dairy ProteinsSafe
NightshadesSafe
SalicylatesLow
OxalatesSafe
NickelSafe
SulfitesSafe
NitritesSafe
GlutamatesSafe
TyramineSafe
CaffeineSafe
LectinSafe
Low FermentationModerate

Diets

GlutenFit
InflammationFit
VeganFit
VegetarianFit
Paleo AIPFit
MediterraneanFit
DASH DietFit
EoE CompatibleFit
FODMAPsAvoid
Low FermentationAvoid
Priority ingredient notes

Serving size, prep, and portion notes for apple

Apple is high FODMAP, and unusually it is high on two separate fronts at once: excess fructose and sorbitol, a sugar alcohol. Most fruit gives you one or the other, which is why apple so often causes bloating, cramping and urgency in people who handle grapes or oranges without trouble. The parts people expect to matter mostly do not. It is clean on fructans and GOS, so it has nothing in common with the onion and garlic family of FODMAP, and it grades clean on histamine, gluten, lactose, nickel, oxalate, lectins and nightshade while rating strongly anti-inflammatory. Salicylates sit at moderate rather than high, concentrated in the skin. If apple is a problem for you, the mechanism is almost certainly fermentation in the gut rather than an immune or inflammatory reaction.

Watch for

High in both excess fructose and sorbitol, a double FODMAP load that is why apple behaves more harshly than its serving size suggests / Cooking does not rescue it. Fructose and sorbitol are water soluble and heat stable, so stewed apple, apple sauce and baked apple carry the same load as raw fruit / Apple juice is graded worse than the whole fruit in our data, rating very high on FODMAPs and excess fructose, because the fibre is gone and one glass is several apples / Only moderate on salicylates, not high. They concentrate in the skin, so peeling lowers the dose and tart green-skinned varieties sit at the upper end of the range / Moderate for SIBO, since the fermentable sugars are exactly what low-fermentation protocols restrict

Learn More

Lectin Guide

Everything you need to know about lectin sensitivity and smart food choices.

Lectins are proteins found in many plant foods, especially legumes and grains. Some people follow low-lectin diets believing they reduce inflammation and digestive issues, though properly cooked foods have reduced lectin content.

Sensitivity varies widely. What triggers one person may be fine for another. Track your reactions to find your personal threshold.

These foods are generally well-tolerated for Lectin sensitivity:

View all safe options

These foods have moderate levels and may be tolerated in small amounts:

These foods are high in lectin and may trigger symptoms:

View full list

If you're sensitive to Lectin, consider these strategies:

  • 1Proper cooking destroys most lectins - never eat raw beans
  • 2Pressure cooking is highly effective at reducing lectins
  • 3Peeling and deseeding reduces lectin content
  • 4Fermentation can reduce lectins in some foods
  • 5Sprouting may increase or decrease lectins depending on the food

Pro tip: Keep a food diary to track your reactions. The Triggerbites app makes this easy with automatic pattern detection.

Want personalized tracking?

Download Triggerbites to log meals, track symptoms, and discover your unique triggers.

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FAQ

Is apple high in Lectin?

Lectin: low signal for most people.

Can I still eat apple if I'm sensitive to Lectin?

Usually fine in normal portions.

What else should I check?

Check FODMAPs, Fructose, and Polyols next for a fuller picture.