apple
Fruit
Is apple high in polyols?
Find out whether apple is high or low in polyols, see its exact rating, and check its FODMAP, salicylate, oxalate and diet compatibility all in one place.
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Sensitivity notes
Why polyols food checker matters
Polyols (sugar alcohols) are found naturally in some fruits and vegetables, and are used as artificial sweeteners. They're poorly absorbed and can cause digestive symptoms, especially in IBS sufferers.
- Avoid sugar-free products with sorbitol, mannitol, xylitol, maltitol
- Stone fruits are naturally high in polyols
- Cooking doesn't reduce polyol content
Triggers
Diets
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
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Polyols Guide
Everything you need to know about polyols sensitivity and smart food choices.
Polyols (sugar alcohols) are found naturally in some fruits and vegetables, and are used as artificial sweeteners. They're poorly absorbed and can cause digestive symptoms, especially in IBS sufferers.
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 Polyols sensitivity:
View all safe options
These foods have moderate levels and may be tolerated in small amounts:
These foods are high in polyols and may trigger symptoms:
View full list
If you're sensitive to Polyols, consider these strategies:
- 1Avoid sugar-free products with sorbitol, mannitol, xylitol, maltitol
- 2Stone fruits are naturally high in polyols
- 3Cooking doesn't reduce polyol content
- 4Avocado portion size matters - small amounts may be fine
- 5Cauliflower and mushrooms are common triggers
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.
Get the AppFAQ
Is apple high in Polyols?
Polyols: higher signal - consider smaller servings or swaps.
Can I still eat apple if I'm sensitive to Polyols?
Best to avoid or test carefully with a small amount.
What else should I check?
Check FODMAPs, Fructose, and FODMAPs next for a fuller picture.