carob pods
Legumes/Pulses
Is carob pods high in polyols?
Is carob pods high or low in polyols? See its exact rating, how much counts as a portion, and its FODMAP, salicylate, oxalate and diet compatibility in one place.
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Compare carob pods across criteria
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
- Avocado portion size matters - small amounts may be fine
- Cauliflower and mushrooms are common triggers
Sensitivities
What carob pods contains
FODMAPs
Histamine & Amines
Plant compounds
Irritants
Additives
Allergens
Diet fit
Where carob pods fits
Therapeutic diets
Lifestyle diets
Religious diets
What to know about carob pods
Carob pods are the dried fruit of the Mediterranean carob tree, eaten whole as a chewy sweet or roasted and milled into the carob powder sold as a chocolate substitute. The comparison with cocoa is the whole point of the ingredient, and the grades back it up: cocoa is high in oxalate and nickel, high in histamine and salicylate, and carries caffeine, while carob grades A on every single one of those and contains neither caffeine nor theobromine. The one real catch is carbohydrate. Carob pods are roughly half sugar by weight, packed with fibre, and graded D for fructans and D for FODMAPs, so the bloating people blame on chocolate can follow them into the chocolate free version.
Watch for
- Fructans and overall FODMAPs both grade D.This is carob the whole pod, dense in sugar and fibre, so a bar or a generous scoop of powder is a very different exposure from a teaspoon stirred into milk
- Caffeine free and theobromine free (caffeine A), which is the genuine reason to choose it over cocoa if stimulants trigger your migraines, reflux or palpitations
- Clean exactly where cocoa is not: histamine A against cocoa D, oxalate A against cocoa E, nickel A against cocoa E, salicylate A against cocoa D.For a histamine, oxalate or nickel sensitive reader that swap is a real one, not a marketing line
- Naturally sweet, which means the sugar arrives whether or not the label says no added sugar.Worth logging as sugar if you track it
- Most commercial carob bars are carob plus milk solids and palm fat, so lactose and dairy protein come from the confectionery, not from the pod, which grades A on both
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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 carob pods high in Polyols?
Polyols: low signal for most people.
Can I still eat carob pods if I'm sensitive to Polyols?
Usually fine in normal portions.
What else should I check?
Check Specific Carbohydrate, Low Fibre, and Gastroparesis Diet next for a fuller picture.