cream of tartar
Additives & Leavening
Is cream of tartar high in polyols?
Find out whether cream of tartar 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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Compare cream of tartar 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
Triggers
Diets
Serving size, prep, and portion notes for cream of tartar
Cream of tartar is potassium bitartrate, the crystal that precipitates out of wine barrels and gets purified into a white powder. It is one of the cleanest ingredients in a baking cupboard on every trigger we track: no gluten, no lactose or dairy protein despite the name, no FODMAPs, no histamine, no salicylates, no sulfites, no nickel. The one number that is genuinely worth knowing is potassium. At roughly 20 percent potassium by weight it delivers about 495 mg per teaspoon, more than a banana, from a spoon of white powder that reads as inert.
Watch for
Extremely potassium dense: around 495 mg in a level teaspoon. Irrelevant when a quarter teaspoon is split across twenty-four cookies, and not irrelevant at all if you are on a potassium-restricted renal diet, a potassium-sparing diuretic or an ACE inhibitor / There are published cases of life-threatening hyperkalemia after people deliberately swallowed large quantities as a home cleanse, presenting with vomiting and peaked T waves on ECG. Baking amounts are not the issue, spoonfuls-in-water internet remedies are / It comes from winemaking but rates clean on sulfites: the finished powder is purified potassium bitartrate, not wine, so a sulfite or wine reaction should not carry across / Rated only neutral on the anti-inflammatory axis, which is a refined-additive note rather than a sensitivity trigger. It is not doing you any good, it is just not doing anything
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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.
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Get the AppFAQ
Is cream of tartar high in Polyols?
Polyols: low signal for most people.
Can I still eat cream of tartar if I'm sensitive to Polyols?
Usually fine in normal portions.
What else should I check?
Check Inflammation, Histamine, and Histamine Liberators next for a fuller picture.