damson plum
Fruit
Is damson plum high in polyols?
Is damson plum 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.
Related checkers
Compare damson plum 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 damson plum contains
FODMAPs
Histamine & Amines
Plant compounds
Irritants
Additives
Allergens
Diet fit
Where damson plum fits
Therapeutic diets
Lifestyle diets
Religious diets
What to know about damson plum
Damson (Prunus insititia) is the small, blue-black, mouth-drying plum that almost nobody eats raw. It exists to be cooked into jam and damson cheese, or drowned in sugar and gin. Its trigger story is short and loud: damson sits at the worst grade on our polyol scale, the sorbitol family of FODMAPs, and grades high FODMAP overall with a moderate amount of free fructose. Everything else is quiet. No histamine, no histamine liberation, no oxalate, no sulfites, no nickel and no nightshade involvement, so if damsons cause you trouble, sorbitol is very likely the whole answer.
Watch for
- Worst grade on the polyol scale.Sorbitol is exactly why stone fruit has a laxative reputation, and damson carries more of it than the everyday plum does
- Moderate excess fructose stacking on top, so the two poorly absorbed sugars arrive together
- Damson jam and damson cheese are the fruit boiled down several times over.Per spoonful the sorbitol is far denser than in the fresh fruit, and the sugar added alongside does not dilute the trigger, it just hides the tartness
- Sloe-style damson gin is not a way around this.The fruit steeps for months and the water-soluble sugars, sorbitol included, move into the liquid you drink. A sweet damson liqueur carries the fruit chemistry with it, plus the alcohol
- Salicylate grades clean here, which is unusual for a dark-skinned tart plum where the common plum grades moderate.If salicylates are your suspected trigger, treat that particular grade as low confidence and test it on yourself rather than relying on it
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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 damson plum high in Polyols?
Polyols: higher signal - consider smaller servings or swaps.
Can I still eat damson plum if I'm sensitive to Polyols?
Best to avoid or test carefully with a small amount.
What else should I check?
Check FODMAPs, Keto, and Fructose next for a fuller picture.