lychee
Fruit
Is lychee high in polyols?
Is lychee 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 lychee 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 lychee contains
FODMAPs
Histamine & Amines
Plant compounds
Irritants
Additives
Allergens
Diet fit
Where lychee fits
Therapeutic diets
Lifestyle diets
Religious diets
What to know about lychee
Lychee grades E for excess fructose and D for polyols, which puts it at E overall on FODMAPs and makes it one of the tropical fruits most likely to produce bloating, wind and loose stools. It also grades E for low-fermentation SIBO protocols. On food chemistry it is mild: low histamine, only a slight liberator effect, low salicylate and low nickel, so a lychee reaction is almost always about the sugars rather than about amines. The other thing people search for is whether lychees are dangerous, after the acute encephalopathy outbreaks reported in litchi-growing regions of India and Vietnam. That risk is specific and worth stating precisely: it involves unripe fruit eaten in quantity by undernourished children who had skipped their evening meal, not ripe lychee eaten as part of a normal diet.
Watch for
- Very high in excess fructose (E), with more fructose than glucose, so a handful of lychees delivers a fructose load that a sensitive gut absorbs badly
- High in polyols (D) on top of that, which is what pushes it to E for total FODMAPs.Lychees are also easy to over-eat because they are small and sweet
- Poor fit for low-fermentation SIBO diets (E), where the combination of fructose and polyols is exactly what those protocols are built to limit
- Unripe lychee contains hypoglycin A and MCPG, natural compounds that block the body from making glucose from fat.They are the documented cause of hypoglycaemic encephalopathy outbreaks in undernourished children who ate unripe fruit on an empty stomach. Ripe fruit eaten alongside meals is not that scenario, but there is no reason to eat green, unripe lychees
- Canned lychee in syrup and dried lychee concentrate the sugars, so the processed forms are heavier on fructose than the fresh fruit
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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 lychee high in Polyols?
Polyols: higher signal - consider smaller servings or swaps.
Can I still eat lychee 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 Low Fermentation next for a fuller picture.