
maple sugar
Sweeteners
Is maple sugar high in polyols?
Find out whether maple sugar 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 maple sugar 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 maple sugar
Maple sugar is maple syrup taken one stage further. The sap is boiled past the syrup point until nearly all the water has gone and the sugars, overwhelmingly sucrose, crystallise into a dry granulated sugar with the same flavour concentrated into it. Losing the water is what separates it from the bottle on the breakfast table in our grading, and the gap is larger than most people expect. Maple syrup grades E for SIBO fermentability, the worst tier, because a poured liquid free-sugar load arrives in the small intestine fast and in quantity. Maple sugar grades B: borderline rather than high. That is the specific reason we use it as the swap when a recipe wants honey, agave or maple syrup and you are managing bacterial overgrowth. It also sits at B for total FODMAPs and B for excess fructose, so it is a gentler option rather than a free pass. On food chemicals it is clean, grading A for gluten, lactose, dairy protein, salicylates, oxalates, nickel, sulfites, glutamates, tyramine and histamine content, with histamine liberation unrated rather than cleared.
Watch for
B for SIBO fermentability against maple syrup at E. If you have reacted to maple syrup and want to keep the flavour, the dry form is the version worth testing / B for total FODMAPs and B for excess fructose, so it scales with the amount. Borderline grades reward measuring rather than pouring / Histamine liberation is unrated (U), not cleared. If you are strict about liberators, treat maple sugar as untested on that column rather than proven safe, and log it deliberately the first few times / Check that it says pure maple. Maple-flavoured sugar and pancake syrup are usually cane sugar or corn syrup plus flavouring, and they carry that ingredient profile, not this one / Still a concentrated sugar: D for anti-inflammatory eating and C against DASH and Mediterranean patterns, better than most refined sweeteners on those columns but not good
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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 optionsThese foods have moderate levels and may be tolerated in small amounts:
These foods are high in polyols and may trigger symptoms:
View full listIf 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 maple sugar high in Polyols?
Polyols: low signal for most people.
Can I still eat maple sugar if I'm sensitive to Polyols?
Usually fine in normal portions.
What else should I check?
Check Inflammation, Paleo AIP, and Mediterranean next for a fuller picture.





