swiss chard
Vegetables
Is swiss chard high in polyols?
Is swiss chard 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 swiss chard 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 swiss chard contains
FODMAPs
Histamine & Amines
Plant compounds
Irritants
Additives
Allergens
Diet fit
Where swiss chard fits
Therapeutic diets
Lifestyle diets
Religious diets
What to know about swiss chard
Swiss chard is the big crinkled leaf on a thick coloured midrib, sold with white, gold, pink or crimson stems as rainbow chard. It is a beet relative, not a nightshade and not related to cabbage, and it grades clean on histamine, lectins, gluten, sulfites, tyramine and free glutamate while rating strongly anti-inflammatory. The one high grade is fermentability: chard rates poorly for SIBO, with a moderate FODMAP rating and a moderate nickel rating alongside it. The stems and the leaves are effectively two different foods here, and that distinction is the most useful thing to know about it.
Watch for
- Rates poorly on a low fermentation SIBO protocol, the only high grade it carries, and the dense stems are the fibrous part driving that
- Strip the coloured midribs and cook the leaves alone if chard bloats you, since the leaf wilts down to almost nothing while the stem stays as bulk fibre in the gut
- Moderate FODMAP rating, which makes it portion dependent rather than off limits: a few leaves folded into a dish is not the same exposure as a full braised bunch
- Nickel grades moderate, worth counting during a strict low nickel elimination but not otherwise
- We do not carry an oxalate or salicylate rating for swiss chard specifically, so treat those as untested rather than cleared, especially given chard sits in the same family as beet and spinach
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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 swiss chard high in Polyols?
Polyols: low signal for most people.
Can I still eat swiss chard if I'm sensitive to Polyols?
Usually fine in normal portions.
What else should I check?
Check Low Fermentation, Low Fermentation, and Nickel next for a fuller picture.