Is sourdough bread low FODMAP?

It depends on the flour and how the bread is made. Monash University lists 2 slices of spelt sourdough and 1 slice of oat sourdough as suitable low FODMAP choices. Wheat sourdough can be low FODMAP, but a finished loaf needs testing to know its FODMAP level, so look for a certification logo. Monash lists wholegrain wheat bread and rye bread among the breads to avoid during the strict stage of the diet.

These are the figures Monash published in August 2015, in Wheat and a low FODMAP diet. The Monash FODMAP app holds Monash's current serves, so check the app before relying on a number here. This page is general information, not dietary advice.

Why sourdough can be lower in FODMAPs

Traditional sourdough is left to prove for a long time, typically more than 12 hours. During that time the yeast and bacteria in the starter feed on the carbohydrates in the flour, including FODMAPs, and break them down, so the finished bread has fewer. That is from Monash's article on sourdough processing.

Not every loaf sold as sourdough is made that way. Monash notes that fast, reliable yeasts replaced sourdough in modern baking because they need no long proving, that some sourdough cultures break down fructans better than others, and that a finished bread needs testing to know its FODMAP level (Can the ancient process of sourdough create bread for people with IBS?).

Is spelt sourdough low FODMAP?

Monash lists 2 slices of spelt sourdough as a suitable low FODMAP choice. Spelt is an ancient species of wheat with notably less fructan than modern wheat, and the long fermentation lowers it further. That doesn't extend to every spelt product: Monash's article on spelt found the highest FODMAP levels in spelt bread made with modern bread-making methods.

Is oat sourdough low FODMAP?

Monash lists 1 slice of oat sourdough as a suitable low FODMAP choice, half the spelt serve. We found no plain oat sourdough when we checked in October 2026, so there is none to compare here.

Is wheat sourdough low FODMAP?

Some wheat sourdough is. Monash's low FODMAP sandwich ideas list wheat sourdough among the breads to try, and advise looking for the Monash University Low FODMAP Certified logo to be confident in a particular loaf. Because results depend on the culture, the flour and the proving time, a plain white sourdough from the supermarket isn't low FODMAP just because of its name.

Is gluten-free sourdough low FODMAP?

Monash's 2 slices is for gluten-free bread, not gluten-free sourdough. In its testing, gluten-free bread was low because of the flours used, not sourdough fermentation. None of the Monash articles cited here gives a serve for gluten-free sourdough, and gluten free isn't the same as low FODMAP.

Is rye sourdough low FODMAP?

Monash names rye, with wheat and barley, as a grain high in fructans, and lists rye bread among the breads to avoid during the strict stage. None of the Monash articles cited here gives a low FODMAP serve for rye sourdough, so we don't list any rye loaves.

Before you buy

• Look for a Monash University or FODMAP Friendly logo on the pack.
• Check the serve size printed with the logo: a larger serve may not be low FODMAP.
• Read the ingredient list for garlic, onion, inulin, honey and polyol sweeteners (420, 421, 953, 965, 967).

The ingredients to watch come from Monash University's guide to reading labels. None of the products listed on this page is in Coles' FODMAP Friendly aisle, and we haven't tested any of them. Names, links and stockists come from this week's prices.

Our low FODMAP shopping guide explains both certification logos, and are grapes low FODMAP? shows how a serve size changes the answer. For the gluten-free loaves, thins and wraps on the FODMAP aisle, see our low FODMAP bread article.

This page is general information, not medical or dietary advice. An Accredited Practising Dietitian who knows the low FODMAP diet can work out which breads suit you; Dietitians Australia has a directory to find one.