Most commercial relish is not low FODMAP. The typical jar contains at least one or two high FODMAP ingredients, with high fructose corn syrup, onion, and garlic being the most common offenders. However, the specific type of relish and brand matters a lot, and with some label reading or a simple homemade version, you can enjoy relish on a low FODMAP diet.
Why Most Store-Bought Relish Is a Problem
A standard sweet relish ingredient list usually includes cucumbers, vinegar, sugar or high fructose corn syrup, and some combination of onion, garlic, and spices. That combination creates multiple FODMAP triggers in a single condiment.
High fructose corn syrup is classified as high FODMAP because it delivers more fructose than glucose, which can cause fructose malabsorption in sensitive people. Many mainstream sweet relish brands use it as a primary sweetener. Onion and garlic are both very high in fructans, a type of oligosaccharide, and should be excluded during the elimination phase of a low FODMAP diet. Even onion powder or garlic powder in a seasoning blend counts. Fructans are not destroyed by cooking or processing, so pickling onion into a relish doesn’t reduce its FODMAP content.
Dill relish tends to have a simpler ingredient list than sweet relish since it skips the heavy sweeteners. But many dill relish brands still include onion or garlic, so you can’t assume dill relish is safe without checking the label.
Ingredients That Are Safe
Several core relish ingredients are perfectly fine on a low FODMAP diet. Cucumbers, the base of most relish, are low FODMAP. Distilled white vinegar and apple cider vinegar are both low FODMAP at standard serving sizes (around one tablespoon). Mustard seed, dill, turmeric, and celery seed are all acceptable spices. Regular white sugar and cane sugar are also low FODMAP, unlike high fructose corn syrup and honey.
So the issue isn’t relish as a concept. It’s the specific sweeteners and aromatics a manufacturer chose to add.
How to Find a Low FODMAP Relish
Your best bet at the store is to flip the jar and scan for three things: onion (or onion powder), garlic (or garlic powder), and high fructose corn syrup. If none of those appear, the relish is likely safe in a normal serving. Be thorough, because these ingredients sometimes hide partway down the list or inside a “natural flavors” designation.
Fody is one brand that specifically makes condiments without onion, garlic, or high FODMAP sweeteners, and their products are designed for people following a low FODMAP diet. If your grocery store carries a specialty or health food section, that’s a good place to look. Some stores also carry simple dill relishes with short ingredient lists (cucumbers, vinegar, salt, dill, sugar) that happen to be FODMAP-friendly without being marketed that way.
Making Your Own at Home
Homemade relish is the easiest way to guarantee it’s low FODMAP, and it comes together quickly. The base is just finely diced cucumber, white vinegar, a pinch of salt, and sugar. From there, you can build flavor with dill, mustard seed, celery seed, or a small amount of turmeric for color.
For the savory depth that onion and garlic normally provide, use the green tops of spring onions (scallions) only, sliced thin. The green parts are low FODMAP while the white bulb portions are not. Chives work well too. Garlic-infused oil can add a hint of garlic flavor without the fructans, since fructans dissolve in water but not in oil, meaning the oil carries the taste without the FODMAPs.
You can also add finely diced red bell pepper for sweetness and color, or a pinch of cinnamon or allspice if you want something closer to a sweet relish. Store homemade relish in a sealed jar in the refrigerator, where it keeps for one to two weeks.
Serving Size Still Matters
Even with a FODMAP-friendly relish, portion size plays a role. A typical relish serving is one to two tablespoons, and at that amount, most low FODMAP relishes won’t cause issues. If you’re still in the elimination phase, stick to one tablespoon the first time and see how you respond before increasing. Condiments can add up if you’re layering multiple ones on a meal, so keep track of what else you’re eating alongside it.