FODMAP food guide
Is kefir low FODMAP?
FODMAP score
72
High FODMAP
No — Kefir is high FODMAP and is a common trigger for IBS symptoms in typical servings.
FODMAPs present
Low-FODMAP serving
1 tbsp (25ml); lactose-free kefir for a full glass
Becomes high FODMAP at
3/4 cup (180 ml) or more
Fermentation lowers lactose but it is still present; tolerance is dose-dependent and individual.
Seen a different rating somewhere else?+
Usually it's a portion difference, not a disagreement. This page scores kefir at a serving of 1 tbsp (25ml); lactose-free kefir for a full glass; at 3/4 cup (180 ml) or more it belongs in the high band. A source quoting the larger serve will call it high, and one quoting the smaller will call it low — the same food, measured at two different amounts.
Based on published FODMAP research and reviewed reference data. Informational only — not medical advice. Tolerance is individual; verify with a dietitian during the elimination phase.
How much is OK?
This food's verdict depends on the serving. The bands below show where the load builds, group by group.
Lactose
Kefir's long culture ferments away part of the lactose, but standard supermarket kefir still carries enough that a full glass (200–250 ml) is a large lactose dose. Longer-fermented and certified brands test low at bigger pours (80 ml, some up to 250 ml), so the label matters. Lactose-free kefir is real kefir with the enzyme added and is low at a full glass.
Bands reflect published FODMAP research for typical preparations — individual tolerance varies, especially mid-reintroduction.
Go deeper
Related foods — gentlest first
Green scores are the real swaps; matching numbers are just relatives, not alternatives.