Missing your garlic flavor while following the low FODMAP diet? Learn all about what garlic scapes and garlic chives are, whether they have been tested for FODMAPs, and whether we can or cannot include them in a low FODMAP diet.
Know Your FODMAPs
For so many of us, one of the first things we learn when we discover the low FODMAP diet is that onions and garlic are off-limits during Elimination. And then we learn that it is the fructans in garlic and onions that we need to avoid.
Oligosaccharides – Fructans & GOS
The “O” in FODMAP stands for oligosaccharides (sometimes referred to as “Oligos”) — a category that comprises both fructans and galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS). This is a large and diverse category, populated with items from most of the major food groups, and certainly onions and garlic are high on that list.
You May Want To Read: What Are Oligosaccharides? Learn All About the “O” in FODMAP!
Fructans can be a trigger for a great percentage of those with IBS, so most folks following the diet want to know how they can incorporate garlic and onion flavor into their diet in a low FODMAP way.
Let’s Talk About Garlic Scapes
When you think of garlic you probably envision the heads of garlic at the market, with the papery covering and the individual cloves within – that you used with abandon, pre-FODMAP. These bulbs grow below ground.
You May Want To Read: All About Garlic
Garlic scapes are the green flower stem that grow above ground emerging from the tops of hardneck garlic, Allium sativum var. ophioscorodon. Traditionally, commercial garlic farmers would remove the garlic scape in order to focus energy back into the bulb, which is their main harvest, but chefs and food lovers have shown an interest in the scapes themselves as a culinary item.
Now, if you are lucky, you might be able to find fresh garlic scapes at the market in early spring. But are fresh garlic scapes low FODMAP diet compliant?
Are Fresh Garlic Scapes Low FODMAP?
As of Fall 2021, Monash University has lab tested garlic scapes – called Garlic Shoots in the app – and they state that a low FODMAP serving is is 30 g. They become Moderate for fructans AND fructose at 40 g and high FODMAP at 75 g.
Please note that they contain two types of FODMAPs, for general knowledge and also for stacking purposes.
Gourmend Garlic Scape Powder
Enter a prepared product: Gourmend Garlic Scape Powder is freeze-dried garlic scapes, ground to a powder. It comes in a wide-mouth glass jar and is ready for you to add to your recipes and food. And it is lab tested and certified low FODMAP by Monash University. Learn more about Gourmend here in our interview with the founder!
What Does Garlic Scape Powder Taste Like?
While raw garlic scapes can have an assertive garlic flavor, Gourmend Garlic Scape Powder has a unique flavor profile.
It has a mild garlic flavor, a faint vegetal quality and it changes with cooking. Meaning, just tasting on the tip of your finger will not give you the full picture. We suggest just getting in there and using it to experience for yourself how it enhances your dishes.
How Do You Use Garlic Scape Powder?
The dry, shelf stable Gourmend Garlic Scape Powder sits alongside our other spices and herbs, waiting to be used in a variety of ways. It is not a replacement for conventional “garlic powder” or “onion powder” but rather it is a unique product that adds a flavor all its own.
You can sprinkle it on top of food as you are cooking as you would either garlic or onion powder. You can add it by the measuring spoon-full to add to food as you cook as well.
Can I Make Garlic Scape Powder?
Gourmend Garlic Scape Powder is freeze dried; it is not simply dehydrated. While you could buy fresh garlic scapes at home and dehydrate them, that is not the same as freeze-drying. In lab tests, dehydrated garlic scapes were not shown to be low FODMAP.
Let’s Talk About Garlic Chives
Fresh garlic chives, Allium tuberosum, are referred to as Asian chives on the Monash app and have been lab tested for FODMAPs.
They are low FODMAP in generous serving sizes of 1 cup or 80 g. They become high FODMAP at 2 ¾ cups or 220 g at which point they contain a fair amount of excess fructose. If you malabsorb fructose then it is particularly important to pay attention to serving sizes, although since the low FODMAP serving size is generous, this should not be a problem.
The main problem is sourcing! Garlic chives are not the same as the more common chives, Allium schoenoprasum, which are easy to find in most supermarkets. If you have Asian markets or specialty farmers markets near you, garlic chives might be accessible, otherwise most likely not.
Conventional Chives vs. Garlic Chives
You might be familiar with chives, but not necessarily with garlic chives, so let’s look at the differences.
- Conventional chives are round and hollow and taste of mild onion.
- Garlic chives are flat and taste of mild garlic.
Gourmend Garlic Chive Powder
Gourmend Garlic Chive Powder is dehydrated garlic chives, 100% pure, ground to a powder. The product comes in a wide-mouth glass jar, is ready for you to use and is lab tested and certified low FODMAP by Monash University.
What Does Garlic Chive Powder Taste Like?
Raw garlic chives are more garlicky than regular chives and garlic scapes. If you are looking for an all-natural powdered garlic replacement alternative without flavorings, additives and preservatives this is the place to start.
How Do You Use Garlic Chive Powder?
We now keep Gourmend Garlic Chive Powder in our spice drawer – your spices are sealed airtight and stored away from heat and light, aren’t they?
We use it in a very similar way as we used to use garlic powder. It is not quite as potent, but it does have a distinct garlic flavor. While it is not a 1:1 substitution with conventional garlic powder, you will get the gist of using it as you work with it.
Use it right out of the jar, sprinkle onto or spooning into dishes as they cook.
Can I Make Garlic Chive Powder?
We do not recommend it and here is why.
Similar to the comment above about making garlic scape powder, the answer is you could, but you would not know the FODMAP content of your finished product. Processing – meaning taking a raw food and altering it in some manner – can change FODMAP content. Let’s look at drying in particular:
- Grapes contain no FODMAPs. Raisins (dried grapes) are high FODMAP.
- Apples show a higher FODMAP content when dried.
- Apricots show a higher FODMAP content when dried.
- Coconut shows a higher FODMAP content when dried.
- Cranberries show a higher FODMAP content when dried.
- Figs show a higher FODMAP content when dried.
- Mango shows a higher FODMAP content when dried.
- Pears show a higher FODMAP content when dried.
- Pineapple shows a higher FODMAP content when dried.
- Plums show a higher FODMAP content when dried (prunes).
- Dried shiitake mushrooms show a higher FODMAP content than fresh.
As you can see, drying can change FODMAP content – and it is not like the FODMAPs consistently change in the same way, percentage wise, or anything like that. If you dried and made your own garlic chive powder, any guess at FODMAP content would be pure conjecture.
Recipe Ideas
Here are some ways for you to play with your Gourmend Garlic Scape Powder and Gourmend Garlic Chive Powder using our existing recipes. Simply add to taste as you are seasoning your food while cooking.
- Low FODMAP Maple Balsamic Chicken With Roasted Blueberries
- Low FODMAP Lamb Burgers with Tahini Sauce
- Low FODMAP One-Pot Greek Salmon
- Low FODMAP Cuban-Style Roast Pork
- Low FODMAP Ranch Dressing
- The BEST Low FODMAP Turkey Burger
- Low FODMAP Zoodles, Noodles & Sprouts Salad
- Low FODMAP Pork and Noodles
- Low FODMAP Whole Roast Chicken & Vegetables
- Garlicky Low FODMAP Sautéed Kale with Chestnuts
- Crispy Low FODMAP Smashed Potatoes
- Low FODMAP Shrimp and Broccoli with Noodles
- Low FODMAP Braised Chicken & Mushroom Ragu
- Chicken Thighs with Lemon & Oregano
- Low FODMAP Hot and Sour Shrimp Lo Mein
- Low FODMAP Asian Tofu Noodle Papaya Salad
- Low FODMAP Pasta with Clams & White Wine Sauce
The Takeaway
The fear for many is that the low FODMAP diet is going to be boring and that a sense of deprivation is going to set in – and searching for ways to incorporate onion and garlic flavor becomes a major focus.
Seasoning the foods that we can eat takes on prime importance. This is why even with simple salt and pepper we suggest that you make your choices carefully. We are huge fans of kosher salt for cooking, table salt for baking and freshly ground pepper – always.
When it comes to herbs, spices and other seasonings, make sure your fresh choices are fresh and that your dried choices are also “fresh”. Store your herbs and spices in a cool, dark location and replace as needed; they can go stale.
When it comes to new products like Gourmend Garlic Scape Powder and Gourmend Garlic Chive Powder, they can be stored alongside more traditional seasonings and used in similar ways. Onion and garlic flavor can be just a sprinkle away. Just as with any seasoning, the more you use it, the more familiar you become with the flavors and you will think of even more uses to enhance your low FODMAP meals.
For a more complete deep-dive, read our article Low FODMAP Garlic & Onion Substitutes.
I would use freeze-dried garlic scapes or garlic chives in my Mexican spices and Italian tomato sauce.
What about using asafoetida (spelling?) It is very powerful so be careful how much you use.
Some folks like it very much, but we did not address it here as it is not related to either the scapes nor chives. It is low FODMAP.
I would use to replace garlic powder or onion powder in meatballs for pasta. Sounds like a wonderful product!
I LOVE Garlic so much and am completely distraught that it’s among the items that I don’t digest properly. On top of that…no onions….no shallots. There is no great way to imitate those flavors or the delicious smell that they provide when cooking them down. I would love to have anything at all to replace those flavors when cooking steaks, meats, chicken, etc. I’m honestly afraid I’ll never have that delicious taste in my mouth again 🙁
Hi- I completely agree about there not being a great way to replicate the true flavor of garlic and onion, and sometimes it upsets me when there’s the implication that “Yes, you can have flavor too!” Well, the national dish of my parents’ home country is a protein, braised in soy sauce, vinegar, and—garlic and onion. Low FODMAP substitutions would definitely not make it the same dish.
But, I did find there are ways to still add the flavor. I’d use the garlic scape and chive powder and sauté it with hing and a little red pepper and cumin (I found that it can simulate a little more of the “bite” from garlic and onion) in pasta sauce, stir fries, and soup.
Just wanted to let you know I feel you on the disappointment. Our symptoms are a little different, but over time I found I was able to handle small amounts of food with garlic and onion, or have something every once in a while without getting violently ill. Working with my therapist and RD, they helped me see that if I’m comfortable with it, it’s okay (at least for me and my care team!) if I take time to really enjoy certain foods. I’m still holding out hope my FODMAP tolerance doesn’t garlic and onion will improve, fingers x’d.
I would love to use the freeze-dried garlic scapes or garlic chives to make a simply, savory, clear-broth chicken rice soup!
I would try it on roasted chicken or potatoes
I have been using the garlic scrape powder like garlic powder for the last couple of months. It’s great although not as strong as regular garlic powder.
I think that the flavors of both the garlic scapes and garlic chives would enhance most cooked foods and recipes. I’d love to try them in soups or pasta dishes and I’m sure they’d greatly enhance meats and vegetables, too.
Hi! In our family, we eat the “Feast of the Seven Fishes” on Christmas Eve. I would use the powder to season the white fish that is cooked in butter and served over rice noodles. This is a special dish that I can enjoy as a person who is both allergic to shellfish and required to stay on a low-FODMAP diet.
The braised chicken and mushroom sounds amazing, but simply using this in sauces and dressings would probably be my go-to. I’ve actually asked for this for Christmas! Lol.
I wish I had either product for Thanksgiving dinner recipes. I always add garlic powder with some onion to the turkey dressing and mashed potatoes. During the year I miss having garlic and onions in tomato sauce on pizza, for spaghetti and lasagna.
Oh wow! I did not know these could be used for low FODMAP eating. I would use them in potato dishes, meat marinades and/or rubs, stir fry and curry dishes, the sky is the limit really!
I would LOVE to add garlic back into my diet. The whole family loves it yet I deny us all because of my issues. I would use it eggs, and there are quite a few recipes listed above I would be eager to try. Thanks for sharing this intriguing product! (I hope I win!)
What a cool article! I am a huge garlic fan, it goes into most of my dishes and even has amazing anti inflammatory properties. I love the accessibility of freeze dried garlic scapes. I would use the freeze dried garlic scapes in soups during these cold months, mixed into noodles with chili oil and veggies, or sautéed with chicken and a white sauce over rice. The possibilities are endless!
Woah, this is so interesting! I didn’t realize how the different forms of food could have such an impact on the FODMAP levels. I’ve had fresh garlic scapes before and loved them. I would love to try the freeze-dried scapes in my stir fries to add some layers of flavor. I think the garlic chives would be fun to try just sprinkled on a slice of pizza!
I would love to use garlic chive powder as an ingredient in my smoked ribs. It’s been tough because I usually used tons of garlic in the ribs, so this may be a good substitute! Also, the garlic scape powder may be mixing in with ground beer for hamburgers or trying it with a sloppy joe recipe!
Just the other day I was thinking that the thing I have missed most on the low FODMAP diet is garlic. I am a year into following a low FODMAP diet and have been unable to successfully reintroduce it.
Several month ago I bought a jar of this garlic scape powder. Combining it with garlic-infused oil does a neat job of filling that garlic-flavor niche. I have used it successfully in soups and sauces. I think my next experiment will be to see if I can make something like garlic bread.
Happy to read this article on the difference between garlic scapes and garlic chives.
I would love to try this with the various vegetables I cook every day! Roasting is my favorite thing, and I am always looking for ways to get more benefits out of my meals.
I’d love to use these in my Asian recipes to give them a more authentic taste. They’d be great in Italian food too! thanks!
I’d use it to make my husbands Italian family recipe for spaghetti sauce!!! It’s just not the same without the garlic flavor 🙁
Primarily to give a light garlic taste to all my foods