Vegemite / Marmite
Condiments · Spreads
A teaspoon of Vegemite or Marmite, 5 g, records zero in every FODMAP group tested: no fructans, no GOS, no excess fructose, no lactose, no sorbitol, no mannitol. For a spread that is dark, salty and unmistakably fermented, that is a surprising result, and it leaves yeast extract as one of the few intensely savoury flavours you can keep without conditions. The bread underneath is another matter.
Last updated 4 September 2026Serving sizes for vegemite / marmite
One teaspoon, 5 g, is rated green, with zero recorded in all six FODMAP groups.
Tested serving sizes
| Serving | Amount | Main FODMAP | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 teaspoon | 5 g | None detected |
Breakdown for 1 teaspoon
Is vegemite / marmite low FODMAP?
FODMAPs are carbohydrates, and yeast extract is essentially not one. It is made by breaking down spent brewer’s yeast so the cells release what is inside them, and the taste that comes out of that is salt and amino acids rather than sugar. At a teaspoon there is nothing fermentable left to measure, which is why all six groups read zero rather than merely low. Gluten is a separate question from FODMAPs and is not what these ratings track, so if you avoid it as well, check the jar: yeast extract is a by-product of brewing and not every version is gluten free.
Vegemite / Marmite and IBS: what to know
The spread is settled; the vehicle is not. Two slices of sourdough wheat bread hold 0.12 g of fructans and are rated green, while two slices of wholemeal wheat come to 0.44 g and are rated red, so the identical teaspoon can sit on a green breakfast or a red one depending only on which loaf is in your bread bin. Salt is the other thing worth knowing. Yeast extract is very salty, which is not a FODMAP question, but it is the reason the serve is a teaspoon rather than a spoonful and the reason people who overdo it feel it.
Gut-friendly ways to eat vegemite / marmite
Spread it thin, which is how it is meant to be eaten in any case: a teaspoon covers a slice comfortably if you scrape rather than slather, and a layer of butter underneath makes it go further still. Beyond toast it does real work in cooking, where a small amount stirred into a casserole, a gravy or a pot of low FODMAP stock supplies the dark savoury note people reach for a cube to get. On rice cakes or plain rice crackers, both rated green here, it becomes a snack with no bread involved at all.
Frequently asked questions
Is Marmite low FODMAP as well as Vegemite?
They are rated together here, and a teaspoon of either records zeros across the six groups. The two recipes differ in thickness and sweetness, with Marmite the stickier and slightly sweeter of them, but both are yeast extract and salt, and neither brings a FODMAP load at that amount. Choose between them on taste rather than on the numbers.
Is yeast extract a problem for IBS?
Not on these figures. Yeast extract turns up in crisps, gravies, stocks and savoury biscuits, and it gets blamed because it sits in exactly the products that do upset people. In those products the culprit is almost always the onion and garlic powder listed beside it, while the yeast extract itself contributes nothing fermentable at the amounts used.
What bread should I put it on if I have IBS?
Sourdough wheat is the straightforward answer at two slices, and gluten-free bread and sourdough spelt are also rated green in this guide. Wholemeal is the loaf to watch, since one slice on its own is already amber. If toast is your usual breakfast and a sandwich your usual lunch, the loaf is the thing to change first, not the spread on it.
Can I use Vegemite instead of a stock cube?
For colour and savoury depth, yes, and the trade is a good one: one stock cube carries 0.4 g of fructans and is rated red, while a teaspoon of yeast extract carries none. What it will not do is give a soup the body that real stock does, so use it as a seasoning stirred into a liquid base rather than as the base itself.
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