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Sugar: Vegan, Gluten-Free and Low FODMAP Answers

White sugar is sucrose from sugar cane or sugar beet. It is gluten-free and low FODMAP, but some cane sugar is filtered through animal bone char.

Also called table sugar, white sugar, sucrose, cane sugar

Suitable for

  • Vegan: it depends
  • Vegetarian: yes
  • Gluten-free: yes
  • Dairy-free: yes
  • Keto: no
  • Low FODMAP: yes

Contains

None of the major allergens as an ingredient

A bowl of white granulated sugar with a metal spoon
422737 on Pixabay, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons, converted to WebP

Table sugar is sucrose, refined from sugar cane or sugar beet. Brown sugar is white sugar with some molasses left in or added back.

For free-from cooking, sugar is easy: it has no gluten, no dairy and no major allergens, and it is low FODMAP. The one question it raises is whether it is vegan, because some cane sugar is whitened with bone char. If you want less sugar rather than different sugar, see erythritol, allulose, stevia and monk fruit.

Is sugar vegan, gluten-free or allergen-free?

DietSuitable?Why
VeganIt dependsSome cane sugar is whitened with bone char. The label rarely says so.
VegetarianYes
Gluten-freeYesPlain sugar has no gluten.
Dairy-freeYes
KetoNoIt is pure carbohydrate.
Low FODMAPYesMonash lists table sugar as a low FODMAP option.

Plain sugar contains none of the major allergens. Icing sugar and flavoured sugars can add starch or other ingredients, so read the list.

Using sugar in the kitchen

How to use sugar

Sugar does more than sweeten: it browns, keeps cakes moist and helps meringues and jams set. That is why sugar-free swaps rarely work spoon for spoon in baking, and why recipes written for gluten-free flour often keep the full amount of sugar.

Substitutes for sugar

SubstituteHow muchBest for
Coconut sugarSame amountDarker and caramel-tasting. Not lower in sugar.
ErythritolFollow the pack's guideAlmost no calories, but browns and dissolves differently.
AlluloseFollow the pack's guideBrowns like sugar. Not authorised in every country.

How to store sugar

Keep it in a closed container somewhere dry. Plain sugar keeps for a very long time. Lumps from damp are safe and break up again.

What to look for when buying sugar

Is it vegan? In 2013, the Vegetarian Resource Group reported that most United States cane sugar was decolourised with cow bone char, while Florida Crystals, conventional and organic, was not. It also found that the code on some Domino packs shows which plant made the sugar. Refining practices change, so check with the brand.

Watch the totals. The WHO recommends keeping free sugars below 10% of daily energy and suggests aiming for about 25 g, or 6 teaspoons, a day.

Side effects and who should be careful

The main issue is quantity. The WHO guideline counts sugar added by you, the cook or the manufacturer, along with honey, syrups and fruit juice.

Questions about sugar

Is sugar gluten free?

Yes. Plain white, brown and icing sugar have no gluten ingredients. Check flavoured sugars and sweets that use sugar.

How do I know if sugar is vegan?

The label rarely tells you. Brands that say their sugar is not filtered through bone char, or that are certified vegan, are the safe choice.

How much sugar is too much?

The WHO suggests keeping free sugars below 10% of your daily energy, and ideally about 25 g (6 teaspoons) a day.

Sources

  1. WHO: Guideline on sugars intake for adults and children (2015)
  2. Vegetarian Resource Group: Decoding Sugar Packaging (2013)
  3. Monash University: High and low FODMAP foods

Last fact-checked 12 November 2026.

General information only, not medical advice. If you have an allergy or a health condition, check with your doctor or dietitian.

Similar ingredients

Sweeteners

Agave Nectar

Agave nectar is a vegan syrup from the agave plant. Most of its sugar is fructose, so it is not a low FODMAP or keto choice, despite its health image.

  • Vegan: yes
  • Gluten-free: yes
  • Dairy-free: yes

Sweeteners

Allulose

Allulose is a rare sugar that browns like sugar but has 0.4 kcal per gram. US labels leave it out of sugars, but EFSA could not confirm its safety in 2025.

  • Vegan: yes
  • Dairy-free: yes

Sweeteners

Coconut Sugar

Coconut sugar is dried coconut-blossom sap. It is vegan and swaps 1:1 for sugar, but it is still sugar and is low FODMAP only at about one teaspoon.

  • Vegan: yes
  • Gluten-free: yes
  • Dairy-free: yes

Sweeteners

Erythritol

Erythritol is a sugar alcohol with almost no calories, used in most stevia and monk fruit blends. A 2023 study linked high blood levels to heart events.

  • Vegan: yes
  • Dairy-free: yes

Sweeteners

Honey

Honey is a bee-made syrup that is about 41% fructose by weight. It is not vegan, it is high FODMAP, and it is not safe for babies under one.

  • Vegan: no
  • Gluten-free: yes
  • Dairy-free: yes

Sweeteners

Monk Fruit

Monk fruit extract is intensely sweet, so packs use very little of it. Most granulated monk fruit sweeteners are about 99% erythritol, which matters for FODMAPs.

  • Vegan: yes
  • Dairy-free: yes

Sweeteners

Stevia

Stevia sweeteners use purified steviol glycosides, but most packs are mainly erythritol, dextrose or maltodextrin. Some tablets even contain milk.

  • Vegan: it depends
  • Gluten-free: yes
  • Dairy-free: it depends

Sweeteners

Syrups

Pure maple syrup is vegan, gluten-free and low FODMAP. Pancake syrup is mostly corn syrup, and brown rice syrup can carry arsenic. Compare them here.

  • Vegan: yes
  • Gluten-free: yes
  • Dairy-free: yes

Sweeteners

Xylitol

Xylitol is a sugar alcohol in sugar-free gum and sweeteners. It has 2.4 kcal per gram, can upset the gut, and is very dangerous for dogs, even in small amounts.

  • Vegan: yes
  • Dairy-free: yes