Toots & Trots / Does it matter?
Besan or cornflour for thickening — does it matter?
They get used for the same jobs — thickening a sauce, coating something for the pan — and they are not the same flour. Besan is ground chickpeas, so it brings the legume with it: GOS and fructans that ferment quickly and show up as wind. Cornflour is pure maize starch with the protein and fibre milled out, which leaves almost nothing to ferment and a lot to bind with. If a batter or a gravy has been treating you badly, this is a swap worth knowing about.
Scores use a standard reference serving via the GASP model. Individual tolerance varies.
Yes — mainly because of gas.
If wind and bloating is a problem for you, Cornflour / cornstarch is worth trying. If you're tolerating Besan / chickpea flour without issues, the difference may not show up for you personally.
Try it on your own food
These ideas are a starting point — see how your actual meals and foods score.
More comparisons
Where the scores come from
- The GASP model — Gas, Agitation, Stool-loosening, Particle load
- Monash University FODMAP program — fermentable carbohydrate thresholds
- USDA FoodData Central — nutrient composition data
Scores are our modelled synthesis — not endorsed by these organisations.
Written and checked from lived experience with a J-pouch. Last updated June 2026. The GASP Score is a modelled estimate, not medical advice — always work alongside your own clinical team.
Scores are modelled estimates, not medical advice. Everyone's gut is different, and tolerance changes over time. Reintroduce foods one at a time, and follow your own medical team's advice.