Food chemical intolerance is on the rise. Signs and symptoms are wide ranging, from skin rashes and red patches on ears and face to sleeping disorders, behavioural changes, bedwetting and gastro-intestinal symptoms.
This is the latest and most up-to-date food chemical chart from the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital’s Allergy Unit (RPAH) in Sydney, Australia. The RPAH is the world’s leading allergy unit in terms of food chemical (salicylate, amine, glutamate and food additives) intolerances.
Their latest list was revised in 2011 and is the result of ongoing lab testing on the chemical content of foods as well as years of clinical observations with thousands of patients.
The following list of foods high in salicylates, amines and glutamates was adapted from the RPAH Elimination Diet Handbook (2011). This is not an exhaustive list and I highly recommend you order the book here. If you’re considering doing the elimination diet, I strongly advise you to do so under the supervision of a qualified naturopath or dietitian as this is a complex process that requires an experienced practitioner.
S = salicylates A = amines G = natural glutamate (MSG)
VEGETABLES
Low
- Potato: brushed white peeled (not new or baby potatoes)
- Lettuce: Iceberg (highly sensitive people discard outer dark green leaves)
- Bamboo shoots: tinned and fresh
- Bean shoots: from mung beans, must be very fresh as they quickly develop amines by fermentation
- Brussel sprouts: fresh or frozen
- Cabbage: red, green (drumhead), savoy, wombok (Chinese cabbage)
- Celery
- Chives
- Choko (Chayote pear)
- Garlic: (very small amounts only)
- Leek
- Mungbean sprouts
- Shallot: also known as spring onion – the ones with the long green tail
- Swede
Medium
- S Asparagus
- S Beetroot
- S Bok choy, pak choy
- S Carrot
- S Cucumber: fresh and peeled
- S Kumara
- S Lettuce: cos, red & green coral, red & green oak, mignonette
- S Marrow
- S Parsnip
- G Peas: green peas only
- S Peas: snow peas, sugarsnap peas
- S Potato: blue, yellow, new, pink, purple, red
- S Pumpkin: butternut, squash
- S Sweet potato
- S Turnip
- S Zucchini: peeled
High
- S Alfalfa
- S Artichoke
- S A Avocado: just ripe
- S A G Broccoli, broccolini
- S A Cauliflower
- S G Corn
- S Cucumber: with peel
- S Endive
- S Fennel
- S A G Gai lan: Chinese broccoli
- S Parsley
- S Pumpkin: grey, Kent, Jap
- S A Radicchio: butternut, squash
- S Radish
- S A Rocket
- S Snow pea sprouts
- S Spring onion
- S A G Tomato: fresh, peeled and sliced
- S Water chestnut
- S Watercress
- S Zucchini: with peel
Very High
- S A Avocado: soft, mashable
- S Basil
- S A Broadbeans, fava beans
- S Capsicum: green, red, yellow
- S Chicory
- S Chilli
- S A Choy sum
- S A Eggplant, eggfruit
- S Gai choy; mustard greens
- S Herbs & spices
- S A G Kang kong: Chinese spinach
- S A Olives
- S Onion
- S A G Pickled vegetables: cucumber, gherkin, olive, pickled onions, pickles
- S Mint
- S A G Mushrooms: all types
- S A G Sauerkraut: fermented cabbage
- S A G Seaweed
- S A G Spinach
- S A G Tomato: dried, sun-dried, juice, puree, paste, sauce
- S A G Truffles
- S A G Vegetable juice, soups, stock: cubes, liquid, powder
FRUIT
Low
- Pears: fresh, ripe, peeled – no more than 2 per day
- Pears: canned in syrup (not juice)
Medium
- S Apple: peeled & ripe: Golden Delicious, Red Delicious
- S Loquat
- S Pear: peeled, unripe
- S Pear: canned in juice, drained
- S Pear juice: home-made
- S Nashi pear: peeled, ripe
- A Banana: just ripe
High
- S Apple: peeled: Bonza, Fuji, Gala, Granny Smith, Jonathan, Pink Lady, Sundowner
- S Apricot
- S A Avocado: just ripe
- S Banana: ripe
- S Berries: ripe & sweet: blueberry, mulberry
- S A Custard apple
- S Dragon fruit
- S Durian
- S A Feijoa: Guavasteen
- S A Fig
- S Guava
- S A G Grape: peeled
- S A Jackfruit
- S Longan
- S Lychee
- S A Mango
- S Nectarine: peeled
- A Papaya, Paw Paw
- S Pear Juice: commercial
- S Peach: peeled
- S Persimmon
- S Pomegranate
- S Rambutan
- S Rhubarb
- S Rockmelon
- S Starfruit
- S Tamarillo
- S A G Tomato: fresh, peeled, sliced
- S Watermelon
Very High
- S A Avocado: soft, mashable
- S A Berries: blackberries, boysenberries, cranberry, raspberry
- S A Blackcurrant
- S A Cherry
- S A Citrus: grapefruit, lemon, lime, mandarin, orange, tangelo
- S A Date
- S Dried apple, apricot, peach
- A Dried banana, pawpaw
- S A Dried currants, dates, figs, mango
- S A G Dried prunes, raisins, sultanas
- S A G Fruit confectionery, cordials, drinks, ices and juices
- S A G Fruit flavours, jams and jellies
- S A G Grapes
- S A Kiwi fruit
- S A Passionfruit
- S A Pineapple
- S A G Plum
- S A Redcurrant
- S Strawberry
- S A G Tomato: dried, sun-dried, juice, puree, paste, sauce