Overview
About Capers
Capers are the unopened flower buds of Capparis spinosa, preserved in salt or vinegar brine, and for a pickled ingredient they are surprisingly gentle: low FODMAP across the board, gluten free, not a nightshade, no added glutamate, and clean on lactose, nickel and tyramine.
The caveats come from the preserving rather than the bud. Capers rate moderate for histamine, which is the usual pattern for anything cured in brine, and moderate for sulfites, which turn up as a preservative in some brined and pickled products.
Sensitivities
How Capers scores
Watch for
What trips people up
- Moderate histamine, in line with other brine-preserved foods, so they can add to the daily load on a strict low-histamine plan even though a tablespoon is a small amount of food
- Moderate sulfites: preserved and pickled products are a common sulfite source, and by law a product must declare them above the labelling threshold, so check the jar if sulfites set off your asthma or flushing
- Very high in sodium from the brine or salt pack, which is worth a rinse or a soak if you are watching salt
- An opened jar sits in its brine for weeks, and long-stored preserved foods trend higher in histamine over time, so buy small jars if histamine is your issue
Diet fit
Where it fits
Swap ideas
More alternatives
FAQ
Common questions about Capers
Are capers high in histamine?
They rate moderate rather than high. That is typical of brine-cured foods, where the preserving process and long storage push histamine up even though the fresh bud is unremarkable. On a strict elimination phase capers are worth pausing, mainly because they usually appear alongside other moderate-to-high histamine items such as vinegar, olives, aged cheese and smoked fish.
Are capers low FODMAP?
Yes. Capers grade clean on FODMAPs, fructans, GOS, excess fructose and polyols, which makes them a useful way to get a savoury, piquant hit into a dish when onion and garlic are off the table during an elimination phase.
Do capers contain sulfites?
They can. Capers rate moderate for sulfites because sulfiting agents are used in some brines and pickling liquids as a preservative. Labelling rules require a declaration once sulfites exceed the set threshold, so the jar will tell you. Salt-packed capers, rinsed well, are the simpler option if you react to sulfites.
References
Read the background
Ratings reflect the Triggerbites ingredient database and may vary with portion size and preparation.