Overview
About Olive
Table olives are one of the highest-salicylate foods on the plate, and they are also high in oxalate, so they can trigger reactions even when the olive oil pressed from them is clean.
Because they are cured in brine and often fermented, they pick up a moderate histamine load too, which is why a bowl of olives can bring on itching, flushing or a headache for salicylate- and histamine-sensitive people.
Sensitivities
How Olive scores
Watch for
What trips people up
- Very high in salicylates, a leading reason olives cause itching, flushing or hives if you react to aspirin or other salicylate-rich foods
- High in oxalate, worth watching if you are managing kidney stones or oxalate load, and separate from the salicylate issue
- Brined and often fermented, so cured olives carry moderate histamine that low-histamine eaters can feel even though fresh produce does not bother them
- Some green olives are held in sulfite-treated brine, a moderate trigger if you react to sulfites in wine or dried fruit
Diet fit
Where it fits
Swap ideas
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FAQ
Common questions about Olive
Are olives high in salicylates?
Yes. Table olives sit at the top of the salicylate scale, which is why they can trigger itching, flushing, hives or headaches in salicylate-sensitive people. If you tolerate olive oil but react to whole olives, the difference is largely the salicylate concentrated in the fruit and skin.
Why do olives bother me when olive oil does not?
The oil is pressed and largely stripped of the salicylates, oxalates and brine that make whole olives a trigger. Table olives also spend weeks curing in salty, often fermented brine, so they gain moderate histamine and sometimes sulfites that the finished oil never carries.
Are olives high in histamine?
Fresh olives are not, but the versions you eat are brine-cured and frequently fermented, which raises their histamine to a moderate level. People with histamine intolerance sometimes notice olives even though they are a low-histamine oil once pressed.
References
Read the background
Ratings reflect the Triggerbites ingredient database and may vary with portion size and preparation.