Overview
About Pico de gallo
Pico de gallo is chopped raw tomato, onion, jalapeno, lime and cilantro, so its triggers are different from jarred salsa.
The raw onion loads it with fructans and the tomato and chilli make it a clear nightshade, but because it is fresh and unpreserved it is low in histamine and sulfites, unlike the jarred, cooked and aged salsa in a jar.
Sensitivities
How Pico de gallo scores
Watch for
What trips people up
- High in fructans from the raw onion, a leading FODMAP trigger for gas, bloating and IBS symptoms
- A nightshade from the tomato and jalapeno, which some people with joint pain or nightshade sensitivity react to
- Fresh and unpreserved, so it is low in histamine and sulfites, the opposite of jarred salsa that has aged in the jar
- Poor for SIBO because the raw onion fructans ferment high in the small intestine
Diet fit
Where it fits
Swap ideas
More alternatives
FAQ
Common questions about Pico de gallo
Is fresh pico de gallo lower in histamine than jarred salsa?
Yes. Histamine builds up as food ages, ferments and sits, so a jarred salsa that has been cooked and stored is higher in histamine and often preserved with sulfites. Pico de gallo is chopped fresh and eaten the same day, so it is low in both. Eat it fresh rather than letting it sit for days, since the raw tomato will slowly climb in histamine.
Why does pico de gallo bother my stomach?
Usually the raw onion. Onion is very high in fructans, a FODMAP your gut ferments into gas, and raw onion hits harder than cooked. If onion is your problem, a cucumber, carrot or extra-cilantro version of the salsa gives you the crunch and freshness without the fructan load.
References
Read the background
Ratings reflect the Triggerbites ingredient database and may vary with portion size and preparation.