Overview
About Teriyaki sauce
Teriyaki sauce is a sweetened soy glaze, and that combination stacks several triggers at once.
It is high in tyramine and free glutamates from the fermented soy, high in fructans from the garlic, and contains gluten because most soy sauce is brewed with wheat. If soy-based sauces give you headaches, flushing or a bloated gut, teriyaki is often a bigger culprit than plain soy sauce because the added sugar makes it easy to pour on a lot.
Sensitivities
How Teriyaki sauce scores
Watch for
What trips people up
- High in tyramine from fermented soy, a classic migraine and blood-pressure trigger if you are sensitive or on an MAOI
- High in free glutamates, the natural MSG-like umami that can bring on headaches or a flushed, heavy feeling
- High in fructans from the garlic, so it is genuinely high FODMAP and hard on a sensitive gut
- Contains gluten because standard soy sauce is wheat-brewed, so it is not celiac-safe unless labeled gluten-free
Diet fit
Where it fits
Swap ideas
More alternatives
FAQ
Common questions about Teriyaki sauce
Is teriyaki sauce gluten-free?
Usually not. Teriyaki is built on soy sauce, and traditional soy sauce is brewed with wheat, so a standard bottle contains gluten. Only versions made with tamari or explicitly labeled gluten-free are safe for celiac disease or gluten sensitivity.
Why does teriyaki sauce give some people a headache?
Two reasons. Fermented soy is high in tyramine, a well-known migraine and blood-pressure trigger, and teriyaki is also high in free glutamates, the natural umami compound related to MSG. Both are common headache triggers, and teriyaki carries a strong dose of each.
Is teriyaki sauce high FODMAP?
Yes. The garlic makes it high in fructans, and so a high-FODMAP sauce. A small brushed-on amount may be tolerated, but a generous pour is a frequent cause of bloating and gas for sensitive guts.
References
Read the background
Ratings reflect the Triggerbites ingredient database and may vary with portion size and preparation.