burdock root
Vegetables
Is burdock root high in glutamates?
Is burdock root high or low in glutamates? See its exact rating, how much counts as a portion, and its FODMAP, salicylate, oxalate and diet compatibility in one place.
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Sensitivity notes
Why glutamates food checker matters
Glutamates, including MSG, are flavor enhancers found naturally in many foods and added to others. Some people report sensitivity causing headaches, flushing, or other symptoms, though research on 'MSG syndrome' is mixed.
- MSG goes by many names - look for 'glutamate' on labels
- Naturally high in soy sauce, fish sauce, and aged cheeses
- Tomatoes and mushrooms are naturally high in glutamates
- Yeast extract and hydrolyzed proteins contain glutamates
- Fresh, unprocessed foods are generally lower
Sensitivities
What burdock root contains
FODMAPs
Histamine & Amines
Plant compounds
Irritants
Additives
Allergens
Diet fit
Where burdock root fits
Therapeutic diets
Lifestyle diets
Religious diets
What to know about burdock root
Burdock root, gobo in Japanese and ueong in Korean, is the long earthy taproot braised into kinpira gobo and simmered into stocks and teas. On the chemical trigger columns it looks excellent: A for histamine, histamine liberation, glutamates, nightshade, gluten and sulfites. The reason it still lands on trigger lists is fibre. Burdock is one of the most inulin dense vegetables in the kitchen, which puts it at D for fructans and D for FODMAPs overall, alongside a C for SIBO. So if a bowl of gobo leaves you distended a few hours later with nothing else to blame, that is fructan fermentation doing exactly what fructan fermentation does, and it is not an allergy.
Watch for
- Fructans and overall FODMAPs both grade D because of inulin, the same fermentable fibre that makes chicory root and Jerusalem artichoke notorious.Symptoms are typically delayed several hours rather than immediate
- Rated C for SIBO, so it is a poor choice during an elemental or low fermentation phase even though it is often marketed as a gut tonic
- Burdock is in the Asteraceae family with ragweed, chamomile, echinacea and artichoke.People sensitised to ragweed pollen sometimes get oral itching or lip tingling from it, which is cross reactivity rather than a food chemical trigger
- Burdock tea deserves its own caution.A 1978 JAMA case report described anticholinergic poisoning, blurred vision, dry mouth and retention, from a commercial burdock root tea found to be contaminated with atropine like alkaloids, almost certainly belladonna root harvested alongside it. Burdock itself contains none, so this is a sourcing problem, and those symptoms after a herbal tea warrant urgent medical care
- Nickel is unrated (U) here.Root vegetables draw minerals from soil, so if you have systemic nickel allergy treat burdock as untested rather than cleared
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Glutamates Guide
Everything you need to know about glutamates sensitivity and smart food choices.
Glutamates, including MSG, are flavor enhancers found naturally in many foods and added to others. Some people report sensitivity causing headaches, flushing, or other symptoms, though research on 'MSG syndrome' is mixed.
Sensitivity varies widely. What triggers one person may be fine for another. Track your reactions to find your personal threshold.
These foods are generally well-tolerated for Glutamates sensitivity:
View all safe options
These foods have moderate levels and may be tolerated in small amounts:
These foods are high in glutamates and may trigger symptoms:
View full list
If you're sensitive to Glutamates, consider these strategies:
- 1MSG goes by many names - look for 'glutamate' on labels
- 2Naturally high in soy sauce, fish sauce, and aged cheeses
- 3Tomatoes and mushrooms are naturally high in glutamates
- 4Yeast extract and hydrolyzed proteins contain glutamates
- 5Fresh, unprocessed foods are generally lower
Pro tip: Keep a food diary to track your reactions. The Triggerbites app makes this easy with automatic pattern detection.
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Get the AppFAQ
Is burdock root high in Glutamates?
Glutamates: low signal for most people.
Can I still eat burdock root if I'm sensitive to Glutamates?
Usually fine in normal portions.
What else should I check?
Check Jain, FODMAPs, and Fructans next for a fuller picture.