candlenuts
Nuts & Seeds
Is candlenuts high in glutamates?
Is candlenuts 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 candlenuts contains
FODMAPs
Histamine & Amines
Plant compounds
Irritants
Additives
Allergens
Diet fit
Where candlenuts fits
Therapeutic diets
Lifestyle diets
Religious diets
What to know about candlenuts
Candlenuts are the waxy, faintly bitter nuts ground into Indonesian and Malaysian spice pastes to thicken rendang, sambal, laksa and gulai. Raw, they are mildly toxic: the seed carries saponins and tigliane-type phorbol esters that act as a drastic purgative, which is why every traditional recipe roasts or simmers them before they reach the plate. On the sensitivity axes the cooked nut is unremarkable, graded clean on histamine, salicylates, gluten, lactose and glutamates, with only nickel and oxalate marked borderline. If candlenuts made you ill, the question to ask is not which chemical triggered you but whether they were properly cooked.
Watch for
- Never eat them raw or lightly toasted.Saponins and phorbol esters make raw candlenut a powerful cathartic. Dry-roasting or grinding them into a paste that then gets fried and simmered is what makes them safe, and it is not an optional step.
- Weight-loss seeds sold as nuez de la India are this same seed, marketed to be swallowed raw.The violent cramping and diarrhoea people report from them is documented toxicity, not a food intolerance, and it does not mean you react to candlenuts in a curry.
- Nickel is graded borderline.Nuts are a nickel-rich category and a candlenut-heavy spice paste is a concentrated dose, which can matter if you are managing systemic nickel dermatitis.
- Oxalate is borderline too, but the portion that ends up on your plate from a shared curry is small.
- Because the nut itself is clean on histamine, salicylates and glutamates, a reaction to rendang or sambal more often traces to the shrimp paste, dried chilli or coconut in the same paste.Log the whole dish, not the nut.
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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 candlenuts high in Glutamates?
Glutamates: low signal for most people.
Can I still eat candlenuts if I'm sensitive to Glutamates?
Usually fine in normal portions.
What else should I check?
Check AIP, Low Fibre, and Gastroparesis Diet next for a fuller picture.