oolong tea
Beverages
Is oolong tea high in glutamates?
Is oolong tea 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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Compare oolong tea across criteria
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 oolong tea contains
FODMAPs
Histamine & Amines
Plant compounds
Irritants
Additives
Allergens
Diet fit
Where oolong tea fits
Therapeutic diets
Lifestyle diets
Religious diets
What to know about oolong tea
Oolong is the tea that stops halfway. The leaf is bruised and allowed to oxidise partially, anywhere from lightly floral to nearly black, and that half-finished oxidation is why oolong lands between green tea and black tea on most trigger questions. Caffeine is the headline: oolong is graded moderate, level with green tea and a clear step below black tea, so an afternoon pot is easier to get away with than a strong builder brew. Where oolong genuinely surprises people is salicylate. It grades borderline rather than high, unlike black tea, green tea and rooibos, which all sit at the high end, making it one of the few real teas a salicylate-sensitive drinker can usually keep. Oxalate is borderline too, nothing like black tea. The cost of oxidation is a mild amine note: oolong grades borderline on histamine content, histamine liberation and tyramine where green and black tea are clean, so if tea reliably flushes you and green tea does not, oolong is the plausible culprit.
Watch for
- Moderate caffeine, graded the same as green tea and below black tea, but oolong is traditionally brewed gongfu style as five or six short infusions from one pot, and those infusions add caffeine rather than dilute it
- Darker roasted oolongs (think the heavily fired Wuyi rock teas) are further along the oxidation curve than a pale Taiwanese high mountain oolong, so the same word on the tin covers very different strengths
- Borderline on histamine and on histamine liberation, unlike green and black tea which are graded clean, so oolong is the true tea most worth testing on its own if you flush, itch or get a stuffy nose after tea
- Borderline on salicylate, oxalate and tyramine: fine at a cup or two, worth counting if you drink tea all day alongside other borderline foods
- Milk oolong and bubble tea are a different question entirely, since the dairy, syrup and tapioca carry their own triggers that have nothing to do with the leaf
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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 oolong tea high in Glutamates?
Glutamates: low signal for most people.
Can I still eat oolong tea if I'm sensitive to Glutamates?
Usually fine in normal portions.
What else should I check?
Check Caffeine, Reflux Diet, and Histamine next for a fuller picture.