seaweed
Vegetables
Is seaweed high in glutamates?
Is seaweed 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 seaweed contains
FODMAPs
Histamine & Amines
Plant compounds
Irritants
Additives
Allergens
Diet fit
Where seaweed fits
Therapeutic diets
Lifestyle diets
Religious diets
What to know about seaweed
Seaweed looks like the cleanest thing on the plate and it is not. It is graded high in salicylates and high in free glutamate, moderate on histamine and moderate on nickel, which is an unusual four way stack for a vegetable. The thing it is best known for medically is iodine: kelp type seaweeds concentrate it to a degree no other food comes close to, and a single gram of dried kombu can carry more than the entire adult daily upper limit. That matters in both directions, because too much iodine and too little both push the thyroid off balance. If seaweed salad, miso with wakame or nori snacks show up in your reaction log, there are at least four separate mechanisms worth separating.
Watch for
- Iodine is the headline.Kombu and other kelps average in the low thousands of micrograms of iodine per gram dried, against an adult tolerable upper intake of 1,100 micrograms a day, so one gram can exceed the daily ceiling several times over. Nori sits far lower, wakame in between
- Graded high in free glutamate, and for good reason: kombu is the food glutamate was first isolated from, and dashi broth works because of it.If MSG style reactions such as head pressure or flushing are on your list, seaweed broth belongs in the same bucket as added MSG
- Graded high in salicylates, which puts it out of bounds on a strict salicylate elimination even though it reads as a plain green vegetable
- Moderate histamine and moderate nickel.Seaweed is grown in seawater and takes up trace metals with it, which makes it a repeat offender in systemic nickel allergy, and the dried and fermented forms lift the amine load further
- Hijiki is a special case: several national food agencies including the UK, Australia, New Zealand and Canada advise avoiding it because of inorganic arsenic levels, a chemical issue separate from every trigger above.Salted seaweed snacks also carry a lot of sodium
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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 seaweed high in Glutamates?
Glutamates: higher signal - consider smaller servings or swaps.
Can I still eat seaweed if I'm sensitive to Glutamates?
Best to avoid or test carefully with a small amount.
What else should I check?
Check Salicylates, Low Salicylate, and Specific Carbohydrate next for a fuller picture.