water spinach
Vegetables
Is water spinach high in glutamates?
Is water spinach 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 water spinach contains
FODMAPs
Histamine & Amines
Plant compounds
Irritants
Additives
Allergens
Diet fit
Where water spinach fits
Therapeutic diets
Lifestyle diets
Religious diets
What to know about water spinach
Water spinach is not spinach and that distinction is the whole point of this page. Ong choy or kangkong is Ipomoea aquatica, a hollow-stemmed aquatic vine in the morning glory family, while true spinach belongs to an entirely different plant family and is graded high for oxalate, salicylate and free glutamate. Water spinach is graded moderate for oxalate, and moderate rather than high across histamine, tyramine, salicylate, nickel and glutamate as well, with no single spike anywhere. It is clean on gluten, lactose, sulfites, nitrites and nightshades. If you cut spinach for oxalate reasons and assumed kangkong was off the table too, the data does not support that assumption.
Watch for
- Do not read spinach grades across to this plant.True spinach carries top-band oxalate, salicylate and glutamate grades; water spinach sits a full band lower on all three despite the shared name
- The profile is a broad moderate rather than a spike.Histamine, tyramine, salicylate, oxalate, nickel and free glutamate all land in the middle. Individually none of them is alarming, but a large plate of stir-fried greens stacks several mild triggers in one sitting
- Moderate nickel, which is worth logging if you have systemic nickel allergy.Leafy greens are a category nickel-sensitive eaters usually treat carefully, and a fast-growing aquatic crop is no exception
- FODMAP data is unrated.Monash has not published a tested portion for water spinach, so treat "kangkong is low FODMAP" claims as unverified rather than confirmed
- The garlic, shrimp paste, fermented bean curd and oyster sauce that ong choy is nearly always cooked with are much bigger triggers than the leaf.Fructans from the garlic and histamine plus glutamate from the fermented pastes usually explain a reaction better than the green does
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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 water spinach high in Glutamates?
Glutamates: moderate signal - portion size matters.
Can I still eat water spinach if I'm sensitive to Glutamates?
Try smaller portions and space it out.
What else should I check?
Check Low Fibre, Gastroparesis Diet, and Histamine next for a fuller picture.