tarragon
Herbs & Spices
Is tarragon high in histamine liberators?
Find out whether tarragon is high or low in histamine liberators, see its exact rating, and check its FODMAP, salicylate, oxalate and diet compatibility all in one place.
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Sensitivity notes
Why histamine liberators food checker matters
Histamine liberators are foods that don't contain much histamine themselves but can trigger your body to release stored histamine. This can cause similar symptoms to high-histamine foods in sensitive individuals.
- Avoid histamine liberators alongside high-histamine foods
- Common liberators include citrus, strawberries, tomatoes, and chocolate
- Your tolerance may vary based on overall histamine load
Triggers
Diets
Serving size, prep, and portion notes for tarragon
Tarragon is the anise-scented herb that holds classic French cooking together. It is the reduction that defines bearnaise and one of the four fines herbes alongside parsley, chives and chervil. Which tarragon you have matters more than with most herbs: French tarragon (Artemisia dracunculus var. sativa) is propagated from cuttings because it rarely sets viable seed, and its oil is dominated by estragole, while the seed-grown Russian type is coarser, blunter and considerably weaker. On triggers the herb itself is quiet. Histamine grades A, and so do gluten, lactose, nickel, sulfites, nitrites and tyramine, with A across all four FODMAP subgroups, so tarragon will not add fructans to a low FODMAP plate. Salicylate sits at a moderate C, with mild B marks for histamine liberation, oxalate and free glutamate.
Watch for
Moderate salicylate (C), which is the only grade on this page that asks for portioning. Fresh sprigs folded into a sauce at the end are a smaller dose than dried tarragon rubbed on by the spoonful / Tarragon dries badly. Its estragole is highly volatile and largely evaporates, leaving a flat, hay-like powder, so cooks compensate by using two or three times as much. That habit quietly multiplies the salicylate exposure while giving back very little flavour / The dish is usually the trigger, not the herb. Bearnaise pairs tarragon with a vinegar and wine reduction, and vinegar grades histamine C, sulfite C and tyramine B, on top of egg yolk and a lot of butter. If bearnaise reliably sets you off, work backwards through the sauce before you blame the tarragon / Tarragon vinegar is the same problem in a bottle. You are buying the vinegar base with its histamine and sulfite grades, not a concentrated form of a low-trigger herb / Essential oil is a different exposure class entirely. Tarragon oil is concentrated estragole and has nothing to do with the amount of leaf that goes into a chicken dish; do not read a herb grade as clearance for an oil or supplement
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Histamine Liberators Guide
Everything you need to know about histamine liberators sensitivity and smart food choices.
Histamine liberators are foods that don't contain much histamine themselves but can trigger your body to release stored histamine. This can cause similar symptoms to high-histamine foods in sensitive individuals.
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 Histamine Liberators sensitivity:
View all safe options
These foods have moderate levels and may be tolerated in small amounts:
These foods are high in histamine liberators and may trigger symptoms:
View full list
If you're sensitive to Histamine Liberators, consider these strategies:
- 1Avoid histamine liberators alongside high-histamine foods
- 2Common liberators include citrus, strawberries, tomatoes, and chocolate
- 3Your tolerance may vary based on overall histamine load
- 4Keep a symptom diary to identify your personal triggers
- 5Consider your total 'histamine bucket' - liberators add to it
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 tarragon high in Histamine Liberators?
Histamine Liberators: moderate signal - portion size matters.
Can I still eat tarragon if I'm sensitive to Histamine Liberators?
Try smaller portions and space it out.
What else should I check?
Check Salicylates, Oxalates, and Glutamates next for a fuller picture.