amaranth
Grains
Is amaranth high in nightshades?
Find out whether amaranth is high or low in nightshades, see its exact rating, and check its FODMAP, salicylate, oxalate and diet compatibility all in one place.
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Compare amaranth across criteria
Sensitivity notes
Why nightshades food checker matters
Nightshades are a plant family including tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, and potatoes. Some people find that avoiding nightshades helps with joint pain, digestive issues, or inflammatory conditions, though research is limited.
- Complete elimination for 30 days gives the clearest picture
- Watch for hidden nightshades in spice blends and sauces
- Paprika and cayenne are nightshades often overlooked
Triggers
Diets
Serving size, prep, and portion notes for amaranth
Amaranth is two foods sharing one name. The plant is grown for its leaves across the Caribbean, West Africa, India and Southeast Asia, where it is cooked down as callaloo, chaulai, efo tete or bayam, and it is also grown for a tiny seed used as a pseudocereal. This entry covers amaranth as the plant and the leafy vegetable; the seed is tracked separately as amaranth grain and carries its own, different grades. As eaten here, amaranth is graded D for total FODMAPs, which is the high band, while it stays clean at A on histamine, histamine liberation, salicylates, nickel, gluten, lactose, free glutamates, sulfites and nightshade chemistry. That combination makes it unusually easy to place in an elimination diet as long as the portion is controlled.
Watch for
Graded D for total FODMAPs, the high band, even though every individual FODMAP subgroup (fructans, GOS, excess fructose, polyols) is graded A. When the total is flagged but no subgroup is, portion size is doing the work: a side of greens behaves very differently from a bowl of callaloo / Amaranth greens are almost never cooked plain. Callaloo, chaulai and efo tete are built on onion, garlic and sometimes coconut milk, and for most people with IBS the aromatics in the pot are a bigger FODMAP load than the leaves. Log the dish, not just the vegetable, or you will blame the wrong ingredient / Oxalate is unrated for amaranth in our data. Do not read that as cleared. The separately graded amaranth grain entry sits at D for oxalate, so if you are on an oxalate-restricted diet treat the greens as untested rather than safe / Clean at A on histamine and histamine liberation, so amaranth greens are one of the more usable leafy vegetables if you are managing histamine intolerance and have already cut spinach and tomato
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Nightshades Guide
Everything you need to know about nightshades sensitivity and smart food choices.
Nightshades are a plant family including tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, and potatoes. Some people find that avoiding nightshades helps with joint pain, digestive issues, or inflammatory conditions, though research is limited.
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 Nightshades sensitivity:
View all safe options
These foods have moderate levels and may be tolerated in small amounts:
These foods are high in nightshades and may trigger symptoms:
View full list
If you're sensitive to Nightshades, consider these strategies:
- 1Complete elimination for 30 days gives the clearest picture
- 2Watch for hidden nightshades in spice blends and sauces
- 3Paprika and cayenne are nightshades often overlooked
- 4Sweet potatoes are NOT nightshades - they're safe
- 5Goji berries are nightshades
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 amaranth high in Nightshades?
Nightshades: low signal for most people.
Can I still eat amaranth if I'm sensitive to Nightshades?
Usually fine in normal portions.
What else should I check?
Check Lectin, Inflammation, and Paleo AIP next for a fuller picture.