Back to Nitrites food checker
mache
Vegetables
Is mache high in nitrites?
Is mache high or low in nitrites? 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 nitrites food checker matters
Nitrites are preservatives commonly used in cured meats. Some people are sensitive to them, experiencing headaches, flushing, or other symptoms after consumption.
- Choose uncured or 'no nitrates/nitrites added' meat products
- Note that 'natural' nitrites from celery powder act the same way
- Fresh meat is nitrite-free
- Bacon, hot dogs, and deli meats are common sources
- Vegetables like celery and beets contain natural nitrates
Sensitivities
What mache contains
FODMAPs
Histamine & Amines
Plant compounds
Irritants
Additives
Allergens
Diet fit
Where mache fits
Therapeutic diets
Lifestyle diets
Religious diets
What to know about mache
Mache, sold as lamb's lettuce or corn salad and known in Germany as Feldsalat, is a tender cool-weather green that grows in small rosettes and tastes mild and faintly nutty. It is not a lettuce at all, and it earns its place as a recommended swap on the strictest pages here: it grades clean on every food-chemistry trigger we track. Low histamine, not a liberator, low salicylate, low oxalate, low nickel, no free glutamate, no sulfites, and low across all five FODMAP subgroups. If you are trying to rebuild a salad while eliminating, this is one of the few greens with nothing to qualify. The caveats that exist are about what it is served with and what it is bagged with, not about the leaf.
Watch for
- The green is clean, the salad usually is not.Mache is almost never eaten undressed, and vinaigrette is where the triggers arrive: vinegar, aged cheese and cured meat all push histamine hard, and a walnut and blue cheese dressing undoes the point of choosing it
- Check whether you are actually buying mache.It is frequently sold blended into spring mix and mesclun alongside radicchio and endive, and both of those grade high on salicylates, so a mixed bag is not a mache-only exposure
- It is a good swap for spinach specifically.People reach for spinach as the default tender green, and our spinach entry grades very high on oxalate, salicylate and free glutamate plus high on histamine. Mache fills the same role on a plate with none of that
- Bagged prewashed greens of any kind degrade quickly once opened.This is ordinary spoilage rather than a mache-specific trigger, but limp or slimy leaves are not worth eating if you are trying to read your own reactions cleanly
Explore related in Vegetables
Compare similar foods to build a personalized list of swaps that work for your system.
Nitrites Guide
Everything you need to know about nitrites sensitivity and smart food choices.
Nitrites are preservatives commonly used in cured meats. Some people are sensitive to them, experiencing headaches, flushing, or other symptoms after consumption.
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 Nitrites sensitivity:
View all safe options
These foods have moderate levels and may be tolerated in small amounts:
These foods are high in nitrites and may trigger symptoms:
View full list
If you're sensitive to Nitrites, consider these strategies:
- 1Choose uncured or 'no nitrates/nitrites added' meat products
- 2Note that 'natural' nitrites from celery powder act the same way
- 3Fresh meat is nitrite-free
- 4Bacon, hot dogs, and deli meats are common sources
- 5Vegetables like celery and beets contain natural nitrates
Pro tip: Keep a food diary to track your reactions. The Triggerbites app makes this easy with automatic pattern detection.
Want personalized tracking?
Download Triggerbites to log meals, track symptoms, and discover your unique triggers.
Get the AppFAQ
Is mache high in Nitrites?
Nitrites: low signal for most people.
Can I still eat mache if I'm sensitive to Nitrites?
Usually fine in normal portions.
What else should I check?
Check Gastroparesis Diet, Low Fibre, and Histamine next for a fuller picture.