zaatar
Vegetables
Is zaatar high in polyols?
Is zaatar high or low in polyols? 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 polyols food checker matters
Polyols (sugar alcohols) are found naturally in some fruits and vegetables, and are used as artificial sweeteners. They're poorly absorbed and can cause digestive symptoms, especially in IBS sufferers.
- Avoid sugar-free products with sorbitol, mannitol, xylitol, maltitol
- Stone fruits are naturally high in polyols
- Cooking doesn't reduce polyol content
- Avocado portion size matters - small amounts may be fine
- Cauliflower and mushrooms are common triggers
Sensitivities
What zaatar contains
FODMAPs
Histamine & Amines
Plant compounds
Irritants
Additives
Allergens
Diet fit
Where zaatar fits
Therapeutic diets
Lifestyle diets
Religious diets
What to know about zaatar
Zaatar is a blend, not a single herb, and that is where its trigger story starts. Alongside dried wild thyme or oregano and tart sumac, almost every commercial jar contains toasted sesame seeds, a top declarable allergen that very few people expect to meet inside a pot of green herbs. On the chemistry columns the blend is clean where it matters: gluten A, lactose A, dairy protein A, nightshade A and low FODMAP across every subgroup, with salicylates the single borderline grade at C from the concentrated dried herb and the sumac. Sesame does not appear in any of those columns at all, so if sesame is your problem the ingredient label decides the answer, not the grades.
Watch for
- Toasted sesame is in nearly every commercial zaatar.Sesame is a declarable allergen in the US, EU and UK, so it will be named on the label, but it is easy to miss on a jar sold simply as a herb blend
- Salicylates grade borderline (C).Dried herbs and sumac are concentrated plant material, so a thick dusting stirred into oil for dipping delivers far more than the same herbs used fresh
- The word zaatar names both the blend and the bare herb (a wild hyssop or thyme relative).A Levantine grocer selling loose zaatar may mean the plain dried herb with no sesame in it at all, which is the opposite risk to assuming a jar is seed free
- Cheaper blends are sometimes bulked out with wheat rusk, breadcrumb or flour, so the A grade for gluten describes a pure blend rather than every product on the shelf
- Salt is often the second or third ingredient by weight in a commercial mix, which will matter more day to day than any of the trigger grades if you are watching sodium
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Polyols Guide
Everything you need to know about polyols sensitivity and smart food choices.
Polyols (sugar alcohols) are found naturally in some fruits and vegetables, and are used as artificial sweeteners. They're poorly absorbed and can cause digestive symptoms, especially in IBS sufferers.
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 Polyols sensitivity:
View all safe options
These foods have moderate levels and may be tolerated in small amounts:
These foods are high in polyols and may trigger symptoms:
View full list
If you're sensitive to Polyols, consider these strategies:
- 1Avoid sugar-free products with sorbitol, mannitol, xylitol, maltitol
- 2Stone fruits are naturally high in polyols
- 3Cooking doesn't reduce polyol content
- 4Avocado portion size matters - small amounts may be fine
- 5Cauliflower and mushrooms are common triggers
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 zaatar high in Polyols?
Polyols: low signal for most people.
Can I still eat zaatar if I'm sensitive to Polyols?
Usually fine in normal portions.
What else should I check?
Check Salicylates, Low Salicylate, and Histamine next for a fuller picture.