golden syrup
Sweeteners
Is golden syrup high in salicylates?
Is golden syrup high or low in salicylates? 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 salicylates food checker matters
Salicylates are natural chemicals found in many fruits, vegetables, herbs, and spices. They're related to aspirin and can cause reactions in sensitive individuals including hives, asthma symptoms, nasal congestion, and digestive issues.
- Start by eliminating the highest sources: spices, herbs, and concentrated products
- Peel fruits and vegetables when possible to reduce salicylate content
- Fresh is usually better tolerated than dried or concentrated
- Build up tolerance slowly by reintroducing foods one at a time
- Sensitivity often improves with gut healing over time
Sensitivities
What golden syrup contains
FODMAPs
Histamine & Amines
Plant compounds
Irritants
Additives
Allergens
Diet fit
Where golden syrup fits
Therapeutic diets
Lifestyle diets
Religious diets
What to know about golden syrup
Golden syrup, the amber tin in every British baking cupboard, is cane sugar that has been partially inverted. During refining an acid step splits part of the sucrose into free glucose and free fructose, which is what stops the syrup crystallising and gives it the buttery caramel flavour it is bought for. That single chemical step is why it grades differently from the sugar it came from. Cane sugar is A for excess fructose, because its fructose is locked to glucose in a one-to-one sucrose molecule and the two travel across the gut wall together. Inversion unlocks part of that, leaving free fructose that has to cross on GLUT5 by itself. Golden syrup therefore grades C for excess fructose, C for total FODMAPs and C for SIBO fermentability: borderline and dose dependent, easy enough by the teaspoon over porridge and considerably less easy in a tray of flapjacks or a treacle tart. Away from sugar chemistry it is quiet, grading A for gluten, histamine and histamine liberation, salicylates, oxalates, sulfites, nickel, glutamates, lactose and dairy protein.
Watch for
- Partial inversion is the whole story.Free fructose from split sucrose puts golden syrup at C for excess fructose, where the uninverted cane sugar it is made from grades A
- C for total FODMAPs and C for SIBO fermentability, which is awkward given that golden syrup is used almost exclusively in sticky baking where nobody stops at a teaspoon
- Do not confuse it with black treacle or molasses.Those grade D for FODMAPs, D for sulfites and C for salicylates, so they are a different and broader risk than the one on this page
- Gluten free by composition at A, even though it usually turns up bound into wheat flour in flapjacks, gingerbread and tarts
- Refined sugar all the same: D for anti-inflammatory eating and D against DASH and Mediterranean patterns
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Salicylates Guide
Everything you need to know about salicylates sensitivity and smart food choices.
Salicylates are natural chemicals found in many fruits, vegetables, herbs, and spices. They're related to aspirin and can cause reactions in sensitive individuals including hives, asthma symptoms, nasal congestion, and digestive issues.
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 Salicylates sensitivity:
View all safe options
These foods have moderate levels and may be tolerated in small amounts:
These foods are high in salicylates and may trigger symptoms:
View full list
If you're sensitive to Salicylates, consider these strategies:
- 1Start by eliminating the highest sources: spices, herbs, and concentrated products
- 2Peel fruits and vegetables when possible to reduce salicylate content
- 3Fresh is usually better tolerated than dried or concentrated
- 4Build up tolerance slowly by reintroducing foods one at a time
- 5Sensitivity often improves with gut healing over time
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 golden syrup high in Salicylates?
Salicylates: low signal for most people.
Can I still eat golden syrup if I'm sensitive to Salicylates?
Usually fine in normal portions.
What else should I check?
Check AIP, Specific Carbohydrate, and Paleo next for a fuller picture.