
tomato
Vegetables
Is tomato high in salicylates?
Find out whether tomato is high or low in salicylates, see its exact rating, and check its FODMAP, salicylate, oxalate and diet compatibility all 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
Triggers
Diets
Serving size, prep, and portion notes for tomato
Tomato is flagged on more independent axes than almost any other everyday vegetable, and the mechanisms are constantly mistaken for each other. It is a nightshade, our highest grade there, carrying the glycoalkaloids that concentrate in unripe green fruit, stems and leaves. Separately it is one of the richest natural sources of free glutamate, which is exactly why it tastes savoury and why it turns up in MSG-sensitivity reports. Separately again it grades high for histamine and high as a histamine liberator, and high for salicylates, with moderate oxalate and high lectin content in the seeds and skin. What it is not is a FODMAP problem: it rates only moderate there and clean on fructans, lactose, gluten, nickel and sulfites. And despite the nightshade reputation, tomato grades strongly anti-inflammatory, so nightshade avoidance is an individual sensitivity question rather than a general claim that tomato is inflammatory.
Watch for
A nightshade at our highest grade, and not compliant with autoimmune protocol. The glycoalkaloids concentrate in unripe green fruit, stems and leaves, so under-ripe tomatoes carry more than fully red ones / One of the highest natural free-glutamate foods there is. Reducing tomato into paste, passata or sun-dried pieces concentrates it further, which is why a rich sauce reads far more umami and MSG-like than a fresh slice / High for histamine and a strong liberator on top of that. Cooked, tinned and jarred tomato products grade worse than fresh fruit, with tomato sauce reaching our top histamine grade / High in salicylates, moderate in oxalate and high in lectins. The lectins sit in the seeds and skin, so deseeding and peeling reduce the load without removing it / Only moderate on FODMAPs and clean on fructans, gluten, lactose, nickel and sulfites, so if tomato reliably bothers you the cause is nearly always one of the nightshade, histamine, glutamate or salicylate routes rather than fermentation / Rates strongly anti-inflammatory in its own right, largely from lycopene, so a nightshade reaction is a personal sensitivity rather than evidence that tomato is an inflammatory food
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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 optionsThese foods have moderate levels and may be tolerated in small amounts:
These foods are high in salicylates and may trigger symptoms:
View full listIf 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 tomato high in Salicylates?
Salicylates: higher signal - consider smaller servings or swaps.
Can I still eat tomato if I'm sensitive to Salicylates?
Best to avoid or test carefully with a small amount.
What else should I check?
Check Nightshades, Glutamates, and Lectin next for a fuller picture.





