mace
Herbs & Spices
Is mace high in low fermentation?
Is mace high or low in low fermentation? See its exact rating, how much counts as a portion, and its FODMAP, salicylate, oxalate and diet compatibility in one place.
Related checkers
Compare mace across criteria
Sensitivity notes
Why low fermentation food checker matters
SIBO (Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth) diets focus on reducing fermentable foods that feed bacteria in the small intestine. Low-fermentation foods help manage symptoms like bloating, gas, and abdominal discomfort.
- Low-fermentation eating reduces food for overgrown bacteria
- Meal spacing (4-5 hours) allows the MMC to clear the gut
- Avoid grazing - structured meals are better
- Some find the elemental diet helpful under medical supervision
- Address underlying causes with your healthcare provider
Sensitivities
What mace contains
FODMAPs
Histamine & Amines
Plant compounds
Irritants
Additives
Allergens
Diet fit
Where mace fits
Therapeutic diets
Lifestyle diets
Religious diets
What to know about mace
Mace is the lacy crimson aril that wraps the nutmeg seed, so mace and nutmeg come off the same fruit of the same tree (Myristica fragrans) and share the same chemistry. That includes myristicin, the compound behind nutmeg poisoning, which mace carries too. On the everyday trigger criteria mace is mild: moderate salicylate, a slight histamine-liberating tendency, a little free glutamate, and clean on histamine, nickel, tyramine, sulfites and all FODMAP groups. The thing worth knowing about mace is not an intolerance, it is the dose ceiling.
Watch for
- Same source as nutmeg, so mace is not a substitute if you are avoiding nutmeg for reasons of chemistry rather than flavour
- Contains myristicin, elemicin and safrole.Around 5 g of ground nutmeg is enough to cause nausea, racing heart, confusion and hallucinations, and mace has produced the same picture, including a documented case of a child needing hospital care after accidental ingestion
- Culinary use sits nowhere near that.A blade of mace in a béchamel or a pinch in a spice blend is a small fraction of a gram, which is why the spice is on the shelf at all
- Moderate salicylate, so it adds to the load in the warm-spice blends it usually appears in rather than being an issue in isolation
- Ground mace loses aroma fast, which pushes people to use more of it than a recipe intended
Explore related in Herbs & Spices
Compare similar foods to build a personalized list of swaps that work for your system.
Low Fermentation Guide
Everything you need to know about low fermentation sensitivity and smart food choices.
SIBO (Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth) diets focus on reducing fermentable foods that feed bacteria in the small intestine. Low-fermentation foods help manage symptoms like bloating, gas, and abdominal discomfort.
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 Low Fermentation sensitivity:
View all safe options
These foods have moderate levels and may be tolerated in small amounts:
These foods are high in low fermentation and may trigger symptoms:
View full list
If you're sensitive to Low Fermentation, consider these strategies:
- 1Low-fermentation eating reduces food for overgrown bacteria
- 2Meal spacing (4-5 hours) allows the MMC to clear the gut
- 3Avoid grazing - structured meals are better
- 4Some find the elemental diet helpful under medical supervision
- 5Address underlying causes with your healthcare provider
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 mace high in Low Fermentation?
Low Fermentation: low signal for most people.
Can I still eat mace if I'm sensitive to Low Fermentation?
Usually fine in normal portions.
What else should I check?
Check AIP, Salicylates, and Low Salicylate next for a fuller picture.