ketchup
Condiments & Sauces
Is ketchup high in tyramine?
Find out whether ketchup is high or low in tyramine, see its exact rating, and check its FODMAP, salicylate, oxalate and diet compatibility all in one place.
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Sensitivity notes
Why tyramine food checker matters
Tyramine is an amino acid that forms when proteins break down. It's found in aged, fermented, or spoiled foods. For people taking MAO inhibitors or those with tyramine sensitivity, it can cause headaches, elevated blood pressure, and other reactions.
- Choose fresh over aged, fermented, or preserved foods
- Eat protein foods fresh and store properly
- Be especially careful if taking MAO inhibitor medications
Triggers
Diets
Serving size, prep, and portion notes for ketchup
Ketchup is the textbook stacked trigger: no single ingredient in it is extreme, but it borders on a problem across an unusual number of them at once. It is made from concentrated tomatoes (nightshade plus histamine), cooked and aged (histamine and glutamate build up), sweetened with high-fructose syrup (excess fructose and FODMAPs) and often preserved with sulfites. Individually each is a moderate load; together, in the amount people actually use, they can push a sensitive person over the edge when a plain tomato would not. If you react to ketchup but tolerate fresh tomato, the processing is usually why.
Watch for
Concentrated tomato makes it a nightshade and moderately high in histamine, two triggers in one spoonful / Cooking and ageing raise free glutamate (a savoury, MSG-like load) and histamine beyond that of a fresh tomato / Sweetened with high-fructose corn syrup, so it carries excess fructose and a moderate FODMAP load / Often preserved with sulfites, a further additive trigger, and it is pro-inflammatory overall thanks to the sugar and processing
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Tyramine Guide
Everything you need to know about tyramine sensitivity and smart food choices.
Tyramine is an amino acid that forms when proteins break down. It's found in aged, fermented, or spoiled foods. For people taking MAO inhibitors or those with tyramine sensitivity, it can cause headaches, elevated blood pressure, and other reactions.
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 Tyramine sensitivity:
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These foods are high in tyramine and may trigger symptoms:
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If you're sensitive to Tyramine, consider these strategies:
- 1Choose fresh over aged, fermented, or preserved foods
- 2Eat protein foods fresh and store properly
- 3Be especially careful if taking MAO inhibitor medications
- 4Common high-tyramine foods include aged cheese, cured meats, and soy sauce
- 5Ripeness affects tyramine - choose less ripe fruits
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 ketchup high in Tyramine?
Tyramine: moderate signal - portion size matters.
Can I still eat ketchup if I'm sensitive to Tyramine?
Try smaller portions and space it out.
What else should I check?
Check Paleo AIP, Inflammation, and Histamine next for a fuller picture.