tartar sauce
Condiments & Sauces
Is tartar sauce high in tyramine?
Is tartar sauce high or low in tyramine? 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 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
- Common high-tyramine foods include aged cheese, cured meats, and soy sauce
- Ripeness affects tyramine - choose less ripe fruits
Sensitivities
What tartar sauce contains
FODMAPs
Histamine & Amines
Plant compounds
Irritants
Additives
Allergens
Diet fit
Where tartar sauce fits
Therapeutic diets
Lifestyle diets
Religious diets
What to know about tartar sauce
Tartar sauce is graded high FODMAP (D), and the culprit is not the mayonnaise base but everything stirred into it. Sweet pickle relish, chopped onion and shallot bring fructans, and the sugar in the relish adds excess fructose on top. It also grades poorly for SIBO and low fermentation diets and comes out pro-inflammatory (E) thanks to the refined seed oil and added sugar. Beyond the FODMAPs it is a smear of moderates rather than one big trigger: borderline gluten, sulfites, histamine, histamine liberation, tyramine, salicylates and glutamates, none severe alone. That combination is why two tablespoons alongside fried fish can cause more trouble than the fish did.
Watch for
- Graded high FODMAP (D) with moderate fructans (C).Sweet relish, onion and shallot are the usual sources, and they are chopped small enough that you cannot pick them out.
- Moderate excess fructose (C) from the sugar or corn syrup in sweet relish, so it stacks with a sweet glaze or a soft drink at the same meal.
- Borderline on gluten (C), which is brand dependent rather than inherent.Malt vinegar is made from barley and some jars use wheat-derived thickeners, so a coeliac needs to read the label rather than assume a sauce is safe.
- Moderate sulfites (C) and moderate histamine plus histamine liberation, all carried in by the pickled cucumber, capers and vinegar rather than by the egg or oil.
- Graded pro-inflammatory (E) and poorly for DASH, reflecting the seed oil, sugar and salt load in a commercial jar.
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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:
View full list
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 tartar sauce high in Tyramine?
Tyramine: moderate signal - portion size matters.
Can I still eat tartar sauce if I'm sensitive to Tyramine?
Try smaller portions and space it out.
What else should I check?
Check Inflammation, AIP, and EoE Compatible next for a fuller picture.