wahoo
Seafood
Is wahoo high in tyramine?
Is wahoo 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 wahoo contains
FODMAPs
Histamine & Amines
Plant compounds
Irritants
Additives
Allergens
Diet fit
Where wahoo fits
Therapeutic diets
Lifestyle diets
Religious diets
What to know about wahoo
Wahoo, sold in Hawaii as ono, is a member of the mackerel family (Scombridae) and that single fact drives its whole trigger profile. Scombrid muscle is rich in free histidine, and if the fish is not chilled fast after capture, bacteria convert that histidine into histamine. This is scombroid fish poisoning, and it is why wahoo carries a moderate histamine grade along with some tyramine. Critically, the histamine that forms is heat stable: cooking, freezing, canning and smoking do not destroy it, so a properly cooked steak from a badly handled fish is still a problem.
Watch for
- Scombroid risk.A peppery or metallic taste, then flushing, headache, hives, palpitations or urgent diarrhoea within minutes to an hour of eating, is the classic pattern and it is a toxin reaction, not an allergy
- Everyone at the table who ate the same fish tends to react, which is the clearest way to tell scombroid apart from a fish allergy
- Moderate tyramine, so wahoo belongs on the list to check if you are on a MAOI antidepressant with tyramine restrictions
- Not on the FDA and EPA "Choices to Avoid" list, but wahoo is a fast pelagic predator and mercury sampling places it in the moderate band, so treat it as an occasional fish rather than a weekly staple
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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:
View all safe options
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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Download Triggerbites to log meals, track symptoms, and discover your unique triggers.
Get the AppFAQ
Is wahoo high in Tyramine?
Tyramine: moderate signal - portion size matters.
Can I still eat wahoo if I'm sensitive to Tyramine?
Try smaller portions and space it out.
What else should I check?
Check Fish, Vegan, and Vegetarian next for a fuller picture.