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yam bean

yam bean

Vegetables

Is yam bean high in tyramine?

Tyramine status
Low

Is yam bean 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.

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 yam bean contains

FODMAPs

FODMAPsHigh
FructansHigh
GOSSafe
FructoseSafe
PolyolsSafe
LactoseSafe

Histamine & Amines

HistamineLow
Histamine LiberatorsLow
TyramineLow

Plant compounds

SalicylatesLow
OxalatesLow
LectinSafe
NightshadesSafe

Irritants

CaffeineSafe
AlcoholSafe
Spicy FoodsSafe
Acidic FoodsSafe

Additives

SulfitesSafe
NitritesSafe
GlutamatesLow

Allergens

Dairy ProteinsSafe
GlutenSafe
EggSafe
PeanutSafe
Tree NutsSafe
SoySafe
FishSafe
CrustaceansSafe
MolluscsSafe
SesameSafe
CelerySafe
MustardSafe
LupinSafe
Alpha-galSafe
NickelLow

Diet fit

Where yam bean fits

Therapeutic diets

Low HistamineFit
Low SalicylateFit
Low FermentationLow
EoE CompatibleFit
AIPCheck
InflammationFit
Reflux DietFit
Specific CarbohydrateCheck
Low FibreAvoid
Gastroparesis DietAvoid

Lifestyle diets

VeganFit
VegetarianFit
PescatarianFit
MediterraneanFit
DASH DietFit
PaleoFit
Whole30Fit
KetoFit
Low-carbFit

Religious diets

HalalFit
KosherFit
Hindu (no beef)Fit
JainAvoid
Buddhist VegetarianFit
Orthodox FastingFit
Ingredient notes

What to know about yam bean

The yam bean is neither a yam nor a bean you eat, and both halves of that name mislead in ways that matter. It is Pachyrhizus erosus, a vine in the pea family whose swollen root is the only food part: crisp, wet, faintly sweet, eaten raw in Mexico and across Southeast Asia. The pods and mature seeds that give it the bean half of its name contain rotenone and are genuinely toxic, historically used as a fish poison and a garden insecticide. The root itself is clean on the sensitivity chemistry, grading A for galacto-oligosaccharides, lactose, gluten, dairy protein, caffeine, sulfites and nitrites, with histamine, salicylate, oxalate, tyramine and nickel all mild at B. The one real gut caveat is fructans, which grade D here, alongside a D for total FODMAPs, so the trigger to watch is fructan load rather than anything chemical.

Watch for

  • Fructans grade D and total FODMAPs grade D, so the storage sugars in the root are the thing to log.Galacto-oligosaccharides, polyols and excess fructose are all clean, which is unusual for something in the pea family
  • Only the root is food.The pods, the mature seeds and the vine carry rotenone, and eating the seeds is a real poisoning risk rather than a folk warning. If you buy it whole or grow it, discard everything except the tuber
  • It travels under a confusing pile of names: yam bean, Mexican turnip, sengkuang, bengkoang, sa kot, jicama.Log it under one name consistently or your own history will not add up
  • Nothing else scores high.Histamine, salicylate, oxalate, tyramine, nickel and free glutamate all sit at B, so if you react hard and fast to this root, suspect what it was dressed with, typically chilli, lime and salt
Learn More

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 have moderate levels and may be tolerated in small amounts:

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.

Want personalized tracking?

Download Triggerbites to log meals, track symptoms, and discover your unique triggers.

Get the App

FAQ

Is yam bean high in Tyramine?

Tyramine: moderate signal - portion size matters.

Can I still eat yam bean if I'm sensitive to Tyramine?

Try smaller portions and space it out.

What else should I check?

Check Jain, FODMAPs, and Fructans next for a fuller picture.