This is not a formal diet plan, only suggestions and guidelines for reducing tyramine from your diet.
People who may benefit from a tyramine reduced diet include IH'ers, migraine sufferers, and/or those taking prescription monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI) antidepressants.
What is Tyramine?
Tyramine is a natural substance formed from the breakdown of protein as food ages. It is found in aged, fermented, or spoiled foods; and those with large amounts of yeast. Generally speaking, the longer a high-protein food ages, the greater the potential tyramine content. Aged cheeses, spoiled meats, some aged and cured meats, Marmite yeast extract, sauerkraut, fermented soybean products (such as soy sauce and miso), broad (fava) bean pods, and draft (tap) beer have the highest levels of tyramine. Some foods contain bacterial enzymes that convert tyrosine (an amino acid in foods), to Tyramine.
Under normal circumstances, tyramine and dopamine are metabolized to their harmless metabolites by the enzyme monoamine oxidase (MAO). Drugs that inhibit MAO also inhibit the metabolism of tyramine and dopamine, leading to elevated levels of these substances in the bloodstream.
Excessive levels of tyramine can cause headache, palpitations, nausea, vomiting, and hypertensive crisis (dangerously high blood pressure).
Foods to Avoid
To avoid/reduce tyramine, ask about ingredients and freshness at restaurants and others’ homes, and read food labels. The following list provides a guideline of commonly consumed foods/beverages with high levels of tyramine. Consult with a health-care professional before making any major changes to your diet.
Older lists of foods containing tyramine have been re-evaluated by researchers who question the accuracy of initial reports of tyramine content in food or reactions to food by people taking MAOI's. Many foods have a low tyramine content when fresh, but their tyramine levels rise if they are allowed to age or spoil. Other foods may only contain tyramine in certain batches, but not others. If you consume a food from the following list and do not experience a reaction, do not assume that food will always be safe.
If you know of any other foods that should be here, please email me at habanno@comcast.net; and I'll update the information.
Again, please consult your doctor before beginning any dietary change, particularly if concerned about consuming enough protein within your diet. Tyramine is often found in high protein foods, and protein should not be completely eliminated from any diet.
