Low Tyramine Diet

GENERAL INFORMATION:

What is it? Tyramine (ti-ruh-meen) is a harmless chemical found in all foods. It may be found in larger amounts in aged foods or foods that have a lot of yeast in them. High tyramine foods should not be eaten by people who take MAO inhibitor medicine. This medicine is also called an "MAOI" or monoamine oxidase inhibitor. The foods below may cause headaches or high blood pressure if you are taking MAO inhibitors.

Care: Follow this low tyramine diet if you take MAO inhibitors. This diet is also low in dopamine, another chemical that needs to be limited in the diet when taking these medicines.

• Eat fresh, freshly cooked, or canned foods. Foods and ingredients NOT on the lists below are OK to eat. Do not eat foods that are aged or stored for long periods of time.
  
  
• Check with your caregiver before drinking liquids with alcohol in them. You may be able to drink small amounts of beer or wine.

Serving Sizes: Use the portion sizes below to measure foods and serving sizes.

• 1-1/2 cup (12 ounces) of liquid is the size of a soda-pop can.
  
  
• 1 cup (8 ounces) of food is the size of a large handful.
  
  
• 1/2 cup (4 ounces) of food is about half of a large handful.
  
  
• 2 tablespoons (Tbsp) is about the size of a large walnut.
  
  
• 1 tablespoon (Tbsp) is about the size of the tip of your thumb (from the last crease).
  
  
• 1 teaspoon (tsp) is about the size of the tip of your little finger (from the last crease).

HIGH TYRAMINE FOODS: Do NOT eat the following foods if you take MAO inhibitor medicine.

• BEVERAGES:
  
  
  • Ales and beers
    
    
  • Burgundy wine
    
    
  • Chianti wine
    
    
  • Sherry
    
    
  • Vermouth
  
  
• BREADS & STARCHES
  
  
  • Breads made with aged cheeses and meats, or yeast extracts
    
    
  • Homemade or high yeast breads
  
  
• DAIRY PRODUCTS:
  
  
  • Aged & processed cheeses, like cheddar, blue, and cheese spreads
    
    
  • You can eat the following cheeses: cream cheese, farmer's cheese, cottage cheese, & ricotta cheese
  
  
• FRUITS & VEGETABLES:
  
  
  • Banana peels
    
    
  • Fava bean pods
    
    
  • Italian or broad green beans
    
    
  • Kim chee (fermented cabbage)
    
    
  • Lentils
    
    
  • Lima beans
    
    
  • Sauerkraut
    
    
  • Spoiled or overly ripe fruits
  
  
• MEAT & PROTEIN FOODS:
  
  
  • Aged, dried, cured meats
    
    
  • Dried or pickled fish
    
    
  • Meat jerky
    
    
  • Leftovers that may be partly fermented
    
    
  • Liver
    
    
  • Meat extracts
    
    
  • Salami or dry sausage
    
    
  • Salted, smoked, or pickled meat or fish
  
  
• OTHER:
  
  
  • Brewer's yeast
    
    
  • Bouillon or broth with yeast
    
    
  • Commercial gravies
    
    
  • Crackers made with cheese
    
    
  • Homemade yeast breads
    
    
  • Marmite™ and other yeast spreads
    
    
  • Miso (fermented soybean paste) and soy sauce
    
    
  • Yeast extracts

MODERATE TYRAMINE FOODS: Eat or drink only 1/4 to 1/2 cup total of the items on the following list each day if you take MAO inhibitor medicine.

• BEVERAGES:
  
  
  • Bouillon
    
    
  • Distilled liquor
    
    
  • Red, white, and port wines
  
  
• BREADS & STARCHES:
  
  
  • Commercial breads without, or low in yeast
    
    
  
  
• DAIRY PRODUCTS:
  
  
  • Cultured products such as buttermilk, sour cream, yogurt
    
    
  • Unpasteurized milk products
  
  
• FRUITS & VEGETABLES:
  
  
  • Avocados
    
    
  • Chinese pea pods
    
    
  • Raspberries
    
    
  • Red plums
    
    
  • Spinach
  
  
• MEATS & PROTEIN FOODS:
  
  
  • Fish roe and caviar
    
    
  • Meat pates
    
    
  • Peanuts
  
  
• OTHER:
  
  
  • Coffee, tea, colas: only 2 cups total of these per day
    
    
  • Chocolate products: only 1 small serving per day
    
    
  • Monosodium glutamate (MSG)
    
    
  • Teriyaki sauce: only 2-4 Tbsp per day

CALL YOUR CAREGIVER IF:

• You have questions about the serving sizes on this diet.
  
  
• You have questions about how to prepare or cook foods on this diet.
  
  
• You have questions about how or where to buy foods on this diet.
  
  
• You have questions or concerns about your illness, medicine, or this diet.

CARE AGREEMENT:

You have the right to help plan your care. To help with this plan, you must learn about your diet. You can then discuss treatment options with your caregivers. Work with them to decide what care may be used to treat you. You always have the right to refuse treatment.

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