Tyramine Foods: Which Contain a Lot – The List

Tyramine is a natural biogenic amine that arises above all in ripened, fermented and long-stored foods. Particularly a lot of tyramine is found in aged cheese, smoked and cured meat and sausage products, fermented soy products, sauerkraut, red wine as well as overripe fruit. For most people this is unproblematic, because the body normally breaks down tyramine rapidly. Anyone who takes certain medications or reacts sensitively, however, is better off paying attention to the content. This overview shows which foods are particularly rich in tyramine, which are considered low in tyramine and how to keep the content low in everyday life.

What is tyramine?

Tyramine belongs to the group of biogenic amines and arises when the amino acid tyrosine is converted by enzymes or microorganisms. This happens above all during ripening, fermentation and fermentation processes as well as during longer storage of protein-rich foods. The longer a product ripens or is stored, the more tyramine can form. In the body, tyramine is normally broken down by the enzyme monoamine oxidase, so that it does not enter the circulation in larger amounts in the first place. Because the content in foods fluctuates greatly – depending on degree of ripeness, production and freshness – blanket figures are only guide values. Even the same type of cheese can contain very different amounts depending on ripening time and batch. Tyramine has a certain effect on the circulation in the body, which is why large amounts can become noticeable when the breakdown is impaired. For the vast majority of people with an intact enzyme system, however, the usual intake through food is completely harmless.

How tyramine arises in foods

Fresh, unprocessed foods generally contain little tyramine. The content rises significantly through fermentation, ripening, smoking, curing and long storage. Products that are not continuously cooled or already opened can also show more tyramine, because microorganisms multiply. Therefore the rule of thumb applies: the fresher a food, the lower the tyramine content usually. Anyone who wants to keep the content low buys meat, fish and cheese fresh and eats them quickly, instead of storing them open for a long time. Particularly tricky is that tyramine is heat-stable: unlike some germs, it cannot be broken down again by boiling, frying or heating. Once the substance has arisen in the food, it remains there even after cooking. This distinguishes the tyramine question from pure hygiene questions and makes the choice of fresh starting products all the more important.

Foods with a lot of tyramine

The following foods are considered particularly rich in tyramine and are therefore often in focus:

• Aged cheese: such as cheddar, Emmental, Parmesan, blue cheese and other long-ripened varieties
• Cured and smoked meat and sausage products: salami, air-dried ham, smoked meat
• Fermented soy products: soy sauce, miso, tempeh
• Sauerkraut and other fermented vegetables
• Red wine, beer and yeast extract
• Overripe or pickled fruit, such as very ripe bananas and avocados
• Fish stored longer or not continuously cooled

Cheese considered in detail

Cheese is probably the best-known tyramine source, but the differences between the varieties are large. Decisive is the ripening time: the longer a cheese ripens, the more time the microorganisms have to convert tyrosine into tyramine. Very long-ripened hard cheeses such as Parmesan, old Gouda or cheddar as well as blue and red mould cheese are therefore among the more tyramine-rich representatives. Young, fresh cheese is at the other end of the scale. Cream cheese, cottage cheese, mozzarella, ricotta and quark barely ripen and accordingly contain little tyramine. Anyone who likes to eat cheese but wants to pay attention to the content therefore preferably chooses young, fresh varieties and eats opened packs quickly. The rind and edge areas of long-ripened cheeses can also show more tyramine than the core. In this way, cheese enjoyment and a conscious handling of the tyramine content can be well reconciled.

Foods with little tyramine

Anyone who wants to keep the tyramine content low reaches for fresh, unprocessed foods:

• Fresh meat, poultry and fish, eaten quickly
• Cream cheese, cottage cheese, mozzarella and young cheese
• Fresh fruit and vegetables at usual ripeness
• Eggs, milk and fresh dairy products
• Rice, pasta, bread and freshly prepared dishes

Tyramine and other biogenic amines

Tyramine belongs to a whole group of biogenic amines, which also includes histamine, putrescine and cadaverine. These substances often arise together in the same processes – that is, during ripening, fermentation and long storage of protein-rich foods. Therefore the lists of tyramine-rich and histamine-rich foods often overlap. Anyone who has to pay attention to histamine, for example, finds the same products again in many cases: aged cheese, red wine, smoked sausage and fermented items. The biogenic amines act differently in the body but arise under similar conditions. A look at freshness and degree of processing therefore helps to keep the content low for several of these substances at once.

Why some people react sensitively

The body normally breaks down tyramine reliably via the enzyme monoamine oxidase, so that common amounts from food are unproblematic. It can be different when this breakdown pathway is inhibited – for example by certain medications, so-called MAO inhibitors, which are used for instance in the treatment of some illnesses. In this case, tyramine can have a stronger effect. People who generally react sensitively to biogenic amines also sometimes notice discomfort with a tyramine-rich diet. Anyone who takes corresponding medications should always coordinate the appropriate diet with the treating medical or pharmaceutical professional, as individual specifications apply here. In such cases, a low-tyramine diet is often recommended, which restricts above all long-ripened, fermented and smoked products.

Assessing individual tolerance

How much tyramine someone tolerates is very different and depends on the activity of the breakdown enzyme, the amount consumed and other factors. For most people, the usual tyramine content of food plays no role, because the body processes it effortlessly. Anyone who has the impression of reacting sensitively to certain ripened or fermented foods can keep a simple food diary and note when which dishes were eaten and how they felt afterwards. In this way, possible connections can be recognised more easily, without prematurely cutting out whole food groups. Because biogenic amines often occur together, such a record also helps to discover patterns across different foods. It is important not to permanently leave out many foods on suspicion, because that can make the diet unnecessarily one-sided.

Tyramine and drinks

Not only solid foods, but also drinks can contain notable amounts of tyramine. Red wine is often in focus here, followed by some beers – above all draught beer and top-fermented varieties. Non-alcoholic beer can also contain biogenic amines, since these arise during fermentation independently of the alcohol. Drinks based on fermentation that have been open longer or are uncooled tend to be less favourable. Anyone who wants to or has to keep the content low reaches rather for fresh, non-fermented drinks such as water, juice spritzers or freshly brewed tea of usual strength. Because the tyramine content in drinks fluctuates greatly depending on production, no exact limit values can be given here across the board either.

Practical tips for everyday life

Buy protein-rich foods as fresh as possible and in smaller amounts, so that they do not store for long. Keep meat, fish and cheese continuously well cooled and eat opened products promptly. When cooking, fresh ingredients are preferable to long-ripened or fermented alternatives. If you have to pay attention to a low-tyramine diet, a look at the degree of ripeness helps: young cheeses, fresh meat and fruit in the usual state of ripeness are usually the better choice. Because the tyramine content fluctuates greatly depending on product and production, the mentioned values are always only a rough orientation and not fixed limit values.

Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

Which foods contain the most tyramine?

Particularly rich in tyramine are long-ripened cheese, cured and smoked sausage and meat products, fermented soy products, sauerkraut, red wine and yeast extract as well as overripe fruit. The content rises with ripening, fermentation and long storage.

Is tyramine in foods dangerous?

For most people, tyramine from food is harmless, because the body reliably breaks it down. It becomes relevant above all with certain medications such as MAO inhibitors or with particular sensitivity – then a low-tyramine diet may be indicated.

Which foods are low in tyramine?

Low in tyramine are fresh meat, poultry and fish, young cheese and cream cheese, fresh fruit and vegetables, eggs, fresh milk as well as freshly prepared dishes. Decisive is the freshness.

How can I keep the tyramine content low?

Buy protein-rich foods fresh, store them continuously cooled and eat them quickly. Avoid long-ripened, fermented or smoked products if you want to pay attention to a low content.

Why do some people react sensitively to tyramine?

Sensitivity usually arises when the breakdown of tyramine via the enzyme monoamine oxidase is inhibited, for example by certain medications. A general sensitivity to biogenic amines can also play a role.