SALICYLATES AND SALICYLATE ALLERGIES

by Lawrence Wilson, MD

Salicylates are a group of chemicals found mainly in fruits and nuts, and a in a few vegetables and other products. They are irritating to the intestinal tract, in particular. Avoiding them is just one reason why eating most fruit and most nuts is not a part of the diet used in nutritional balancing science.

Most people can handle salicylates, but for some people they are a severe problem. As the body heals, the sensitivity to them usually diminishes. However, most people are better off avoiding them, generally, due to their irritating nature.

Below is a list of foods and other things that contain salicylates. The chart does not reveal the amount of salicylates in each food, however. As a general principle, they are much higher in fruits and less is found in vegetables.

If you find you are having reactions to the foods below, you may be very sensitive to salicylates. In this case, avoid all the foods on the list below, as well as all the chemicals and other products on the list below. This is the simplest way to handle the problem. None of the foods listed below are essential, so eliminating them is not a problem on a nutritional balancing program.

FOODS AND OTHER PRODUCTS CONTAINING SALICYLATES

Foods That Contain Salicylates	Products That May Contain Salicylates	Salicylate-Containing Ingredients
Fruits such as apples, avocados, blueberries, dates, kiwi fruit, peaches, raspberries, figs, grapes, plums, strawberries, cherries, grapefruit, and prunes Vegetables such as alfalfa, cauliflower, cucumbers, mushrooms, radishes, broad beans, eggplant, spinach, zucchini, broccoli, and hot peppers Some cheeses Herbs, spices, and condiments such as dry spices and powders, tomato pastes and sauces, vinegar, and soy sauce, jams, and jellies Beverages such as coffee, wine, beer, orange juice, apple cider, regular and herbal tea, rum, and sherry Nuts such as pine nuts, peanuts, pistachios, and almonds Some candies, such as peppermints, licorice, and mint-flavored gum and breath mints Ice cream, gelatin	Fragrances and perfumes Shampoos and conditioners Herbal remedies Cosmetics such as lipsticks, lotions, and skin cleansers Mouthwash and mint-flavored toothpaste Shaving cream Sunscreens or tanning lotions Muscle pain creams Alka Seltzer	Aspirin Acetylsalicylic acid Artificial food coloring and flavoring Benzoates Beta-hydroxy acid Magnesium salicylate Menthol Mint Salicylic acid Peppermint Phenylethyl salicylate Sodium salicylate Spearmint