Tyramine is an amino acid involved in regulating blood pressure. People taking monoamine oxidase inhibitors, or MAOIs, need a low-tyramine diet, according to MayoClinic.com. These drugs interfere with the functioning of the enzyme monoamine oxidase that breaks down tyramine in the body. In addition, people with a condition called familial dysautonomia also cannot effectively metabolize tyramine. Completely eliminating tyramine from the diet can be difficult, but limiting some tyramine-containing foods may work, according to a study published in the October 1996 issue of the "Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology."
Non-Fresh Foods
Your doctor may advise you to eat only fresh foods, as tyramine can increase during bacterial breakdown of foods, explains MayoClinic.com. This affects leftovers and commercial foods past their expiration dates. In addition, tyramine levels in commercial foods vary a great deal due to different storage, preparation and processing methods.
Processed Meat
Eat only fresh meat and fish on a regular basis, and avoid any that has been refrigerated for a long time. When buying packaged meat, eat it as soon as possible, advises Drugs.com. Store all meat in the refrigerator to prevent any deterioration. You may need to limit or avoid bacon, bologna, hot dogs, jerky, liverwurst, salami, sardines, sausage and pepperoni, and any meat or fish that has been aged, air-dried, fermented, pickled or smoked. The 1996 "Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology" study found that chicken liver aged for 9 days had the highest tyramine level of all the foods the researchers evaluated.
Aged Cheese
Avoid eating aged cheese on a tyramine-free diet, advises Drugs.com. Examples include cheddar, blue, Brie, Camembert, Gorgonzola, Parmesan, Romano, Roquefort and Swiss. Also do not eat mixed dishes, such as casseroles, that may contain aged cheese.
Fermented Foods and Yeast
The 1996 "Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology" study found that the sauerkraut and soy sauce they evaluated had dangerously high tyramine levels. Also avoid eating soybeans, soybean paste, miso and tofu. Alcohol is prohibited on a tyramine-free diet. In addition, yeast contains tyramine, so a tyramine-free diet excludes yeast breads and other baked goods containing yeast, as well as chocolate and nonalcoholic beer.
Vegetables and Fruit
Some fruits and vegetables should not be eaten on a tyramine-free diet, according to FD Now. Vegetables to avoid include beets, broccoli, eggplant, fava beans, lima beans, navy beans, snow peas and spinach. People on a tyramine-free diet also should not eat overripe fruit, fruit preserves, cranberries, figs, plums, prunes, raisins, raspberries and red cherries.
