Following a low tyramine diet is recommended if you are taking monoamine oxidase inhibitors or MAOIs, which are found in antidepressants, antibiotics, and certain medications used to treat Parkinson's disease. Eating food high in tyramine while on these medications can cause high blood pressure, headaches, and chest pain and heart palpitations. Limiting high tyramine foods has been shown to help if you suffer from migraines, but the diet is not as restricted as if you were taking MAOIs.
Fresh Foods
Tyramine levels increase in foods when they are aged, fermented or stored for long periods of time. Eating fresh or frozen foods reduces the amount of tyramine you consume. Practice food safety and eat your fresh meats within 3 days of purchase or freeze immediately if you do not plan to eat it right away. Any leftovers you have should be eaten within 48 hours or thrown away. Over-ripened fruits and vegetables should be discarded and never eat expired dairy products.
Fruits and Vegetables
Most fruits and vegetables whether fresh, frozen or canned are low in tyramine and safe eat. The exceptions to this are fava beans, Italian broad beans, fermented pickles, olives, sauerkraut, Chinese pea pods and banana peels, which should be avoided.
Dairy Products
The aging process of certain cheeses increases the tyramine content. Avoid aged cheeses like cheddar, muenster, provolone, Gorgonzola, blue cheese, brick, Swiss, Parmesan and brie, but all other cheese are safe. Avoid casseroles, pizza, or lasagna that may contain aged cheeses. If you use buttermilk, sour cream, or yogurt, limit to 4 ounces per day because they do contain tyramine. Regular dairy milk is low in tyramine and does not need be restricted.
Animal Protein Sources
Fresh or frozen meats, poultry, fish and eggs are safe to consume along with nuts, peanut butter and dried beans such as pinto, kidney and northern are low in tyramine. Limit sardines, sausage, pepperoni, caviar and pate to 1 oz. per day. High tyramine protein sources to be avoided include, liver and organ meats, any aged smoked, dried or pickled meats and fish like beef jerky, salami or smoked herring.
Alcoholic and Non-Alcoholic Beverages
Draft beer, ale, Chianti and vermouth wines, sherry, champagne and dark mixed drinks should be avoided on the low tyramine diet. Bottled or canned beer is not as high in tyramine as draft, but should be limited to 12 oz. per day. White and red wine and champagne should be limited to 4-8 oz per day and hard liquors 2 oz. per day say Ohio State University Center. Talk with your doctor before drinking any alcohol. Milk, fruit juice, soda and decaffeinated tea and coffee are allowed, but avoid hot chocolate and colas containing caffeine.
Grains
Grains do not need to be restricted in the low tyramine diet. Foods such as breads, pasta, rice, flour, and cereal are safe. The only food in this category that should be limited is sourdough because it is made with buttermilk.
Miscellaneous
Some additional foods that should be avoided are caffeine, chocolate, teriyaki sauce, soy products miso paste, and meat extracts such as borvil. Certain supplements like ginseng, marmite yeast and brewers yeast should be taken, but talk with your doctor before starting any vitamin, mineral, or herbal supplements.
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