Clove
Clove: high in salicylate; low in histamine. If you're sensitive to any of these, check it against your profile before eating.
Intolerances
- SalicylateHigh
Cloves are among the four culinary spices an RP-HPLC measurement placed highest in salicylate, alongside dried oregano and behind dried basil and cumin. They go in by the two or three, and a whole clove fished out after cooking still leaves its salicylate behind in the dish.
Sources· 1
- Gajewska D., Kęszycka P.K. & Szkop M., Food & Function 10 (2019) 7037–7041, salicylate content of culinary herbs and spices by RP-HPLC with fluorescence detection — a ranking of the herbs it measured, not a figure per 100 g
- Histamine (+liberators / DAO inhibitors)Low
Clove is dried plant material with no protein and no fermentation, so it produces no histamine of its own. It is used in pinches besides. The Swiss list rates “cloves” 0 of 3, noting “Small amounts are well tolerated.”, without the L it reserves for liberators.
Sources· 1
- SIGHI — Swiss Interest Group Histamine Intolerance, food-compatibility list (2024-08-29), for the entry, its rating and the absence of a liberator letter
- TyramineNone
- SucroseNone
- FODMAPsNone
- LactoseFODMAPsNone
- OligosaccharidesFODMAPsNone
- SorbitolFODMAPsNone
- FructoseFODMAPsNone
- NickelNone
- OxalatesNone
- GlutenNo
Intolerance levels are based on our documented scientific sources. See sources →
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Frequently asked questions
Which intolerances does clove affect?
Clove is notable for salicylate and histamine. Clear on tyramine, sucrose, FODMAPs, lactose, oligosaccharides, sorbitol, fructose, nickel, oxalates and gluten.
Does clove contain salicylate?
Yes — clove is high in salicylate. Cloves are among the four culinary spices an RP-HPLC measurement placed highest in salicylate, alongside dried oregano and behind dried basil and cumin. They go in by the two or three, and a whole clove fished out after cooking still leaves its salicylate behind in the dish.
Does clove contain histamine?
Clove contains only low levels of histamine. Clove is dried plant material with no protein and no fermentation, so it produces no histamine of its own. It is used in pinches besides. The Swiss list rates “cloves” 0 of 3, noting “Small amounts are well tolerated.”, without the L it reserves for liberators. Amounts vary by brand and recipe, so always check the label of the exact product.
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