Swiss cheese
Swiss cheese is high in Histamine and Tyramine. It has low levels of FODMAPs and Lactose. If you're sensitive to any of these, check it against your profile before eating.
Intolerances
- Histamine (+liberators / DAO inhibitors)High
hard, long-aged cheeses are among the highest-histamine foods, and the longer the ageing the more histamine they hold. Young, fresh, unaged cheeses contain far less histamine.
- TyramineHigh
Aged cheese is the reference tyramine food — the 'cheese effect' is named after it. Bacteria break the milk protein down over months and decarboxylate its tyrosine, so tyramine tracks ageing almost linearly: a mature cheddar or a blue can exceed 100 mg/kg while a fresh cheese sits near zero. Cooking does not destroy it, and it keeps rising in the fridge after opening. If you take an MAOI antidepressant this is the single most important food to avoid — a large portion can trigger a hypertensive crisis. Sources: EFSA Panel on Biological Hazards, Scientific Opinion on tyramine and histamine in fermented foods, EFSA Journal 2011; McCabe-Sellers et al., J Food Compos Anal 2006; Gardner et al., J Clin Psychiatry 1996.
- FODMAPsLow
- LactoseLow
a pressed, aged cheese — the whey drained off and the cultures ate the rest, leaving well under 0.5 g per 100 g. Usually a safe choice on a low-lactose diet.
- SalicylateNone
- SucroseNone
- OligosaccharidesNone
- SorbitolNone
- FructoseNone
- NickelNone
- OxalatesNone
- GlutenNo
Intolerance levels are based on our documented scientific sources. See sources →
React to Histamine (+liberators / DAO inhibitors)? Check these too
More in Dairy
- 3.5% milk→
- Aged cheese→
- Blue cheese→
- Blue cheese→
- Brie→
- Buffalo milk mozzarella→
- Buttermilk→
- Camembert cheese→
- Casein→
- Cheddar→
- Cream cheese→
- Crème fraîche→
Frequently asked questions
Which intolerances does Swiss cheese affect?
Swiss cheese is notable for Histamine, Tyramine, FODMAPs and Lactose.
Does Swiss cheese contain Histamine?
Yes — Swiss cheese is high in Histamine. hard, long-aged cheeses are among the highest-histamine foods, and the longer the ageing the more histamine they hold. Young, fresh, unaged cheeses contain far less histamine.
Does Swiss cheese contain Tyramine?
Yes — Swiss cheese is high in Tyramine. Aged cheese is the reference tyramine food — the 'cheese effect' is named after it. Bacteria break the milk protein down over months and decarboxylate its tyrosine, so tyramine tracks ageing almost linearly: a mature cheddar or a blue can exceed 100 mg/kg while a fresh cheese sits near zero. Cooking does not destroy it, and it keeps rising in the fridge after opening. If you take an MAOI antidepressant this is the single most important food to avoid — a large portion can trigger a hypertensive crisis. Sources: EFSA Panel on Biological Hazards, Scientific Opinion on tyramine and histamine in fermented foods, EFSA Journal 2011; McCabe-Sellers et al., J Food Compos Anal 2006; Gardner et al., J Clin Psychiatry 1996.
Does Swiss cheese contain FODMAPs?
Swiss cheese contains only low levels of FODMAPs.
Does Swiss cheese contain Lactose?
Swiss cheese contains only low levels of Lactose. a pressed, aged cheese — the whey drained off and the cultures ate the rest, leaving well under 0.5 g per 100 g. Usually a safe choice on a low-lactose diet. Amounts vary by brand and recipe, so always check the label of the exact product.