FOOD INTOLERANCE NETWORK FACTSHEET
What are salicylates?
Salicylates
(pronounced sall as in sally, i as in ink, sill as in
silly, ates) are naturally occurring pesticides in plants including
fruit, vegetables, herbs, spices and flavours from plants such as peppermint.
From the chemical point of view, salicylates have a similar chemical structure
to certain food additives such as artificial colours and preservatives.
The amount
of salicylates in our daily diet is increasing, through strong salicylate-based
flavours such as mint and fruit flavours, as well as new varieties of fruit and
vegetables, for example, supermarket tomatoes which are firm and unripe and
thus higher in salicylates than old fashioned sweet, soft, ripe varieties. In
addition, exposure to chemicals such as pesticides and solvents can make
people, especially children, more sensitive to other chemicals such as food
chemicals and perfumes.
Salicylates
and certain food additives can cause:
*
irritability (touchy and easily annoyed, losing temper, angry)
*
restlessness (feel restless, unable to relax, change jobs/homes/partners often,
always on the go, hypo)
*
inattention (unable to pay attention to details which seem boring)
*
difficulty falling asleep
* sleep
disturbance (night waking, nightmares, night terrors, sleepwalking)
* a wide
range of other problems including headaches, stomach aches, asthma, itchy skin
rashes, anxiety, depression, panic attacks, suicidal thoughts and actions
* arthritis
Q. Could
you please explain airborne salicylates. My grand-daughter is amine and
salicylate intolerant, but I do not understand the airborne type.
A. Salicylates are present in plant
foods to protect the plants. They also have the effect of adding flavour, so
humans tend to like high salicylate foods such as strawberries and kiwifruit.
Salicylates can also contribute to smells. From the body's point of view, there
is not a lot of difference between flavour and scent - one appeals to the taste
buds (which are not very acute), the other to our sense of smell, which is far
more sensitive so what we taste is influenced by what we smell.
Salicylates
are readily absorbed through the skin from lotions such as Oil of Wintergreen
and can also be inhaled through strong scents from plants, their extracts and
their synthetic equivalents for example, from lavender flowers,
lavender-perfumed powder or deodorant and lavender-perfumed disinfectant
through to plant based pesticides such as pyrethrum.
As a
general rule, it is best to avoid strong smells while doing the diet: avoid
perfumes and perfumed products, essential oils, strong smelling flowers and
trees (such as pine trees - and the smoke from burning their wood), incense and
pot pourri.
Avoid
perfumed toiletries
such as shampoo, conditioner, deodorants, cosmetics, haircare products such as
hair sprays and gels, body lotions. Toiletries which claim to be perfume free but
contain strong smelling ingredients such as mandarin or lime oil are not
failsafe. We recommend the Dermaveen range from pharmacies, Melrose colour and
perfume free from health food stores, or Palmolive Naturals from supermarkets
(not ideal but many people can manage them). Many failsafers recommend rock
crystal deodorants.
Avoid
medications which contain salicylates including those inhaled such as Vicks vaporub and lotions
such as Dencorub or Deep Heat (these generally have salicylate listed on the label).
Avoid peppermint flavoured toothpaste, see Product Updates on our website for
Soul Pattinson's plain toothpaste.
Avoid
all household cleaners except vinegar, soda bicarb, dishwashing powder and low-perfumed
dishwashing liquid such as Palmolive original or Morning Fresh.
Avoid
perfumed washing powders, fabric conditioners and ironing sprays. Omo-sensitive, Lux,
Avoid
garden pesticides,
weedkillers and pesticides on pets as much as possible.
Avoid
smells of new or
newly cleaned soft furnishings and carpets, new mattresses, cars, formaldehydes
in pet shops and shopping malls. Do not renovate your house, have your carpet
cleaned, buy new furniture or a new car while doing the elimination diet.
Q. What
are the best vegetables for someone who is sensitive to salicylates?
A. See salicylate content (mg per
100gm) in the lowest rating fruit and vegetables below. Those with zero are the
lowest.
bamboo
shoots 0
mung
bean sprouts 0.06
brussel
sprouts 0.07
cabbage
fresh green 0
cabbage
fresh red 0.08
celery
fresh 0
chives
fresh 0.03
choko
(Chayote) 0.01
leek
fresh 0.08
lentil
brown dried 0
lentil
red dried 0
lettuce
fresh Iceberg 0
chick-peas
dried 0
green
peas, fresh 0.04
potato
fresh white with peel 0.12
potato
large fresh white no peel 0
shallots
(green onion) fresh 0.03
swede
(rutabaga) fresh 0
For more
information, see any of my books, website www.fedupwithfoodadditives.info,
or the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital Allergy Unit website www.cs.nsw.gov.au/rpa/Allergy
Reference:
Swain AR, Dutton SP and
www.fedupwithfoodadditives.info
The information given is not intended as
medical advice. Always consult with your doctor for underlying illness. Before
beginning dietary investigation, consult a dietician with an interest in food
intolerance. You can find a supportive dietitian through the Dietitians
Association of
© Sue Dengate update November 2004
