top of page

Phenols: Tried, Avoided or Limited

Below is a list of foods that we’ve attempted to introduce into kiddo's diet & the results. I’ve noted where more than one factor may be playing into reactions like family history, allergies, & Oral Allergy Syndrome (OAS). If the food’s not listed, it has not been tried yet for various reasons. For a more thorough list of foods containing phenols (salicylates) check out this site: Salicylate Sensitivity.


VERY HIGH

  • Berries – allergic to strawberries, reacts to all others except blueberry

  • Cherry – reacts & on OAS list

  • Red grapes - not sure, had in diet with green & developed asthmatic cough

  • Tomatoes - possible issue still observing & on OAS list, family history

  • Mint – reacts & family history


HIGH TO MODERATE

  • Apples – reacts & on OAS list

  • Peach – mild reaction & on OAS list

  • Mangos - reacts

  • Watermelon – reacts & on OAS list, family history

  • Spinach – reacts, family history

  • Carrots – mild reaction & on OAS list

  • Lettuce – seems to tolerate Bibb (just introduced)

  • Onion – eats infrequently & seems ok


LOW TO NEGLIGIBLE

  • Bananas – low reaction except with seasonal allergies, also on OAS list, family history

  • Pears – some varieties tolerated only if peeled

  • Celery – fairly new addition & seems ok

  • Potatoes - won’t eat

  • Fats & Oils – reacts to canola, sunflower & possibly safflower, rest unknown

  • Sugars – reacts so limit frequency



When attempting to follow a diet low in PST enzymes things to avoid/limit are:

  • Artificial colorings

  • Natural flavors/colorings

  • Chemical additives (artificial)

  • Preservatives

  • MSG

  • Vitamin A Palmitate – in dairy & considered a hidden source for corn

  • Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein

  • Sulfites/sulfating agents

  • Corn syrup & starch

  • Nitrates/nitrites


Avoid medications that have:

  • Aspirin

  • Tylenol

  • Petroleum

  • Benzoates


Avoid products that have the following as fruit-derived enzymes or fillers:

  • Bromelain

  • Papain

  • Actinidin


Types of Salicylates:

  • Acetylsalicylate

  • Acetylsalicylic acid

  • Ethyl salicylate

  • Isooctyl salicylate

  • Methyl salicylate

  • Monosodium salicylate

  • Octyl salicylate

  • Phenyl salicylate

  • Salicylic acid



My kid has had reactions to a number of the listed avoidances including Tylenol, preservatives, nitrates/nitrites, corn containing products, and benzoates. There are many others on the list that we avoid because of reactions that could be due to multiple factors and family history.



bottom of page