Here is some info on salicylates:

1. Short Explanation of Salicylates

2. Calcium
3. Vitamins
4. Will traces of salicylate in topical products block guaifenesin?
5. Char's Salicylate Motto
6. Can I eat Flax Seed Oil?
7. Does ingesting calcium help purge phosphates?
8. Are Alpha or Beta Hydroxy Acids Salicylates?
9. What is the difference between bisabol and bisabolol?
10. Can I drink tea while taking guaifenesin?
11. How do I check my medications for salicylates?
12. What is the quick salicylate screening test?
13. Are plants in vitamins, like acacia, ok to ingest?
14. Are lutein and lycopene salicylate free?
15. Are menthol, menthyl, mentha and methyl salicylate free?
16. "CROWS" mean?

1. Short Explanation of Salicylates

Salicylates block the uricosuric effect of medications, this is well
documented. They cannot be used with the medications that cause
the kidney to excrete more uric acid because they park in the renal
tubule area and allow nothing else to pass.

Salicylates you eat as food are glycinated and some are also
destroyed in the digestive tract. Thus they do not make it to the
kidneys and cause the problem. Topically applied they go directly
into the bloodstream, in medicinal strengths they overwhelm the
liver's capacity to handle them.

Salicylate exposure is cumulative. You get some from food --a

small amount--and some from food colors and dyes. Preservatives
are often salicylates as well. Thus at a certain point guai is blocked,
at a lower concentration it is slowed down. We ask people to avoid
them as much as possiblet o give the medication its best chance to
work. . A small amount in a single product might not be a problem
but it is easier not to bargain and try to calculate a number that is
different for each person. So we just ask patients to avoid the
concentrated forms: oils, gels, extracts from plants and the chemical
itself. Toothpaste with mint oil, which is methyl salicylate is a
problem. Mint is salicylate, the same chemical. The oil, in the
dentifrices is absorbed topically quickly just as are sublingual
medications.

Guaifenesin acts upon the mucus producing cells to thin the

secretions. Thus, for that action it is not dependent on occupying
receptors in the kidneys. Guai works for that purpose when
salicylates are taken. top

2. Calcium
If you need supplemental calcium the type you use is up to you.
You should check the label for how to take it. The reason I say this is
that there are many types of calcium and doses are different for
each type, plus tablets come in many different strengths.

Citrate is generally considered the easiest to absorb so most

people take citrate. A few people (not many but a few) experience
urinary burning with a citrate compound and those should not take
it. If you decide on citrate there are many brands.

For some people calcium causes constipation. If you are one a

calcium magnesium tablet will solve that problem.

If calcium upsets your stomach another option is to take one of

the stomach compounds like Tums (calcium carbonate). I take my
calcium that way, I just keep a big bottle of the generic (el cheapo)
drugstore faux Tums (fruit flavors) on my desk and pop one a few
times a day. top

3. Vitamins
How do I find vitamins that do not contain salicylates?
" Herbal supplements and "natural" vitamins have plant
ingredients in them that are thousands of times stronger than you
would get in a normal food amount. That's why you can't use them
in vitamins. To find OK vitamins, avoid the word "Natural" on the
label and look for plant extracts, oils, or gels on the list of
ingredients. One pesky source of salicylate in supplements goes by
several names. It's called bioflavonoids, but it includes rutin,
hesperidin, and quercitin. So if you see any of those on a vitamin or
supplement label, you can't use them."

Here is a vitamin caution:

A. No bioflavinoids, rose hips, flavonoids, rutin, quercetin.
B. No plant oils, gels or extracts (such as ginseng, kava kava,
alfalfa)
Ingredients such as the ones following are fine.
Vitamin A, Vitamin C***, Vitamin D, Vitamin E, Thiamin,
Riboflavin, Niacin, Vitamin B6, Folic Acid, Vitamin B12, Pantothenic
Acid, Calcium, Iron, Zinc.
***In choosing your Vitamin C buy one WITHOUT *Rose Hips* as
this is a salicylate. top

4. Will traces of salicylate in topical products block

guaifenesin?
 Almost all fragrances and all food colorings have a TRACE of
salicylate in them. We have always known this. F D and C and
related food coloring are all salicylates. However, they DO NOT
BLOCK in the quantities used in topical products.
If you ask a company if something is SALICYLATE FREE they will
always tell you that it is NOT --because of the dyes and fragrances.
But, these food colors and chemical colors are not blockers.
That's why technically SALICYLATE-FREE is not the correct term.
There are products you CAN use and products you CAN'T use.
Tom's of Maine toothpastes are NOT salicylate free. If you get a
chemist on the phone at a company they will balk at salicylate free.
But that doesn't mean the salicylate is strong enough to block. top

5. Char's Salicylate Motto

IF IN DOUBT...DO WITHOUT...OR THROW IT OUT.

6. Can I eat Flax Seed Oil?

Flax Seed Oil is fine as long as it NOT concentrated. The label will
list nutrition facts, not milligrams.

7. Does ingesting calcium help purge phosphates?

The action of Guaifenesin is so powerful that adding calcium
usually doesn't have much effect.

8. Are Alpha or Beta Hydroxy Acids Salicylates?

Beta Hydroxy Acids is a term used for a group of acids, and one of
them is salicylic acid. When a cosmetic or skin preparation says
"beta hydroxy acid", there is a very strong likelihood that it contains
salicylic acid.

Salicylic acid is NOT an alpha hydroxy acid. Therefore if a product

only contains ALPHA hydroxy acids it does not contain salicylic
acid. . Any other ingredient that has the word "hydroxy" attached is
fine. top

9. What is the difference between bisabol and bisabolol?

"Bisabol" is the fragrant oil of a shrub and contains salicylates.
You may not use it. "Bisabolol" is the end product derived from the
chemical breakdown of chamomile. If it were pure chamomile, it
would be full of salicylates. As a chemical by-product, it has no
salicylates. It is often used in lipsticks.

10. Can I drink tea while taking guaifenesin?

You absolutely should not drink any tea that is labeled
"Supplemental Facts" anywhere on the box. These are herbal
medications and will block your guaifenesin. Teas are plants and
plants make salicylates, thus you should be very careful about
ingesting tea in any quantity. Also, of course, no mint tea.
top
 11. How do I check my medications for salicylates?
Checking your medications is really very easy. If the medication is
a salicylate, it will say so in the chemical name. All you need to
know then, is the chemical name of your medication. For instance,
Zelnorm is a product name. The chemical name is tegaserod
maleate. That doesn't include salicylate, so it's okay. Urised (the
product name)is a blocker because the chemical name, phenol
salicylate reflects this. Tylenol with Codeine is Acetaminophen with
Codeine and neither of those is salicylate. The aspirin and codeine
compound is acetylsalicylic acid and codeine. Migraine medications
such as Imitrex (sumatriptan) are fine, but ones that contain aspirin
(acetylsalicylic acid) are blockers. top

12. What is the quick salicylate screening test?

Read your product ingredients list and do this:
#1-- look for any plant name (aloe, chamomile, coconut, etc.) and
see if it is followed by the word oil, gel or extract. If you do not see
any plant names skip to step 3. If you see any plant oil, gel or
extract go to step 2.
#2 If there is a plant oil, gel or extract, and the plant is NOT soy,
wheat, corn or oats you cannot use the product. If it IS soy, wheat,
corn, or oats (soybean oil, oat extract) go on to the next step.
#3. Check the product for salicylate or salicylic acid. If you see
one of these you can't use the product.
#4. Check for camphor, menthol or chemicals beginning with
CAMPH or MENT --you cannot use it if you see these.
#5 Look for barks: Balsalm, pycnogenol, bisabol--you cannot use
these
#6 If it is a sunscreen look for octisalate, homosalate,
meradimate, mexoryl. You cannot use it if you see one of these.
#4. If the product has mint flavor, or any flavor that contains
mint, you can't use it.
#5. If the product is a supplement of any kind and contains
bioflavinoids, (hesperiden, quercetin or rutin) you can't use it. top

13. Are plants in vitamins, like acacia, ok to ingest?

If it is in the INACTIVE ingredients list, it is ok. If it is in the ACTIVE
ingredients list it is medicinal strength and is not ok. Here's an easy
way to check: an active ingredient has a strength after it, for
example, milligrams. Alfalfa 125 mg. is a blocker, because it has a
concentration above and beyond what you could get from eating
this as a food. Acacia, corn starch, gelatin are "other" ingredients
and don't have a concentration after them. These are not blockers.
top

14. Are lutein and lycopene salicylate free?

Yes, they are salicylate free. They are two relatively new
ingredients added to vitamin supplements. Both are chemicals
derived from plants: Lutein from marigolds and lycopene from
tomatoes. Because they are single chemicals derived from plants
and chemically purified they will not block guaifenesin. top

15. Are menthol, menthyl, mentha and methyl salicylate

free?
Here's the way to remember it. If you see an N in it -- it's a
salicylate. These words are all from the latin word for MINT.
MENTHOL--is an alcohol from mint oil. It's a blocker.
MENTHYL- is compound radical that is the base of menthol. So
Menthyl anything is a salicylate. It signifies a compound made from
menthol.
MENTHA - is the prefix meaning Mint. (Latin, like most plant
names) So Mentha Arvensis, Mentha Piperita, Mentha Viridis are just
species of mint plants. They are salicylates.
METHYL (no N in this word) is not made from menthol, menta, or
any of those. Methyl signifies a chemical derived from METHANE (by
the removal of one hydrogen atom). So these chemicals are NOT
salicylates, except for one - methyl salicylate - because you see the
word "salicylate." Methyl salicylate is oil of wintergreen, or a mint
oil.
MEN--watch out for salicylates.
MET--not a salicylate (unless salicylate is added) top

16. What does "CROWS" mean?

CROWS is an easy way to remember these salicylate-free plant
ingredients: Corn, Rice, Rye, Oats, Wheat, Soy. These are seeds or
grains that do not contain salicylates. You need to avoid all oils, gels
and extracts with a plant name EXCEPT if the name is Corn, Rice,
Rye, Oats, Wheat, or Soy.
Not all parts of all plants produce salicylates. These grains do not.
But you still have to avoid the plants they grow on: wheat grass, for
example IS a blocker, but wheat germ oil isn't. Thus if an oil comes
from the grain and ONLY the grain of corn, rice, rye, wheat, oats, or
soy it is OK.
Salicylates

Many people believe that plant foods are both necessary and
beneficial for human health. However, not only are fruits and
vegetable not necessary for human health, they can actually be
quite detrimental for some people.

According to Wikipedia… “Salicylates are derivatives of salicylic acid

that occur naturally in plants and serve as a natural immune
hormone and preservative, protecting the plants against diseases,
insects, fungi, and harmful bacteria. Salicylates can also be found in
many medications perfumes, and preservatives. Both natural and
synthetic salicylates can cause health problems in anyone when
consumed in large doses. But for those who are salicylate intolerant,
even small doses of salicylate can cause adverse reactions.”

The most common symptoms of salicylate sensitivity are:

Stomach pain/upset stomach

Tinnitus ringing of the ears
Itchy skin, hives or rashes
Asthma and other breathing difficulties
Angioedema
Headaches/Migraines
Swelling of hands, feet, eyelids, face, and lips
Bed wetting or urgency to pass water
Persistent cough
Changes in skin color/skin discoloration
Fatigue
Sore, itchy, puffy or burning eyes
Sinusitis/Nasal polyps
Diarrhea
Nausea
Hyperactivity
Memory loss and poor concentration
Depression
Pseudoanaphylaxis

With a few exceptions, salicylates are present – to one degree or

another – in virtually all plant foods. The only way to avoid them in
your diet is to avoid the foods that contain them. Here is a list of
salicylate content in fruits, vegetables, and spices: Salicylate Food
Chart. As you can see from this list, most of these common foods
and herbs have medium to high levels of salicylates. Meat, however,
is relatively free of salicylates – as long as it has not been subjected
to preservatives or seasonings.

Since food is one of the most significant ways we can expose

ourselves to salicylates, removing salicylate-containing foods from
the diet is one of the easiest ways to reduce our exposure. As
radical as this may seem, removing all plant foods from the diet is
the simplest approach, especially if you have a limited capacity to
process carbohydrates as well. After thoroughly researching this
subject, Dr. Georgia Ede – who is herself salicylate intolerant – came
to the conclusion that human health does not require the
consumption of plant foods. Read her blog post on vegetables and
watch the presentation below that she gave at the 2012 Ancestral
Health Symposium regarding this subject for more information.

Other blog posts by Dr. Ede’s that discuss the downside to plant
foods are: 1) Grains, Beans, Nuts, and Seeds, 2) Fruits, 3) Fiber, 4)
Carbohydrates 5) Fruits, Vegetables, and Cancer, 6) Whole Grains
and Health, 7) Fiber and Colon Health 8) Is Broccoli Good for You?

Nora Gedgaudasalso discusses this issue in her excellent book

Primal Body, Primal Mind. She writes,

“Studies of ancient human coprolites, or fossilized human feces,

dating anywhere from 300,000 to as recent as 50,000 years ago,
have revealed essentially a complete lack of any plant material in
the diets of the subjects studied (Bryant and Williams-Dean 1975).
In other words, it is likely we subsisted for a very significant portion
of our evolution largely on the meat and fat of animals we hunted.
Fat was the prime commodity for its concentrated nutrient and
energy value… Fat, too, is our most efficient, dense, and prolonged-
burning fuel. It is essential for an important multitude of bodily
processes, not the least of which is the functioning of the human
brain.”

Gedgaudas further delineates,

“Another important limitation stems from the fact that we as a

species have only relatively recently developed a universally
controlled use of fire. By most accounts, this did not occur before
fifty thousand to one hundred thousand years ago…[and the] oldest-
known pottery [necessary for certain cooking methods] dates only
as far back as 6800 BCE, incidentally. What makes the use of
cooking especially significant is the toxicity of most plant species.
Wild plants contain any number of toxic compounds that would have
made their use as food in any significant quantity perilous. Cooking
is the only means by which many of these ‘antinutrients’ can be
neutralized. Modern produce has been genetically modified to
reduce the presence of harmful compounds to a significant extent.
Most wild plants, on the other hand, require extremely careful
selection and preparation. Most starchy roots, tubers, and legumes
would have been prohibitively dangerous to consume without
extensive cooking. Furthermore, the energy expended in the
procurement of the remaining types of plant foods easily exceeds
their potential caloric value, to say little of their meager, inferior
available protein content, which is so critical to our needs. Mass die-
offs of mega-fauna following the last Ice Age ten thousand years ago
and over-hunting by humans may have lead to an increased
dependence on plant foods and ultimately to the development of
agriculture.”

Dr. Larry McCleary, in an interview with Jimmy Moore, said that

salicylates interfere with mitochondrial function inside the cell which
can be a real problem for people with already impaired
mitochondrial function, as is the case with illnesses like ADHD,
Autism, Alzheimer’s. Mitochondrial dysfunction is also known to be
present in people, like myself, with Chronic Fatigue and Immune
Dysfunction Syndrome (CFIDS/CFS). After examining the above list
of foods and their salicylate content, I quickly realized why almost
all food seems to make me feel bad! Since I was a vegetarian, and
then vegan, for so many years, I was never able to understand that
it was something unique to plant foods themselves that was the
problem. I had assumed it was just food in general. It did not occur
to me that I my body might respond differently to meat and other
animal products since I did not even consider them to be a food
option.

Most clinicians and scientists who promote a ketogenic diet

recommend the use of avocados, nuts and seeds, coconut oil, and
olive oil due to their low carbohydrate and high fat profile. But for
someone with salicylate intolerance, like myself or Dr. Ede, this is a
complete disaster. So, even when you are doing everything right
from a ketogenic standpoint, you still feel terrible. This is, of course,
very confusing and frustrating. It was such a relief when I finally
figured out that there was a common thread link all of my bizarre
reactions to food.

Amber Wilcox-O’Hearn whom I have come to know through her blog

Empirica has eaten an all meat diet for 5 years now which she
describes in the following posts: 1) A Carnivorous Diet; 2)
Experiences of a 5-Year Carnivore Part 1 3) Experiences of a 5-Year
Carnivore Part 2. Amber is extremely sensitive to fruits and
vegetables, and she gains weight if she eat any plant foods at all.
Most significantly, however, plant fods – in even the smallest
amounts – have a profoundly negative effect on her moods. She was
diagnosed with Bipolar II and required medication to remain
somewhat stable. She practiced a traditional low carbohydrate
Ketogenic Diet for a number of years, consuming less than 20 grams
of carbohydrate a day, but she still could not lose weight, and she
had difficult time attaining and sustaining a state of nutritional
ketosis.

Eventually, Amber decided to eliminate all plant foods from her diet
to see what would happen. Not only did she lose her excess body
fat, but her mood improved so much that she was able to stop
taking her medication. As long as she refrains from eating all plant
foods, she remains free of any symptoms related to her Bipolar II
condition. In other words, a “zero carb” or “zero plants” diet has put
her Bipolar II disordered brain into complete remission. Is her
recover due to the elimination of carbohydrates or salicylates or
both? Who knows? Does it really matter? She says that she feels so
much better eating just meat that plant foods are no longer even
tempting to her.

Finally, Dr. H. L. Newbold, author of The Type A / Type B Weight Loss

Diet, placed his morbidly obese patients on a very simple meat and
water diet. His theory was that some people living in the modern
environments of today still possess “old genes” and, thus, have a
reduced tolerance for what he called “new foods,” namely grains,
dairy, and most fruits and vegetables. While carbohydrates were
clearly part of the problem for his patients, he also found that many
of them were sensitive to low carbohydrate plant foods, as well as
many chemicals in the environment. Exposure to certain foods and
chemicals would trigger his patients to go on eating sprees of
almost unimaginable proportions. Although Dr. Newbold did not
seem to be aware of salicylates when he wrote his book, I strongly
suspect that – in addition to carbohydrates – they where the
common underlying factor that had such a profoundly negative
effect on his patients.

Based on the information and understanding provided by each of

these leading-edge thinkers, I decided that eliminating all plant
foods, and plant-derived oils, from my diet. It has been one of the
best decisions I have ever made.
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27 thoughts on “Salicylates”

Kelly Hogan on February 22, 2015 at 12:32 PM said:

 Brilliant! I have eaten a zero carb diet for a little more
Than five years and I feel amazing! I’ve lost 125 pounds, regained
my fertility/menstrual cycles, and feel awesom! I even had two carb
pregnancies, resulting in two healthy babies! Here’s a link to my site
that has before and after pics,as well as details of my story:

http://myzerocarblife.jamesdhogan.com/wp/2015/01/my-doctor-
said-lose-100-pounds/

Thank you for your site! I would

Love to link to it from my blog! Thanks!

zippy890 on February 22, 2015 at 6:36 PM said:

Interesting, Esy, and well written.

I wouldn’t forget about oxalates, either. There is no known

nutritional value to oxalates for humans. But they can interfere with
mitochondrial function also. There is a genetic disease related to
inability to detox oxalates, hyperoxaluria, which can kill you.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyperoxaluria

Even some normal people are said to suffer symptoms of

hyperoxaluria if they go on a low oxalate diet. Oxalates can be
stored in the body, to be later mobilized. A damaged gut, excess
vitamin C intake, and disturbed intestinal microflora, can contribute
to oxalate retention in normal people.

Also, there are reports that oxalates are on the rise in all
vegetable foods due to depleted soils and plant stress. Plants form
and uptake more oxalates in poor soils.

This site has great information on oxalates:

http://www.lowoxalate.info/

The Weston A. Price Foundation also has several good articles

about oxalates. I found this one particularly interesting. It’s about
health problems, and subsequent law suit, allegedly caused by
excess soy protein in Illinois prisoners’ diets.

http://www.westonaprice.org/press/experts-denounce-high-soy-
diet-of-illinois-prisoners-2/

Personally, I wouldn’t go near almond milk, or soy milk, due to the

VERY high levels of oxalates. But they are touted as “health foods”.

esmeelafleur on February 22, 2015 at 6:55 PM said:

 Excellent point, Zippy! Thank you for sharing these important
links on oxylates.

kalofarm on April 15, 2015 at 5:11 PM said:

Do things like toothpaste have oxalates?

Like
Reply ?
esmeelafleur on April 15, 2015 at 5:16 PM said:

Good question! I don’t know. I actually have not used

toothpaste for 20 years because I never liked it. I just use warm
water and it works perfectly fine.

zippy890 on April 16, 2015 at 7:32 AM said:

I don’t know about toothpaste and oxalates, either. Probably it is

not a big source of oxalates. Esmee told me about warm water a few
years ago, and I adopted that with good success. I would be careful
of baking soda, however, as an alternative. I think it can accelerate
the wear on enamel, if you use it too often. But I don’t know what
“too often” is.

afloweringsoul on May 1, 2015 at 6:21 PM said:

Kelly Hogan did you mean to say you had two ‘zero’ carb
pregnancies? I have a question about salicylates. Can you react to
certain salicylate containing foods and not others? Many on that list
give me reactions. But I can eat coconut oil all day with no reaction?

esmeelafleur on May 1, 2015 at 8:47 PM said:

Hi, afloweringsoul, Kelly is not sensitive to salicylates, I am

(Esmée). I personally react to coconut oil, but I have a friend who is
also sensitive to salicylates, but he can eat “deodorized” coconut oil
without reaction, so the salicylates must get removed in the
deodorizing process. I have never tried the deodorized myself. You
will need to speak with Kelly regarding your other questions, but my
understanding is that she was Zero Carb throughout both
pregnancies, except for pickles during one of them.

Robyn on September 5, 2015 at 11:03 PM said:

I’m really confused regarding the coconut oil / salicylate

issue. In Anne Swain’s study of salicylates, she found the coconut
meat was relatively low — 0.26 per 100 grams — while almonds
(another nut) were very high — 3.00 per 100 grams.
 And then on another site, a doctor pointed out that there is
no salicylic acid in coconut oil.

Wenchypoo on June 4, 2015 at 10:12 AM said:

I have come to the conclusion that salicylates are what make a

food anti-inflammatory (as aspirin would for arthritics). I’ve also
found that salycilates increase the ringing in my ears (as aspirin
does), and now have found the missing link of info I’ve been
missing…such as coconut oil. Here’s to a more silent world after
cleaning up these last few foods from my diet!

Wenchypoo on June 23, 2015 at 5:53 AM said:

After consulting your food list of salicylates, I find myself in a

quandary: do I try to make my world a quieter place, or do I answer
my food allergies first? Many of the low-salicylate foods on that list
hate me–I’m allergic to them (mainly the dairy items).

Where does one find “deodorized” coconut oil?

esmeelafleur on June 24, 2015 at 11:51 AM said:

I do not eat anything except beef or lamb. Everything else

makes me feel unwell.

Amy Tjernagel on June 12, 2015 at 9:48 PM said:

how do we know if we have an issue with salicylates? is there any

testing a person can seek that would confirm if we react to them or
now?

esmeelafleur on June 14, 2015 at 1:14 AM said:

Not that I am aware of, Amy. But if you eliminate plant foods
and feel better, that would be your best indication.

Phil on June 24, 2015 at 6:43 AM said:

I’m pretty sure I’m sensitive to them too. Coconut oil doesn’t
make me feel too great, nor do various leafy greens. It’s difficult to
get enough fat on keto without coconut oil, whilst also having
histamine intolerance :(

andrea on August 25, 2015 at 11:58 PM said:

Mitochondrial dysfunction is also known to be present in people,

like myself, with Chronic Fatigue and Immune Dysfunction Syndrome
(CFIDS/CFS).

I’ve ebv from 2y and with up and down they don’t leave me, is
there a link? can i have more information on this mitochondrial
dysfunction?

i also suffer histamine intollerance, but the major problem for me

is the conversion of histidine in histamine from my gut flora….. my
stoll smell no good when i eat animal protein… i’m confused and
frustated

esmeelafleur on August 26, 2015 at 10:54 AM said:

Andreas, are you eating an all meat diet, or meat as part of a

mixed diet?

emmy on October 4, 2015 at 9:46 AM said:

Thank you for this blog post. I’ve just recently figured out that
after all of these years (10 plus) it is salicylates that have been
doing so much damage to my body. So glad to know that I am not
alone. I feel amazing with zero salicylates. Better than I ever
thought that I could feel!!