Salicylates are chemicals found in plants and are a major ingredient in aspirin and other pain-relieving medications. They’re also naturally in many fruits and vegetables, as well as in many common health and beauty products.
What Are the Symptoms?
These vary but may include:
- Asthma-like symptoms, such as trouble breathing and wheezing
- Headaches
- Nasal congestion
- Changes in skin color
- Itching, skin rash, or hives
- Swelling of the hands, feet, and face
- Stomach pain
In severe cases, a salicylate allergy can lead to anaphylaxis, which is a life-threatening reaction that is an emergency.
The content of salicylates can vary from one item to another and even among batches of the same item from the same source. Some people are more sensitive to these chemicals than others. People with a low tolerance may have an allergic reaction if they get more than a small amount of salicylate.
What to Avoid
If you’re allergic to salicylates, you’ll need to avoid items that have them.
They're in a variety of foods, medications, and cosmetics, including:
| Foods That Contain Salicylates | Products That May Contain Salicylates | Salicylate-Containing Ingredients |
| Fruits such as apples, avocados, blueberries, dates, kiwi fruit, peaches, raspberries, figs, grapes, plums, strawberries, cherries, grapefruit, and prunes Vegetables such as alfalfa, cauliflower, cucumbers, mushrooms, radishes, broad beans, eggplant, spinach, zucchini, broccoli, and hot peppers Some cheeses Herbs, spices, and condiments such as dry spices and powders, tomato pastes and sauces, vinegar, and soy sauce, jams, and jellies Drinks such as coffee, wine, beer, orange juice, apple cider, regular and herbal tea, rum, and sherry Nuts such as pine nuts, peanuts, pistachios, and almonds Some candies, such as peppermints, licorice, and mint-flavored gum and breath mints Ice cream, gelatin |
Fragrances and perfumes Pepto-Bismol |
Aspirin
Acetylsalicylic acid Artificial food coloring and flavoring Benzoates Hydrobenzoic acid Magnesium salicylate Menthol Mint Salicylic acid Peppermint Phenylethyl salicylate Sodium salicylate Spearmint |