If you search “foods with sulfites” online, you will find that many websites and published research contain similar information. The problem is that online sources do not cover the extent of sulfites in food. Paired with little help from doctors and other medical professionals, many people turn to the internet. Accessing information online can be helpful and it is beneficial for people with a sulfite sensitivity to have lists available that cover foods AND ingredients with sulfites.
Commonly listed foods include wines, dried fruits, baked goods, and pickled foods. Many of the top listed foods online do contain large levels of sulfites, but there are individuals who react to trace amounts. This makes knowing what food and ingredients have a low level of sulfites important too. A lack of understanding of the extent and severity of sulfite reactions seems to be where sulfite sensitivities are misunderstood. I’ve encountered doctors who have told me not to drink wine and I would “be okay.” This advice, while of course true, is not great because I was reacting to white salt, flours, and sugar because they are all bleached with sulfites!
I would have never known bleached foods would contain sulfites without having resources such as Facebook groups and Reddit feeds. Talking to people who have experience with the sensitivity and have lived through trial and error with foods is the best help! Since my goal is to help you better understand sulfite sensitivities, it first helps to know where to find sulfites in food. And if you also suffer from sulfites, I hope it helps clarify foods/ingredients you should avoid.
One list of foods appears on almost every website, so to start, I’ve posted this list below. (This exact list comes from Very Well Health)
Sulfites in Foods:
Greater than 100 ppm of sulfites (very high levels; strict avoidance advised in people with sulfite allergy)
- Dried fruits (excluding dark raisins and prunes)
- Bottled lemon juice (non-frozen)
- Bottled lime juice (non-frozen)
- Wine
- Molasses
- Sauerkraut (and its juice)
- Grape juices (white, white sparkling, pink sparkling, red sparkling)
- Pickled cocktail onions
Between 50 and 99.9 ppm of sulfites (moderate to high levels of sulfite; avoidance advised in people with sulfite allergy)
- Dried potatoes
- Wine vinegar
- Gravies/sauces
- Fruit toppings
- Maraschino cherries
Between 10 and 49.9 ppm of sulfites (low to moderate levels of sulfite, may cause symptoms in people with severe sulfite allergy)
- Pectin
- Fresh shrimp
- Corn syrup
- Pickled peppers
- Pickles/relish
- Cornstarch
- Hominy
- Frozen potatoes
- Maple syrup
- Imported jams and jellies
- Fresh mushrooms
- Imported sausages and meats
- Cordials (alcoholic)
- Dehydrated vegetables
- Various cheeses
- Cornbread/muffin mix
- Canned/jarred clams
- Clam chowder
- Avocado dip/guacamole
- Imported fruit juices and soft drinks
- Ciders and cider vinegar
Less than 10 ppm of sulfites (very low sulfite levels, generally do not pose a risk, even for people with sulfite sensitivity)
- Malt vinegar
- Canned potatoes
- Beer
- Dry soup mix
- Soft drinks
- Frozen pizza and pie dough
- Beet sugar
- Gelatin
- Coconut
- Fresh fruit salad
- Domestic jams and jellies
- Crackers
- Cookies
- Grapes
- High fructose corn syrup
If that list isn’t overwhelming enough, you’ll be shocked to hear that there’s more. A large amount of food that many of us consume on a daily basis is covered by this list, but even more common ingredients are not. Knowing how to identify the ingredients that might have sulfites will be key to helping you get better!
Ingredients that may contain sulfites:
- Natural flavors
- Citric acid
- Vinegar
- Artificial flavors
- Artificial colors
- Caramel colors
- Annatto
- Soybean oil
- Rice syrup
- Glucose
- Dextrose
- Fructose
- Malted syrup
- Malted barley
- Xanthan gun
- Gelatin
- Carageenan
- Guar gum
- Soy lecithin
- Cellulose
- Cottonseed oil
- Canola oil
- Corn oil
- Rapeseed oil
- Enriched flour
- Bleach flour
- Gellan gum
- Locust bean gum
- Sodium phosphate
- Tapioca starch
- Concentrates
These ingredients may contain sulfites from the way they are processed and treated. This poses a major threat to people who are sensitive and allergic to sulfites because it can be misleading. Legally, labels only need to list “contains sulfites” if the food has above 10ppm of sulfites. Many wines have above this level, which is why it is well known that wines have sulfites. People with a sensitivity can react to trace amounts of sulfites, so the hidden sulfites in food need to be easy to recognize!
Doctors provide information about sulfites that tells you to avoid these ingredients: sulfur dioxide, sodium sulfite, sodium bisulfite, sodium metabisulfite, potassium metabisulfite, calcium sulfite, calcium bisulfite, and potassium bisulfite. And YES, these ingredients would be easy to recognize in foods considering most of them contain “sulfites” in them. Post-diagnosis, I’ve seen only a handful of foods that have any of these ingredients listed. This is why it is important that you can recognize any ingredient on a label that may contain sulfites.
The problem with “Organic”
An important thing to note is that organic does not mean sulfite-free. Organic foods CAN contain sulfites. It is just common that many sulfite-free foods happen to be organic. People with sulfite sensitivities buy organic fruits and vegetables. Organic produce is less likely to be sprayed with chemicals and preservatives, meaning there is a better chance it won’t have sulfites. It is not a gaurantee, but it may lower the risk of exposure.
Now What?
The GOOD news is that these ingredients and many of the foods on the list are pretty bad for you anyway. Sulfites are preservatives used to make food last long and natural, organic foods are what is best for our bodies. Research says sulfites are safe to consume for those not sensitive, but due to their use as preservatives, they are more often found in food that isn’t so great for our health.
Keep in mind that there are foods that can have naturally occuring sulfites and while this isn’t a concrete list, this can include leeks, onion, garlic, beers, fermented foods, wines, eggs, and much more. Knowing what works for you is the best approach!
This list of sulfites in food may be scary and daunting if you recently discovered a sulfite sensitivity. Look on the bright side, there is PLENTY of food that you can eat! It is a matter of learning what foods/products are safe and what levels of sulfites you can tolerate. Read here about the foods I eat everyday!
