Eating with a Sulfite Sensitivity

There is a lot of information provided by doctors and online sources about what NOT to eat to avoid sulfites. While this can be a good start, this information doesn’t contain what foods you CAN eat. A lack of “safe” food lists may be challenging to find because many people with sulfite sensitivities have different experiences. It may also be due to the confusing nature of sulfite sensitivity and the lack of research about sulfites in food. Whatever the reason, it is important to be aware of where sulfites can be found in foods and also which foods are best to eat when trying to avoid sulfites.

After my diagnosis, my first question was what foods can I not eat? A few weeks passed and my “not safe” list of foods was growing rapidly. My question now became what in the world can I eat? I was following guidelines from an allergist and a dietitian and avoiding all the food and ingredients on the list that was given to me. The problem was that I was still actively reacting to everything I was eating. No food felt safe and it seemed as though no one had answers.

This caused a lot of anxiety about food and it was very discouraging and upsetting to feel like there was nothing I could eat. I was REALLY hungry and my reactions made simple things like going to work and doing homework frustrating and nearly impossible. At the time, a list of foods from someone who has this allergy would’ve helped me navigate things better. In hopes that it can benefit others, here is a list of foods, products, and brands I consume in my everyday life.

List of sulfite free foods that work for me:

Fruits and Vegetables

I’ve found I can eat most organic fruits and vegetables that I enjoy. It’s good to always be cautious with fruits and veggies that are not organic, but here are a few of the options I have daily:

Meat

• Chicken breast
• Ground chicken and ground turkey
• Whole turkey and whole chicken – made at home.
• Ground beef
• Steak
• Chicken sausage

It’s worth noting that some packaged meats (more commonly chicken) contain a white pad at the bottom of the container. This pad can contain vinegar that some people may be more sensitive to than others. In my experience, I avoided the white pads in the bottom of chicken packages when I first began eating sulfite free. As I’ve become less sensitive and much healthier, the vinegar pads don’t cause much of a reaction. The best options will often be using a local butcher or finding organic/grass fed meats that are packaged without any additional preservation methods.

Dairy

• Whole milk
• Sour cream
• Whole greek yogurt (plain, no flavors)
• Almond milk without added gums/flavors/etc.
• Butter – unsalted/salted

Some cheeses (commonly cream cheese) can have sulfites in enzymes, gums and other ingredients that may cause reactions. Fermented cheeses may also cause reactions in people who are sensitive to sulfites.

Grains

• Brown Rice
• Arborio Rice
• Gluten-free whole grain oats
• Couscous
• Pasta (Including rice pasta and other gluten free pastas)
• Quinoa
• Store bought breads with very specific ingredients

Condiments

• Organic / natural sunbutter
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Almond butter
• Maple syrup
• Raw honey
• Ghee butter
• Avocado oil

Frozen

• Frozen fruits
• Gluten free waffles
• Frozen veggies
• Stonyfield organic vanilla frozen yogurt
• Vanilla ice cream with organic ingredients and no gums/extra ingredients.

Baking Necessities

• Unbleached and organic all purpose flour
• Cane sugar
• Unsweetened cacao powder
• Vanilla
• Yeast
• Chocolate chips
• Coconut sugar
• Almond flour
• Oat flour

Spices

The brand of spices can play a major role in how they are processed and what the ingredients contain. My favorite options are Simple Organic, Whole Foods Organic, and other small grocers with organic options.

• Sea salt
• Black pepper
• Onion powder
• Garlic powder
• Chili powder
• Chipotle
• Poultry seasoning
• Sesame seeds
• Cinnamon

Snacks

• Tortilla chips
• Rice cakes
• Potato chips
• Pistachio nuts
• Almonds
• Popcorn
• Natural protein bars

While I try to eat almost all organic products, I do eat non-organic options for convenience, cost, and sometimes because it’s just easier. Eating should be an enjoyable experience and as stress free as possible!

Breads/Tortillas/Dough: I make a lot of my own bread using a bread machine or a dutch oven. Here are a few recipes I use often:

• Simple soft and crispy artisan bread
• Bread machine jalapeno bread
• 5 Ingredient homemade tortillas

Drinks

• Water
• Black Coffee
• Loose leaf teas
• Seltzer, no flavor & some brands with flavor (below)
• Vodka
• Tequila, clear

Brand Recommendations:

Below is a list of brands I love and enjoy eating almost daily. Many of these items can be found on my Amazon storefront for purchase! Check out what you can order with ease on my page linked here today.

• Late July
• Lundberg
• Sunbutter
• Wonderful
• Go Macro bars
  • You can use my discount code: thenaturaleater to save 25% off your first order on their website.
• Hu Chocolate
• Justin’s chocolate cups
• Verb energy bars
• Rice Select
• King Arthur
• Bob’s Red Mill Products
  • Ground flaxseed, rolled oats, coconut flour, etc.
• Simply Organic spices
• Pop & Bottle coffees
• Absolut vodka
• Kettle One vodka
• Casamigos tequila
• Lakewood organic juices (not from concentrate)
• Starbucks cold brew concentrate

Final Thoughts

This is a basic list of foods without or with limited amounts of sulfites and brands I know I can eat on a consistent basis. Some brands will ensure that they are sulfite-free on their websites or packaging, but often this isn’t a 100% guarantee. Most brands I trust through personal trial and error along with research about the ingredients.

It can be difficult to trust brands and their ingredients which makes eliminating sulfites really challenging. In the early stages of eating sulfite free, I emailed well-known brands like Lays, Somersault, Hint water, White Claw, Anheuser-busch, and many others about sulfites in their foods and drinks. All responded stating that their products do not contain sulfites, but myself along with many others have reactions to the non-organic ingredients or added preservatives.

If you’re just starting to eliminate sulfites, try to be patient! Write down all the foods you eat and track your reactions. Begin to create your own list of foods safe for you. If you feel sick after eating, that food more likely than not has sulfites. Creating this list was trial and error and to this day, I sometimes question certain brands. Most of all, it takes time!

I’m always open for suggestions and love to discuss what brands might be out there that you enjoy as well. Please reach out anytime through my contact me page or on instagram (@thenaturaleater) if you have any questions about any ingredients on these lists.