Sweetgreen Nori Sesame Seasoning

Sweetgreen's nori sesame seasoning is high in histamine. It is a short ingredient list, and two items on it do the damage: seaweed and yeast extract are both scored high, and either one alone would be enough.

Why sweetgreen nori sesame seasoning is rated high

The blend is sesame seeds, seaweed, sugar, yeast extract, salt and nori. The sesame and sugar and salt are not what earns the rating. Seaweed is where it starts, and it shows up twice here, once as seaweed and once as nori. Yeast extract is the second driver. It is a concentrated yeast product, and it is a fixture near the top of most histamine-intolerance avoid lists. Having both in one sprinkle is what makes this a firm high rather than a borderline call. It is worth knowing this is a finishing seasoning, so it goes on top of a bowl that may otherwise be built from perfectly lower-rated pieces. The sprinkle does not care what is underneath it.

What changes your risk

• Seaweed is the first driver, and it appears twice — the blend lists both seaweed and nori, which are the same concern showing up in two forms rather than one being a milder version of the other.
• Yeast extract is the second driver — it stacks on top of the seaweed rather than balancing it out, which is why this blend is scored high rather than moderate.
• Nothing about it changes at the counter — this is a dry seasoning that arrives already made. It is not a protein food waiting in a warm pan, so the time it spends sitting in its container at the line is not what sets the level. The level was set before it reached the store.
• It goes on last, over the finished bowl — once it is sprinkled and tossed it is mixed through everything, so it cannot be separated from the greens and grains underneath it.
• Sesame, sugar and salt are not drivers — the parts of the blend most people would worry about first are the ones that are actually fine. The concern is the seaweed and the yeast extract.

Lower-histamine alternatives

Sweetgreen is a build-your-own counter, so this is a component you choose rather than something baked into a fixed dish, and there are lower-rated components on the list to build around. For a flavor lift in the same role, Basil, Mint and Cilantro are all rated lower here and do real work as fresh herbs. For the body of the bowl, Chopped Romaine, Organic Arugula, Organic Shredded Kale, Cucumbers, Golden Quinoa, Apples and a Hard Boiled Egg are the lower-rated items on this list. Building from those and leaning on the herbs for flavor gets you a bowl this index can stand behind.

How to lower the risk

The useful move at a counter like this is to decide your toppings before you are standing at the glass, since the finishing seasonings are the easiest thing to get talked into. Pick the lower-rated greens and grains, and let the fresh herbs carry the savory note that this seasoning was going to carry. If you are ordering from an app or a kiosk, the component list is right there to check, which is easier than sorting it out in a lunch queue.

Common questions

Is seaweed high in histamine?

On this index, yes, seaweed is scored high, and it is one of the two reasons this seasoning is rated the way it is. Nori is listed separately in this blend but is the same concern.

Is the sesame the problem here?

No. Sesame seeds are not among the rating drivers for this blend. The name puts sesame first, but the level comes from the seaweed and the yeast extract.

Why is yeast extract such a common problem?

Yeast extract is a concentrated yeast product and it sits high on most histamine-intolerance lists. Here it is the second driver stacking on top of the seaweed.

Does this seasoning make my whole bowl high?

The seasoning itself is rated high, and once it is tossed through a bowl you are eating it along with everything else. The other components keep their own ratings, but you cannot pick the sprinkle back out.