Are Sweetgreen Pickled Onions High in Histamine?

Sweetgreen Pickled Onions

High histamine

These onions are pickled in white wine vinegar, which makes them high in histamine.

Food here is usually assembled to order from components that were prepped earlier in the day, so it tends to be fresher than a drive-through and less fresh than cooking at home. Histamine builds up as protein foods sit, so how long the chicken or beef has been in the warmer matters as much as what is in the bowl. Treat the rating above as a starting point.

DAO Blocker

Red onion on its own is mild, but the pickling brine is the issue.

White wine vinegar drives it — the vinegar can block DAO, the enzyme that clears histamine, which is what makes these onions high.
Just a topping — it is only red onion, salt, maple syrup, and the vinegar brine, so the vinegar is really the whole story here.

For a lower-histamine allium, fresh raw red onion added at the counter is a better bet.

This rating comes from Sweetgreen's own published ingredient statement, read on August 10, 2026. Restaurant recipes vary by location and change over time, so always check the current listing: source. How we rate foods →

Sweetgreen Pickled Onions and Sweetgreen are trademarks of their respective owners. This page is an independent histamine reference and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the brand.