Taco Bell Jalapeno Honey Mustard

Taco Bell's Jalapeno Honey Mustard is high in histamine. As a prepared mustard sauce it rates high in its own right, and soybean oil, vinegar, apple cider vinegar, paprika, and jalapeno all sit at moderate behind it.

Why taco bell jalapeno honey mustard is rated high

Mustard is one of those pungent condiments that lands high on histamine lists, and part of the reason is the liberator idea rather than raw content. A liberator does not need to be full of histamine to set someone off, because it can prompt the body to release what it is already holding, and sharp mustard and chili are commonly named that way. This particular sauce then piles on. Two vinegars are in it, plain vinegar and apple cider vinegar, and vinegar is a product of fermentation, which is why it is usually kept off a low histamine plate. Jalapeno counts as a chili pepper at moderate, paprika sits at moderate, and soybean oil does too. A high base with that many moderates behind it is a sauce that sets the level of whatever it is drizzled on.

What changes your risk

• The mustard base sets the level — as a prepared jalapeno honey mustard, the sauce itself is what rates high. Nothing else in it has to be high for the rating to land there.
• Two kinds of vinegar are in it — vinegar and apple cider vinegar both sit at moderate, so they build on the mustard rather than thinning it out.
• Jalapeno and paprika add on — chili pepper and paprika each sit at moderate, which is why the spicy, warm tasting part of this sauce is also part of the rating.
• Soybean oil counts too — it is in the sauce at a moderate level. It is not why this is high, but it is one more moderate note in a small amount of sauce.
• Fresh batch or not, the recipe is fixed — this is a published, fixed recipe sauce, so a newly opened container carries the same rating as one that has been in service. Waiting is not what makes it high.

Lower-histamine alternatives

Being honest here matters more than being helpful: none of Taco Bell's lower histamine items is a sauce, so there is no lower rated swap that does the same job as a creamy, tangy mustard. What the lower list can do is carry flavor and texture some other way. Cilantro & Onion Blend is the sharp, fresh option and gives an item some lift. Lettuce brings crunch and moisture. Nacho Chips and Fiesta Tortilla Strips cover the crunchy side, and White Corn Shell is the lower shell choice.

How to lower the risk

Sauce is the last thing that goes on, which makes this the easiest kind of item to keep off an order: ask for it left out of anything it normally comes drizzled on, or on the side so it never touches the rest. Build the interest back with Cilantro & Onion Blend and Lettuce, and take texture from Nacho Chips, Fiesta Tortilla Strips, or a White Corn Shell. One more thing worth flagging while you are reading labels: egg yolk is in this sauce as published, so it matters if you are avoiding egg for reasons that have nothing to do with histamine.

Common questions

Is mustard high in histamine?

Prepared mustard sauces are generally treated as high on low histamine lists, and this jalapeno honey mustard is rated high here. The mustard base is the driver, not the honey.

Is the honey the problem?

No. Honey is in this sauce but it is not one of the reasons for the rating. The mustard base sets the level, with the two vinegars, paprika, jalapeno, and soybean oil sitting at moderate behind it.

Does this sauce contain egg?

Yes, egg yolk is in the published ingredients along with soybean oil, vinegar, water, mustard seed, salt, turmeric, paprika, sugar, jalapeno, honey, and apple cider vinegar.

Is it high in histamine or is it a liberator?

Both ideas are in play. It is rated high as a sauce, and pungent mustard and chili are the kind of thing that can also prompt your body to release histamine it is already storing, which is why a reaction can feel bigger than the small amount of sauce suggests.