Basically foods that are aged, preserved, dried, fermented, pickled, cured (meats), rancid, old, outdated, overripe, or even slightly spoiled.
The following foods are recommended to be avoided with MAOIs:
- Meat that is not fresh, especially unfresh liver (fresh meat and fresh liver are safe)
- Smoked, fermented, pickled (herring) and otherwise aged or dried fish, lox; any fish that is not fresh
- Sausage, bologna, pepperoni, salami, corned beef
- Aged cheeses (cottage cheese and cream cheese are safe)
- Protein extracts
- Liquid and powdered protein dietary supplements
- Brewer’s yeast, yeast vitamin supplements, or yeast extracts
- Fermented tofu, fermented bean curd, fermented soybean paste, soy sauce
- Canned soups, or soups made with protein extracts or bouillon
- Miso soup (contains fermented bean curd)
- Shrimp paste
- Sauerkraut
- Fruits that are bruised or even slightly overripe, especially bananas and apples; raisins and other dried fruits, fig newtons, etc (banana peels also should be avoided — as though you’d eat them anyway)
- Avocados, if ripe or overripe (slightly underripe avocados are fine in moderation). Guacamole should be avoided.
- Red wine, especially Chianti; sherry, vermouth, champagne, brandy; beers and ales, including nonalcoholic; whiskey and liqueurs such as Drambuie and Chartreuse
- Dairy products that are close to the expiration date or that have been unrefrigerated (fresh yogurt is safe)
- Aspartame (Nutrasweet)
- Fava beans, especially if overripe
- Peanuts – in large quantities
- Raspberries – in large quantities
- Spinach, New Zealand prickly or hot weather – in large quantities
- Chocolate – in large quantities
- Caffeine in large quantities (note: in a few rare individuals, there may be a severe interaction with even small amounts of caffeine)
How long do they need to be avoided?
24 hours before and after drinking Ayahuasca should be sufficient.