---
title: "MAO-I Diet"
url: https://mghmclean.org/residents/handbk/part2c/mao.htm
description: "· Patients on MAO-I should be advised to wear a Med-Alert bracelet and given diet information."
published: 2026-08-10
updated: 2026-08-10
---

# MAO-I Diet

Published 2026-08-10

PART 3 / CH 53

Paul Hammerness and Amy Gagliardi

| Category | Avoid | Eat with caution |
|---|---|---|
| Cheese | **aged cheese**camembertroquefortbrie, blue | cottage, cream, ricotta, processed |
| Meat/Fish | **aged/cured meat**pickled fishmeat extractsprotein supplementsshrimp paste | fresh meatsfresh liverfresh herring |
| Fruit/Vegetables | tofubroad bean podssoybean paste | raspberriesbananas |
| Alcohol | alcohol-free beer, tap beer | wine |
| Other | sauerkrautsoy sauceyeast extractmiso soup | MSGpizza (fresh cheese, no pepperoni!) |
| Medications | meperidineSSRI’sadrenergic agents | codeine, MSO4, fentanyl |

· Beware any non-fresh food (even refrigerated)!

· Eating a food once does not guarantee future safety

· Patients on MAO-I should be advised to wear a Med-Alert bracelet and given diet information.

*source*: Gelenberg AJ (1998) Biological Therapies in Psychiatry 21:2.