If you suffer from histamine toxicity, incorporating low-histamine foods into your diet is essential. Consult this food list for which foods to eat and which to avoid.
Histamine, a chemical known as a biogenic amine, is found in a variety of foods. For many people, histamine is not harmful to eat. Their bodies’ amino acids break it down easily, so they don’t need to focus on low-histamine food. However, some people’s bodies do not produce the amino acids necessary to combat the harmful effects of excess histamine. Too much histamine can be toxic and cause allergy-like reactions.
Why Eat Low-Histamine Food?
You are at higher risk of histamine toxicity if you suffer from low anime oxidase activity. Some foods contain much higher levels of histamine compared to others.
There are a number of over-the-counter drugs to reduce the risk of histamine toxicity. However, easier, more natural solutions exist to help you avoid histamine toxicity in the first place. Following a low-histamine diet can significantly ease intolerance symptoms and reduce your risk of experiencing histamine toxicity.
Follow this guide for low-histamine foods to learn which foods to include in your diet and which to avoid.
Low-Histamine Food: Fruit & Vegetables
Low-histamine fruit:
- Berries (blueberries, cranberries, blackberries, currants, grapes, gooseberries)
- Apples
- Lychees
- Melons (cantaloupe, watermelon, muskmelon)
- Pomegranate
- Persimmon
- Stone fruits (cherries, peaches, plums, plums, mangoes, apricots, dates)
Low-histamine vegetables:
- Root vegetables (carrot, parsnip, radishes, beetroot, sweet potato, onion, fennel, celeriac)
- Lettuce
- Cabbages (broccoli, kale, cauliflower, red cabbage)
- Asparagus
- Cucumber
- Zucchini
- Squash
- Leek
- Chard
Low-Histamine Food: Nuts, Seeds, Oils & Cereals
Low-histamine nuts and seeds:
- Hazelnuts
- Almonds
- Macadamia
- Brazil nuts
- Coconuts
- Pistachios
- Chestnuts
- Sesame
- Pumpkin seeds
- Linseed
Low-histamine oils:
- Olive oil
- Canola oil
- Coconut oil
Low-histamine grains:
- Quinoa
- Oats
- Wheat
- Barley
- Spelt
- Corn
- Rice
- Millet Pasta
Low-Histamine Food: Animal Products
Low-histamine fish:
- Freshly caught fish or seafood
- Frozen fresh fish, thawed quickly and cooked immediately
Low-histamine meats:
- Fresh meat from the butcher (or check the date on the package)
- Unmarinaded meat
- Frozen meat, thawed quickly and cooked immediately
Low-Histamine Food: Dairy Products
- Fresh milk (i.e., raw milk)
- Pasteurized milk and UHT milk
- Cottage cheese
- Quark
- Butter
- Creme fraiche
- Cream cheese
- Unripened cheese (mozzarella, gouda or young butter cheese)
- Cream
- Fresh eggs
Low-Histamine Herbs and Spices
- Salt (sparingly)
- Fresh garlic
- Ginger (sparingly)
- Turmeric
- Kitchen herbs
- Mild spices
Low-Histamine Drinks
- Still water
- Oat milk or almond milk
- Fruit juices from low-histamine fruits
- Herbal teas
What Food Should You Avoid?
Foods and drinks with particularly high levels of histamine should be avoided when possible.
High-histamine foods:
- Spinach
- Eggplant
- Tomatoes
- Avocados
- Fermented foods (kimchi, sauerkraut, miso, tempeh, soy sauce)
- Pickled vegetables
- Fermented grains (sourdough)
- Fish that is not freshly caught
- Shellfish
- Canned or salted fish (tuna, sardines)
- Processed or smoked meats
- Fermented or aged dairy products (yogurt, sour cream, buttermilk)
- Sour cream
- Alcohol (especially red wine)
- Fermented drinks (kombucha, kefir)
- Vinegar
- Tomato ketchup
Read more:
- Intuitive Eating: The 10 Principles and How to Try It
- Balanced Meal Tips: 10 Rules for a Healthy Diet
- Nutrition Secrets: Foods That Are Good for Skin, Hair and Nails
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