Around one percent of people are estimated to suffer from a condition known as histamine intolerance, or HIT. This condition can lead to a variety of negative symptoms and make life very difficult for sufferers! If you experience HIT, you may have been recommended by a friend, family member, or dietician to try a low histamine diet or an antihistamine diet.
So what exactly is an antihistamine diet, and how can it help reduce the symptoms of histamine intolerance? In this guide, we will explore in detail which foods to eat and which ones to avoid as part of a low histamine diet plan.
What is Histamine Intolerance?
Histamine is a naturally-occurring and necessary chemical compound produced by the cells to alert your body’s defense mechanisms to potential allergens. Histamine is highly versatile, and its effects vary widely depending on where in the body the chemical is released.
When your immune system releases histamine from mast cells or basophils as a response to potential bacteria, the histamine can trigger symptoms such as intestinal muscular contraction, which can result in painful abdominal cramps and diarrhea. Histamine can also cause the blood vessels to expand, resulting in low blood pressure and symptoms such as dizziness or fatigue. Another common physiological effect is a build-up of mucus in the nasal passages.
When histamine is released from stomach cells, it causes enhanced stomach acid secretion, which can lead to stomach cramps, bloating, nausea, and even vomiting.
Histamine can also be produced by neurons in the brain. Histamine has a role in regulating the body’s natural sleep cycle, and is produced in the brain’s hypothalamus region to increase wakefulness. However, too much histamine produced by the brain can lead to restlessness and insomnia.
Other Symptoms of Histamine Intolerance
Other symptoms caused by HIT include, but are not limited to:
- Headaches
- Migraines
- Fatigue
- Nasal Congestion
- Sinus Problems
- Indigestion
- Hives
- Skin Rashes
- Irregular Menstrual Cycle
These effects can be extremely unpleasant and lead you to wonder why histamine is even released at all!
When the body has normal histamine production levels, these effects are useful in fighting potentially harmful bacteria and invaders. However, individuals with histamine intolerance often find that histamine is triggered as an unnecessary response to relatively harmless substances such as pollen or dust. This means that these nasty symptoms are happening for no reason!
In addition to this, individuals with HIT can also experience a slowed reabsorption of histamine into the cells. After the perceived threat to the body has gone, histamine levels are supposed to decrease as the chemical is reabsorbed. However, this process is slowed for some people, resulting in excess histamine and longer-lasting allergy symptoms.
Histamine and Food
As well as histamine being produced by the body itself, certain foods can increase histamine levels. Specific proteins that are found in many foods can create histamine from the natural amino acid histidine. Foods or beverages that have undergone some form of fermentation process and include yeast are usually more likely to increase histamine levels.
What Causes Histamine Intolerance
The wide variety of symptoms that histamine intolerance causes make it challenging to identify HIT causes in any particular individual.
As well as foods and drinks that contain histamine, HIT can also be caused by various medications. For example, people who are hypersensitive to over-the-counter medications such as aspirin and ibuprofen may experience HIT after taking them. Various prescription medications can also inhibit histamine reabsorption, such as antibiotics, antidepressants, antipsychotics, heart medications, muscle relaxants, painkillers, and malaria drugs (if in doubt, check the label of any medication, or consult your physician).
These medications can interfere with two of the body’s enzymes: diamine oxidase (DAO) and histamine N-methyltransferase (HNMT). DAO and HNMT work to break down histamine that has been ingested in food or beverages so that it does not enter the bloodstream. When DAO and HNMT are prevented from working effectively, histamine can leak through the intestines’ lining into the bloodstream, causing allergy symptoms to flare up.
As well as many foods and drinks containing histamine, many of them also block the release of DAO and HNMT! What we consume has a significant effect on the production and the reabsorption of histamine. Other factors that can affect our predisposition to HIT include alcohol consumption, injury or trauma, liver or intestinal conditions, vitamin deficiencies, extremes of temperature, and chronic stress.
Histamine Intolerance Diagnosis
If you suspect you have histamine intolerance, it’s advisable to seek advice from a healthcare professional. A diagnosis of HIT will help you to understand the condition in detail, and your doctor will be able to recommend the best course of action. A dietician can help you develop a low histamine diet plan to combat your symptoms and allow you to live your life to the full!
What is the Antihistamine Diet?
A low histamine diet is exactly what it sounds like—a diet designed to keep your histamine levels as low as possible! This means avoiding foods and drinks that are high in histamine or that stimulate histamine production as much as possible.
An antihistamine is something that reduces levels of histamine, usually through boosting the release of DAO or HNMT. An antihistamine diet is rich in foods that do this! For the most part, an antihistamine diet and a low histamine diet are followed in conjunction with each other, and the terms are more or less interchangeable.
You may have also heard about anti-inflammatory diets. An anti-inflammatory diet avoids ingredients that can trigger inflammation, such as processed or sugary foods. An anti-inflammatory diet is typically centred around fresh fruit and vegetables, as they are useful sources of antioxidants.
While an anti-inflammatory diet is not exactly the same thing as a low histamine diet, they do share some similarities and are often used alongside each other. A low histamine anti-inflammatory diet can have a considerable number of health benefits!
Foods to Steer Clear of When Following a Low Histamine Diet
So, what foods are best avoided if you are looking to reduce your histamine levels?
Many foods contain high levels of histamine, including:
1. Fermented Dairy Products
The fermentation process boosts the population of bacteria and microorganisms in foods that produce histamine. Fermented dairy products like cheese, yogurt, kefir, and sour cream can increase your histamine levels. The longer fermentation has taken place, the worse this effect can be, so foods like aged cheeses are especially best avoided.
2. Fermented or cured meats
Cured, processed, and fermented meats tend to have elevated levels of histamine. Steer clear of meats like smoked ham, bacon, salami, chorizo, prosciutto, etc.!
3. Fermented vegetables
Fermentation can turn otherwise nutritious vegetables into potential hazards for individuals with histamine intolerance. This includes kimchi, sauerkraut, and anything pickled.
4. Fermented soy products
Fermented vegetables, such as kimchi, sauerkraut, and pickles, can become detrimental to those with histamine intolerance, despite being healthy in their natural state.
5. Tomatoes, spinach, aubergine, peas, mushrooms, green beans, avocado and dried fruit
While many vegetables are typically nutritious, the fermentation process can render them problematic for individuals with histamine intolerance. This includes foods like kimchi, sauerkraut, and various pickled items.
6. Sourdough bread
Sourdough bread, made from fermented grains, contains significantly higher levels of histamine compared to other bread varieties.
7. Chocolate and Cocoa
The seeds used to produce chocolate, known as cocoa beans, undergo a fermentation process.
8. Artificial flavourings
Artificial flavourings are usually higher in histamine than natural flavourings.
9. Alcoholic drinks
To maintain a low histamine diet, it’s advisable to eliminate alcoholic drinks, including wine, beer, and spirits.
Other foods and ingredients may not be high in histamine themselves, but they can stimulate the body to release histamine. These foods are called histamine liberators, and include:
- Citrus fruits
- Pineapples
- Bananas
- Strawberries
- Raspberries
- Nuts
- Legumes
- Egg whites
- Tomatoes
- Seafood
- Allspice
- Aniseed
- Cayenne Pepper
- Cinnamon
- Chilli Powder
- Cloves
- Cumin
- Curry Powder
- Mustard
Various beverages can block DAO production, resulting in higher levels of histamine in the body. DAO blockers include:
- All alcoholic beverages
- Beverages that contain caffeine, including coffee, soft drinks, and energy drinks.
- Black tea
- Mate tea
The impact of certain foods on histamine levels is a topic of debate. For instance, yeast may release histamine in some products but not in others. The understanding of how histamine functions in food is constantly evolving and being refined.
Good Antihistamine Diet Foods
Adopting a low histamine diet doesn’t require you to give up all your favorite meals. Thankfully, there are plenty of delicious and nutritious foods that you can eat without worrying about suffering from HIT symptoms!
Foods low in histamine include:
Poultry meats
Meats like chicken, turkey, duck, and ostrich are all suitable in moderation for a low histamine diet.
Fresh beef or lamb
While meats like pork and venison are high in histamine, some red meats are much lower. When fresh (not minced!), beef and lamb are OK to eat if you have HIT!
Gluten-free grains
Rice, flaxseed, corn, and other gluten-free grains can be enjoyed as a staple of your low histamine diet so that you get the carbs you need.
Sweet potatoes, carrots, courgettes, celery, cucumber, shallots, marrows, onions, cabbage, and sweetcorn
These vegetables (provided they are fresh rather than fermented or pickled) are the best to include plenty of in your low histamine diet.
Apples, pears, peaches, melon (except watermelon), guava, blueberries, and grapes
While many fruits are best avoided if you have HIT, these fruits are the lowest in histamine and the most compatible with a low histamine diet.
Basil, coriander, mint, oregano, parsley, rosemary, sage, thyme, and turmeric
These herbs that are low in histamine can enhance the flavor of your dishes while remaining safe for those with histamine intolerance.
Substances such as Vitamin C and quercetin help diminish the release of histamine from mast cells, making foods that are high in these compounds effective at reducing histamine levels. A diet rich in these antihistamine foods may consist of:
Apples: Apples are not only low in histamine but are also a good source of quercetin, an effective natural antihistamine, especially concentrated in the skin!
Grapes: Unlike other berries, grapes are both effective antihistamines (due to their Vitamin C and quercetin) and also low in histamine levels in the first place.
Onions: Onions are a great choice for a low histamine diet due to their abundant quercetin content.
Garlic, ginger, turmeric, and peppermint: If you are looking to add an extra antihistamine kick that also adds some flavour to your dishes, any of these herbs are a good choice.
Bell peppers: Red, orange, yellow, or green bell peppers contain both Vitamin C and quercetin.
Broccoli and cauliflower: Broccoli and cauliflower are excellent sources of both Vitamin C and quercetin. Pea sprouts: Pea sprouts are a particularly useful antihistamine as they contain high levels of DAO!
Tips for Maintaining a Low Histamine Diet
Keeping to any diet can be challenging. It is easy to lose motivation or accidentally consume ingredients you were trying to avoid or restrict!
One helpful strategy for maintaining any diet, including a low histamine one, is to maintain a food journal. Writing down your meals serves as a constant reminder of your commitment to your dietary changes and helps you monitor your progress while pinpointing any challenges you may face. Consider creating a table with one column for the foods you consume and another for noting any symptoms or improvements you experience. This approach can assist you in determining which foods benefit you and which ones you might want to steer clear of.
Maintaining a food journal can be a great method to identify the best low histamine diet that suits your individual needs.
An Example Day of an Antihistamine Diet
Following a low histamine diet may mean avoiding certain ingredients, but you can still enjoy a balanced and varied diet full of delicious foods!
Breakfast
For breakfast, you can’t go wrong with a bowl of blueberry oatmeal.
Lunch
Gluten-free bread is a lunchtime staple if you love sandwiches. For sandwich fillings, avoid cheese if possible, but if you can’t resist it, then opting for mozzarella, ricotta, or other less ripened cheeses will minimize histamine. Additional options for fillings consist of lean meats such as chicken or turkey. Salad is also a great lunchtime option, but avoid avocados, tomatoes, or spinach! If sandwiches aren’t your thing, a (gluten-free) pasta salad can be a tasty treat. Or perhaps a nice warming soup
Dinner
There are plenty of low histamine options for dinner. Many classic dishes can simply be tweaked and adapted a little—for example, mac and cheese becomes gluten-free macaroni and mozzarella, and you can make homemade pizzas with mozzarella, chicken, and a gluten-free base. Potatoes broccoli, cauliflower, and most squashes are low in histamine, so stews or casseroles with these ingredients are on the table! If you want to include meats, beef or fresh fish are ideal for use in low histamine dishes. Maybe try a low histamine quinoa pizza.
Snacks
For snacks, you can’t go wrong with popcorn (homemade) or vegetable chips (made fresh not processed!). If you’re craving something sweet at the end of the day, low histamine desserts include apple pudding, peach sorbet, and some types of cheesecake.
Conclusion
Working out what foods to eat and what foods to avoid as part of a low histamine diet can be complicated. Alter the statement to convey the same idea without direct copying: If you are unsure about any aspect of your diet, it is best to consult a doctor or dietician.
