Histamine is a chemical produced by the body's cells, primarily involved in immune responses and inflammation. It plays a key role in the body's reaction to allergens and injuries by causing blood vessels to dilate, leading to increased blood flow and swelling.
Also, histamine has a role in the secretion of your stomach acid. Histamine acts on the parietal cells in the stomach to increase gastric acid secretion. The issue happens when your body’s digestive enzymes can’t properly break down histamine, which can lead to a buildup. This is known as histamine intolerance, and while it’s relatively rare, it affects about 1% of the global population.
Histamine can be found in several foods, and by eating these foods, people who have a histamine intolerance may face problems like:
- Gastrointestinal problems: Bloating, diarrhoea, and stomach cramps.
- Headaches or migraines: Histamine can trigger or worsen these.
- Skin reactions: Rashes, hives, or itching.
- Nasal congestion or sneezing: Similar to allergic reactions.
- Fatigue: Histamine overload can leave you feeling drained.
This is why it’s best for people with histamine intolerance to cut out or reduce the intake of certain foods.
In this blog, we’ve put together a list of histamine-rich foods to steer clear of, along with foods that can help reduce excess histamine in your body. If you’re struggling with high-histamine symptoms, this blog can be a useful guide!
Table of Contents
- Which Foods Have The Most Histamine — Foods To Avoid
- Why Do Histamine Levels Increase In Our Bodies?
- How To Flush Out Histamine — Antihistamine Foods & Lifestyle Tips
- Dietitian’s Recommendation
- The Final Say
- FAQs
- References
Which Foods Have The Most Histamine — Foods To Avoid
Here are the richest sources of histamine that you may want to steer clear of:
1. Fruits
Certain fruits are naturally high in histamine or can trigger its release in the body. If you have histamine intolerance, it's best to avoid these fruits:
- Banana
- Pineapple
- Papaya
- Citrus fruits (lemons, limes and oranges)
- Strawberry
- Cherries
2. Vegetables
These vegetables have a high histamine content:
- Tomatoes
- Eggplant
- Spinach
3. Sauces & Spices
The following sauces and spices can increase histamine levels:
- Sauerkraut
- Soy sauce
- Vinegar
- Chilli
- Cinnamon
- Cloves
4. Seafood
Frozen, canned and fresh seafood may have high levels of histamine. Pay special attention to:
- Mackerel
- Sardines
- Tuna
- Herring
- Shellfish
5. Nuts & Seeds
The following nuts do not have much histamine but have chemicals similar to histamine, which could also be bad for people with histamine intolerance:
- Almonds
- Chestnuts
- Hazelnuts
- Pistachios
6. Fermented Foods
Histamine levels in fermented foods (such as kimchi and kefir) may vary depending on the techniques of preparation and the duration of the ageing period. Fermented foods with a high histamine content are:
- Sauerkraut
- Kimchi
- Kefir
- Yoghurt
- Miso
- Tempeh
- Soy sauce
- Pickles (especially if they're brined)
- Aged vinegar
7. Alcohol
Beer, wine (especially red wine) and champagne have a high level of histamine due to the fermentation process. For this reason, some cases of alcohol intolerance may actually be caused by histamine intolerance. One of the main symptoms associated with a reaction to alcohol due to histamine is migraines.
8. Cheese
Aged cheeses are especially loaded with histamine due to the fermentation process. Such as:
- Cheddar
- Parmesan
- Swiss
- Gouda
- Brie
- Blue cheese
9. Legumes & Pulses
Legumes and pulses are a wide category of beans, lentils and peas. The following do not have much histamine but have a high level of chemicals similar to histamine:
- Chickpeas
- Lentils
- Beans (like kidney beans, black beans, etc.)
- Soybeans & soy products
Why Do Histamine Levels Increase In Our Bodies?
Factors that can increase histamine levels:
1. Heat
Histamine intolerance symptoms often fluctuate with seasons or when travelling to a different place. In some cases, this may be due to the presence of different allergens. However, for some people, excessive heat can also act as a trigger. When the body temperature rises, it can trigger the activation of mast cells in the skin and muscles, leading to the release of histamine.
2. Strenuous Exercise
For some people, high-intensity physical activity (cardio exercise in particular) can lead to symptoms such as itching and redness or dizziness and physical weakness. Some people have even described the feeling as feeling ‘allergic’ to exercise.
Research has largely attributed this phenomenon to muscle inflammation that occurs during exercise, which can trigger histamine release. Exercise also increases body temperature, which may worsen symptoms.
3. Stress
When we’re under stress, our mast cells receive signals that activate them, and they release histamine. In fact, research has found that stress is the most common trigger of the activation of mast cell cells and mastocytosis. Stress can lead to a histamine release or worsen various inflammatory conditions or symptoms.
4. Medicines
The use of certain drugs can also contribute to elevated histamine levels, often by blocking DAO (an enzyme that breaks down histamine), which interferes with the breakdown of histamine.
Some medications that can increase histamine levels include non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or NSAIDs (ibuprofen), antibiotics (penicillin), antidepressants (SSRIs), PPIs (omeprazole), diuretics (furosemide), blood pressure meds (ACE inhibitors), corticosteroids (prednisone), immune modulators (methotrexate), opioids (morphine), and muscle relaxants (cyclobenzaprine). These can either block histamine breakdown or trigger its release.
5. Menstrual Cycle
If you are someone who menstruates, you may find that your high histamine level symptoms get worse before your period. It has been shown that the female sex hormone estrogen, which naturally increases when you ovulate and just before the period, increases the activation of mast cells and raises the level of histamine.
On the other hand, histamine also increases estrogen production, which could create a vicious cycle where they both keep increasing the other. Additionally, estrogen has been shown to inhibit DAO levels, which further worsens the condition.
6. Intestinal Imbalance
Intestinal conditions can lead to histamine intolerance or contribute to its symptoms in many ways. First, different types of intestinal bacteria either produce histamine or help reduce it.
The intestine is a major part of the immune system, and it contains a high volume of mast cells that are affected by intestinal bacteria that live in them. Intestinal dysbiosis (imbalance between useful and harmful bacteria in the intestinal microbiome) can lead to excessive levels of histamine-producing bacteria.
7. Vitamin or Mineral Deficiencies
Our bodies rely on adequate levels of certain vitamins and minerals to form DAO, so when they’re inadequately present, it may cause high histamine levels in the body. These include vitamin B6, magnesium, vitamin C (which also acts as a natural antihistamine) and zinc.
How To Flush Out Histamine — Antihistamine Foods & Lifestyle Tips
In order to flush out excess histamine from your body, your strategy should include a number of diet and lifestyle interventions. Apart from reducing or eliminating the intake of foods with high histamine or histamine-like content, you should also include those that act as antihistamines and incorporate good lifestyle habits.
1. Low histamine Diet
Histamine level management begins with what you put on your plate. Some meals naturally have a high content of histamine, while others act like antihistamines that can be helpful for managing high histamine levels.
Focus on incorporating low-histamine or antihistamine foods like:
- Fruits: Apples, blueberries, kiwi, pineapple, watermelon, cantaloupe, papaya, peaches
- Vegetables: Cucumbers, leafy greens (spinach, lettuce), carrots, zucchini, broccoli, cauliflower, bell peppers (fresh), sweet potatoes
- Herbs & Spices: Ginger, turmeric, basil, parsley, oregano, garlic, cinnamon, mint
- Nuts & Seeds (in moderation): Flax seeds, chia seeds, pumpkin seeds
- Teas: Peppermint tea, chamomile tea, green tea, rooibos tea
- Other Foods: Raw honey, olive oil, coconut oil, bone broth, eggs (if tolerated), rice, quinoa
2. Lifestyle Factors
Lifestyle adjustments also play a key role in reducing histamine levels.
- Regular, mild exercise helps to promote natural detoxification pathways but be careful not to overdo it, as intense exercise can cause histamine release.
- Stress can also increase histamine production. Therefore, you should work on managing stress levels. Try meditation or yoga, keep a gratitude journal or spend time outside.
- While histamine can affect your sleep and cause insomnia, gaining 7-9 hours of quality sleep every night can also help reduce histamine levels. Practice good sleeping habits by going to bed and waking up every day at the same time, keeping your bedroom quiet, cold and dark and turning off your screens at least an hour before retiring for the night.
Dietitian’s Recommendation
As an expert, I suggest avoiding high-histamine foods and sticking with low-histamine options, and you will probably feel better within a few weeks. Keeping up with healthy eating and consuming only low-histamine foods usually helps the most.
Dt. Lavina Chauhan
The Final Say
Foods with high histamine levels can be really harmful to people with a histamine intolerance. These foods include tomatoes, eggplant, sardines, tuna, soy products, etc. While not all of these foods are naturally high in histamine, they contain chemicals that trigger histamine release in the body.
To control high histamine levels, it is important to avoid such foods and incorporate other low-histamine or antihistamine foods like leafy greens, ginger, turmeric, olive oil, etc. Along with this, you should also make some lifestyle changes like stress management and regular exercise.
FAQs
1. What is the richest source of histamine in food?
The richest sources of histamine include fermented foods like aged cheeses, cured meats (such as salami and sausages), and fermented fish products. These foods naturally contain high levels of histamine due to their fermentation process.
2. What is the function of histamine in our bodies?
Histamine helps regulate immune responses, control stomach acid production, and act as a neurotransmitter in the brain.
3. Why does histamine increase in the body?
Histamine levels can increase in the body due to consuming high-histamine foods, such as fermented or aged products, or foods that trigger histamine release. Factors like stress, allergies, or certain medical conditions can also lead to increased histamine production in the body.
4. What are the symptoms of high histamine?
Symptoms of high histamine include headaches, itching, hives, nasal congestion, digestive issues, dizziness, and fatigue.
5. Which food acts as the most antihistamine?
There isn't a specific food that acts as an antihistamine, but fresh fruits like apples, apricots, and blueberries are generally low in histamine and can be part of a low-histamine diet. These foods do not trigger histamine release and are considered safe for those with histamine intolerance.
References
- https://www.factvsfitness.com/blogs/news/how-to-flush-out-histamine
- https://www.realsimple.com/health/nutrition-diet/high-histamine-foods
- https://rootfunctionalmedicine.com/anti-histamine-foods
- https://www.apollohospitals.com/diseases-and-conditions/all-you-need-to-know-about-histamine-intolerance/
- https://integrative-medicine.ca/surprising-factors-that-can-increase-histamine-levels
- https://www.verywellhealth.com/high-histamine-foods-5223261
- https://www.webmd.com/diet/foods-high-in-histamine
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