All that said, there are foods that are really useful because they act as natural anti-histamines, inhibiting the action of histamine – these include onions, apples and blueberries.
Low Histamine Foods
Fruit: blueberries, apricots, cranberries, apples, mango, peaches. Vegetables: Onion, sweet potatoes, asparagus, broccoli, squash, cucumbers, beets.
Helps Fight Allergies: Red Apples
An apple a day keeps the allergist away. Red produce like apples contains a compound called quercetin. This compound is responsible for the red color and works as a natural antihistamine in your body.
Citrus fruit, such as oranges and lemons, may also be beneficial to allergy sufferers due to their high Vitamin C content. Some studies have shown that Vitamin C may also have a natural antihistamine effect, helping to break down histamines faster once they've been released in the body.
Drinking plenty of water every day is essential for all bodily functions, including the regulation of histamine levels. Water does aid in the removal of histamines from the body as more that 95% of excess histamines are removed from the body through the urine.
Natural antihistamines may help you control your seasonal allergies. Common ones are stinging nettle, vitamin C, quercetin, butterbur, bromelain, and probiotics. Some alternative practices—such as acupuncture, nasal irrigation, and exercise—may also help you manage symptoms.
Coffee contains histamines in low amounts, but for people who are sensitive to them, it contains plenty to get a reaction out of them. While the natural histamine content in coffee is low, some coffee processes can increase histamine levels.
Avocados are naturally very high in histamine and such high levels can be problematic for people with histamine intolerance. If you suspect that you may have histamine intolerance, it is best to avoid foods high in histamine, such as avocados.
Broccoli
Rich in sulforaphane and a source of vitamin C, broccoli may have useful anti-histamine effects.
Vitamin C is a natural antihistamine, which means it can lower histamine levels and mitigate allergic reactions and symptoms. Consume plenty of Vitamin C rich foods, like tropical fruits, citrus fruits, broccoli and cauliflower, and berries.
Berries. From strawberries and blackberries to cranberries and blueberries, these gemlike fruits are particularly potent in antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity.
Blueberries contain salicylates, which are natural-occurring chemicals in plants. This compound is what causes most allergic reactions to blueberries. Salicylates are found in other foods and products so if you are found to be allergic, consider staying away from products that contain salicylates.
Consuming excessive amounts of blueberries can increase the risk of an allergic reaction, which can range from mild to severe. Common symptoms of a blueberry allergy include hives, swelling, and difficulty breathing. In severe cases, anaphylaxis may occur, which is a potentially life-threatening allergic reaction.
Allergists recommend long-acting, non-sedating antihistamines — ones that won't make you sleepy — for everyday use. Though you may know them by their brand names, the generic versions tackle the same problems: Cetirizine (Zyrtec®, Aller-Tec®, Wall-Zyr®). Fexofenadine (Allegra®, Aller-ease®, Aller-Fex®, Wal-Fex®).
Honey has been used for medicinal purposes around the world for thousands of years. It may help some people manage their allergy symptoms, but there isn't enough evidence to show that it can replace antihistamines and other standard allergy treatments.
Claritin and Zyrtec are effective and safe for most people with minor allergies.
For these people, histamine builds up in the body and is not broken down correctly. This can trigger an immune system response resulting in symptoms such as diarrhea, shortness of breath, headaches, or skin irritation.
Degradation of histamine in gut. (A) Healthy individual. Normal concentration of histamine in food. Most histamine is inactivated by DAO and HNMT enzymes in gut, only a small amount of histamine passes to blood stream and does not cause histamine-mediated symptoms.
Some foods don't contain high levels of histamine, but they are “histamine liberators” that promote the release of the chemical in our body. These include: Pineapples. Bananas.
Your body releases higher levels of histamine naturally at night as well as after meals so taking activated charcoal at night (about two hours after an early dinner) sweeps up excess histamine and can alleviate some, if not all of the symptoms associated with high histamine at night.