High Histamine Foods Fruit: Citrus fruits, strawberries, bananas, pineapple, pears. Vegetables: Eggplant, avocado, tomatoes, olives, beans. Dairy: Cheese, yogurt, processed cheese. Protein: Canned, smoked, dried meats/fish.
The only plant-origin products with significant levels of histamine were eggplant, spinach, tomato, and avocado, each showing a great variability in content.
Most fresh foods, especially fruits and vegetables, are low in histamine. There are exceptions to this rule, however: spinach, eggplant, and tomatoes tend to contain higher amounts. These vegetables may contain enough histamine to trigger an inflammatory response in an intolerant person [7, 13].
Mushrooms, tomatoes, spinach, eggplant, avocado, and citrus are generally considered high in histamine.
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.
There's another misconception out there about tomatoes and other nightshades: That they cause inflammation. (Spoiler: They don't.)
A. Potatoes do not have a high histamine content and do not increase the body's histamine burden. Therefore, most people with histamine intolerance can eat them safely. You can also eat potatoes with additional food sensitivities, such as gluten sensitivity.
Low Histamine Foods
Vegetables: Onion, sweet potatoes, asparagus, broccoli, squash, cucumbers, beets.
Some people feel that eating foods from the nightshade family, also known as solanaceous vegetables, may make their arthritis worse. But research has shown that there is no link between inflammation and solanaceous vegetables. Examples of nightshade vegetables include: Tomatoes.
Carrot is likely suitable for a low histamine diet. Carrot is likely low in histamine and other amines and does not trigger release of the body's natural histamine. Every person has unique dietary triggers. Your reaction to carrot may be different than someone else's.
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. Read more about low-histamine foods.
Broccoli is likely suitable for a low histamine diet. Broccoli is likely low in histamine and other amines and does not trigger release of the body's natural histamine.
There is currently no cure for histamine intolerance. The key to success is for the patient to learn to adjust to a low-histamine diet and manage the condition(s) until it either goes away, or for life.
Eggs are low in histamines, this makes them ideal for the low-histamine diet. Chickpeas, peanuts, and lentils have been found to have low concentrations of histamines and may be safely consumed in a low-histamine diet.
Bananas are not directly high in histamine, but many people have reported that bananas are still a trigger for their histamine intolerance symptoms. Such a food is known as a “histamine liberator,” and should therefore be treated like a high histamine food.
Along with these, instant foods, grapes, bananas, strawberries, and citrus fruits known to release histamine (lemons, oranges, tangerines), as well as pineapples, tomatoes, nuts including peanuts, alcoholic beverages including wine, green tea, and chocolate were also restricted.
DON'T Avoid Nightshade Vegetables
Take tomatoes, for example. They have lycopene and vitamin C that help curb inflammation.
They offer many health benefits. However, excess intake of tomatoes may cause side effects like acid reflux or heartburn, allergies and infections, kidney problems, irritable bowel syndrome, diarrhea, urinary issues, and respiratory problems.
As part of his 12-step plan to staying in great shape, Brady said he doesn't eat nightshades – a group of vegetables including aubergines and tomatoes – because they cause inflammation and raise his body's pH.
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.
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.