Low in histamine and free from sulphites — the chemicals that cause intolerance and allergies — gin is the best choice out of all alcoholic beverages. Although drinking gin won't cure your alcohol intolerance, it has much lower levels of histamine compared to beer and wine — keeping your intolerance symptoms mild.
According to Asthma UK, you can find refuge in clear spirits such as gin and vodka, which have a relatively low histamine content.
In the meantime, try drinking dry whites like Sauvignon Blanc or sparkling wines like Cava or Prosecco as they are naturally lower in histamines than red wines.
Foods to avoid on a low-histamine diet include aged cheeses, processed meats, dairy products, alcohol, and certain fruits and vegetables. Eating whole, unprocessed foods is also important.
This is the same chemical involved in allergic reactions in the body. Although red wine is especially high in histamines, all alcoholic beverages have high levels of histamine.
Treatment. The only way to avoid alcohol intolerance symptoms or an allergic reaction is to avoid alcohol or the particular beverage or ingredients that cause the problem. For a minor reaction, over-the-counter or prescription antihistamines might help reduce symptoms, such as itching or hives.
Significant health benefits can be noted, because gin is very low in histamine. Histamine plays a central role in allergic reactions in humans and is in the immune system, i.e. it is involved in the defense against foreign substances.
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.
Sparkling, white and rosé wines all are low histamine wines when compared to reds.
You can turn to a natural antihistamine for relief if your symptoms are impeding your daily life. Look for herbal medicines or supplements that contain natural histamine blockers such as quercetin, turmeric, stinging nettle leaf, Vitamin D, or Vitamin C.
Even club soda and tonic water have mast cell and histamine triggering ingredients. In club soda, you'll often find sodium citrate. Citrates are from fermentation. That makes them higher histamine.
According to the pH level, gin, tequila, and non-grain vodkas are the lowest acidity options; choosing drinks made with these alcohols will be best on your stomach. You'll be best served by a drink made with a light juice like apple, pear, or cranberry, but sometimes you just really want that kick of citrus.
If in doubt, gin or vodka has the lowest histamine levels of all alcoholic drinks and are usually a safer bet for allergy sufferers.
Spirits are the often least allergenic, followed by beer, and then red wine.
Green Tea: Contains polyphenols (such as EGCG) which counter inflammation. Green tea is also high in quercetin, making it a natural anti-histamine.
Boiled, fried, or poached eggs aren't affected by cooking methods when it comes to histamine content. 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.
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.
Alcohol intolerance occurs when your body doesn't have the proper enzymes to break down (metabolize) the toxins in alcohol. This is caused by inherited (genetic) traits most often found in Asians. Other ingredients commonly found in alcoholic beverages, especially in beer or wine, can cause intolerance reactions.
A sudden intolerance to alcohol is possible if you begin using a medication that causes alcohol intolerance or develop a disease that causes it. Most cases of suddenly developed alcohol intolerance occur due to starting a new medicine that causes it.
Effectively healing a leaky gut to improve histamine intolerance often requires removing food sensitivities, following a wholesome diet, reducing stress, and supplementing when necessary. Part of the gut health regimen for this condition may include probiotics for histamine intolerance.