These histamine liberators include kiwi fruit, strawberries, bananas, papaya, citrus fruits and pineapple as well as food additives like carrageenan; certain foods are known to block the activity of the enzyme that is involved in breaking down histamine – an enzyme called diamine oxidase (DAO).
High Histamine Foods
Fruit: Citrus fruits, strawberries, bananas, pineapple, pears. Vegetables: Eggplant, avocado, tomatoes, olives, beans.
Citrus Fruit
Though citrus fruits such as lemons, limes, and oranges are not actually high in histamine, they can trigger the release of histamine in your body. Many health care professionals recommend limiting citrus fruits and juices as part of a low-histamine diet.
What foods are highest in histamine? High histamine foods include fermented foods, alcohol, aged cheeses, eggplant, avocado, citrus foods, dried fruit, legumes, and processed meats.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Polyphenols derived from apples have been reported to suppress histamine release from rat cells, reduce auricular swelling in allergic mice, and alleviate skin inflammation in atopic patients.
Apple is likely suitable for a low histamine diet. However, be especially careful with dried fruits which tend to contain preservatives like sulfur dioxide or sulfites. These can trigger reactions in some patients.
Block and reduce nighttime histamine release
You can block nighttime histamine release and get a better night's sleep by taking 0.25 -1 mg of ketotifen or zaditen at night.
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.
Histamine release in the hypothalamus and other target regions was highest during wakefulness. The histaminergic neurons displayed maximal activity during the state of vigilance, and cease their activity during NREM and REM sleep.
Histamine intolerance (HIT) is assumed to be due to a deficiency of the gastrointestinal (GI) enzyme diamine oxidase (DAO) and, therefore, the food component histamine not being degraded and/or absorbed properly within the GI tract.
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.
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.
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®).
Claritin and Zyrtec are effective and safe for most people with minor allergies.
Certain fruits such as melons, berries, and oranges have the ability to make allergic reactions worse. If these are some of your favorite fruits, it's in the best interest of your health to wash them thoroughly before consuming.