What Is a Low Histamine Diet, and Should You Try It?

Recently, the low histamine diet has become popular for people with rashes, itching, hives, sneezing, watery eyes, headaches, diarrhea, abdominal, pain and hypotension.

Histamine intolerance is a rare condition that's quite difficult to diagnose. It affects about 1% of the population. It can cause the aforementioned symptoms when you consume food high in histamines or can trigger the release of histamine in the body.

If you're wondering what are histamines and whether or not this diet is for you, read on to learn more.

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What are Histamines?

Histamine is a biogenic amine, a chemical made by all the cells. It's an important part of the immune, digestive, and nervous systems, among others.

If histamine triggers the immune system, it can cause swelling, rashes, and watery eyes, among others. If it affects the nervous system, it can cause pain, headaches, or digestive problems.

In addition to the histamines our body makes, it's also found naturally in certain foods or can develop in them. Fermented foods generally contain large amounts of histamine .

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What is Histamine Intolerance?

Histamine intolerance is a condition in which the body produces an allergy-like response to histamine-rich foods. Histamine intolerance (HIT) is not a true allergy; rather it's a mismatch between the levels of histamine present in the body and the speed at which the body clears it.

Basically, if histamine levels in the body are high due to eating foods with high histamine content, and they are not broken down quickly enough, the person is likely to feel unwell.

This is a rare condition that affects roughly 1% of the population. Certain medical conditions also increase the risk of histamine intolerance. Gastrointestinal disorders or injuries, Crohn's disease, liver conditions, chronic stress, injury, or trauma may have this effect too.

HIT is difficult to diagnose, mostly because the symptoms are similar to other conditions, including food allergies, IBS, and gluten-sensitivity. There are also no reliable tests or procedures that can be used for its diagnosis. So, it's important to consult your doctor if you experience these symptoms.

The low histamine diet has evolved in response to histamine intolerance. The diet basically focuses on eliminating foods that may have higher concentrations of histamine. For instance, a person following the low histamine diet will generally avoid fermented foods, as they contain higher levels of histamine.

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Foods to eat on Low Histamine Diet

Histamine levels in food are difficult to quantify. As the diagnosis of HIT is also quite problematic, this creates a issue for people suffering from HIT.

Doctors generally suggest an elimination diet in which you remove certain foods from your diet for at least four weeks and then gradually add them back one by one. Once you have figured out the foods that're most problematic, you can go on a low histamine diet in which you avoid those foods.

It's important to remember that this is a low histamine diet and not a no histamine diet. It's impossible to entirely eliminate histamine from your diet. The low histamine diet is more of a 'hit and trial' manual rather than a list of foods to consume and avoid.

In general, you should follow these guidelines for a low histamine diet:

• Eat fresh food. Histamine content of food rises as it ages.
• Avoid fermented foods.
• Read labels, and avoid foods containing products with high histamine levels.
• Eat frozen foods. Research shows that freezing food reduces histamine levels.
• Avoid food additives, colors, and preservatives.
• Consume pasteurized dairy, if at all.
• Boil your food rather than frying or grilling.

You can use this guide to determine which foods you can eat on a low histamine diet.

• Vegetables: Onions, sweet potatoes, asparagus, broccoli, zucchini, beets, and cucumbers
• Dairy: Cream cheese, butter, and pasteurized milk. Eggs are safe in moderation. Histamine may be released by the whites. Yolks are safe.
• Meats: Meat and poultry that has been freshly prepared. Either fresh or frozen fish
• Fruit: Blueberries, apricots, cranberries, apples, mango, and peaches
• Grains: Potatoes, maize, rice, and oats
• Fats and Oils: Animal fats
• Flavor: Salt, fresh or dried herbs
• Drinks: Water, herbal tea, fruit juice (avoiding citrus, alcohol and kombucha)

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What foods to avoid on Low Histamine Diet?

Below is a list of common foods high in histamines and should be avoided while following a low histamine diet:

• Tomato ketchup, vinegar
• Fermented grains (sourdough bread)
• Meats that have been cured or fermented, like sausages, salami, and fermented ham
• Champagne, wine, beer, and liquor
• Sauerkraut and kimchi (fermented vegetables)
• Pickles or pickled vegetables
• Kombucha
• Fermented soy foods like tempeh, miso, natto, and soy sauce
• Eggplant, spinach, tomatoes
• Fish that is frozen, salted, or canned, like sardines, and tuna.