Histamine is a substance that naturally occurs in the body and is involved in stress and allergic reactions. Histamine is also present in various foods and can cause diarrhea, headache, asthma, hypotension, an irregular heartbeat, hives, itchy skin, runny nose, sneezing, congestion and cramps in histamine-intolerant individuals. The best way to avoid reactions with a histamine intolerance is to eliminate histamine-containing foods from the diet.
Plant-based foods
Fresh fruits and vegetables with histamines are tomato and tomato products, spinach, eggplant, avocado and mushrooms. The British Allergy Foundation says fermented and pickled vegetables such as sauerkraut, olives, pickles, soy products such as miso and soy sauce, pickled beets and relishes also contain histamines. Fermented beverages including wine, beer and champagne are also high in histamines according to an article published in the "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition" (AJCN) in 2007. Dried fruits that contain histamine include apricots, dates, prunes, figs and raisins.
Animal-based Foods
Processed, fermented and aged meat, fish and dairy all have histamine. This includes sausages, hot dogs, deli meats, smoked meats and fish, ham, sour cream, yogurt, buttermilk and canned fish. Fermented and aged cheeses with histamine are Camembert, brie, Gruyere, cheddar, Roquefort, Parmesan, Swiss cheese, Gouda, and blue cheese. Tuna, mackerel, sardines and herring are also rich in histamine.
According to Queensland Health, certain fish are associated with the histamine poisoning called scombrotoxin. Scombrotoxin is a buildup of histamine that occurs when fish has not been properly chilled during processing. It can cause burning around the mouth, diarrhea and flushing. The most common fish affected by scombrotoxin are mackerel, tuna, bluefish, mahi-mahi, herring, bonito, marlin and butterfly kingfish.
Miscellaneous Foods
Other histamine foods listed by the Michigan Allergy, Sinus & Asthma Specialists and British Allergy Foundation are cider, home-made rootbeer, soured bread such as pumpernickel and coffee cake, foods made with a lot of yeast, vinegar and foods made with vinegar such as mayonnaise, salad dressing and chili sauce, shellfish, brewer's yeast, chicken and chocolate. Certain seasonings and food additives, tea and licorice also contain histamine.
Histamine-releasing Foods
According to the British Allergy Foundation. certain foods, while they may not contain histamine, cause a release of histamine and can evoke an allergy-like reaction in individuals sensitive to histamine. This includes foods such as eggs, shellfish, strawberries, tomatoes, chocolate, pineapple, alcohol, bananas, milk, papaya, citrus fruits, nuts, peanuts and pork.
References
- "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition"; Histamine and histamine intolerance; L. Maintz, N. Novak; 2007
- British Allergy Foundation: Histamine intolerance
- Michigan Allergy, Sinus & Asthma Specialists: Foods that contain histamine or cause the body to release histamine, including fermented foods
- Queensland Health
