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Can you guess what has been the most searched topic on the net nowadays? It is actually tips and techniques to follow a low histamine diet1. Quite surprising, right?
With the number of cases increasing in histamine allergies, more people are inclining towards a low histamine diet to sustain a healthy life. No wonder foods that are low in histamine levels were the highest search on the internet.
Have you wondered how you would suddenly develop severe allergic reactions and started sneezing, wheezing, and coughing out of the blue? It may be due to the high histamine foods that you consume in your daily diet.
Intriguing right? Well, read the article to know more about this topic then.
1. A Complete Guide On A Low Histamine Diet
1.1. Histamine Intolerance
Histamine is a chemical substance produced by the body in response to foreign substances and allergens entering our bloodstream.
Histamines form the body’s first line of defense. It is an integral part of our immune system and gets released whenever the body reacts with substances that are perceived as harmful to the body’s well-being.
Upon releasing histamines in the bloodstream, it causes inflammation of the blood vessels and leads to common allergic reactions2. Some of the most common symptoms observed are itching, swelling formations of hives, watery eyes, and runny noses.
Histamine intolerance refers to when the histamine levels have become too high in the blood levels, or the histamines could not be broken down properly. Therefore the high histamine levels start interfering with normal functions of the body.
Histamine intolerance also occurs when the enzyme diamine oxidase (DAO) levels become deficient in the body. This DAO breaks the histamines, and therefore decrease in DAO levels causes an increase in the histamine levels in the bloodstream.
The deficiency in the DAO enzyme in the body can be due to various reasons ranging from a simple injury to an underlying chronic condition.
Histamine intolerance is difficult to diagnose, but you can look out for these certain symptoms that are thought to be commonly observed in histamine-intolerant people. To diagnose histamine intolerance, the symptoms are
- Severe seasonal allergies reactions
- Nasal and sinus congestion
- Abdominal pain
- Irregular heartbeats
- Fluctuations in blood pressure, anxiety, and palpitations.
Now that we have understood histamine intolerance, we should now move towards the main part of the article, i.e., learning about a low histamine diet.
1.2. Best Foods For A Low Histamine Diet
A low histamine diet enables you to combat the symptoms of histamine intolerance. A low histamine diet can help you fight against the allergic reactions caused due to histamine intolerance3. Still, it can also help you to fight against symptoms of atopic dermatitis4.
1.2.1. Foods That are Exceptionally Low In Histamine Content
- Fresh fruits and vegetables- Apple, pomegranates, plums, peaches, green leafy vegetables, cucumber, onions, and carrots
- Herbs- Basil, oregano, thyme, rosemary, and cilantro
- Grains like quinoa and brown rice
- Legumes like chickpeas, kidney beans, and black beans
- Fresh meat and fish
- Almond, cashew, and hemp milk
- Starchy vegetables and seeds like chia, flax, and hemp
- Coconut oil and olive oil
1.2.2. A typical low histamine diet meal plan can look like
- Breakfast- Oatmeals, puffed rice, fresh fruits, or smoothies
- Lunch- Chicken, kale, or herb salads or quinoa
- Dinner- Low histamine fish, fresh meat, or legumes
- Snacks- berries, cottage cheese, and fresh fruits
1.3. Foods to Avoid in a Low Histamine Diet
To have a proper diet, you should know about the food items you should strictly avoid.
- Fermented food
- Aged cheese and other dairy products
- Alcohol
- Processed meat and vegetables like spinach, eggplants, and tomatoes
Many foods are considered histamine releasers. These histamine-releasing foods5 are thought to be low in histamine content, but it causes the mast cells to release histamine upon entering the body. Some examples of such foods are additives, certain fruits like bananas, papaya, citrus fruits, certain vegetables, and egg whites.
1.4. Things to Keep in Mind During a Low Histamine Diet
For people with histamine intolerance, there are certain preventative measures that you should always keep in mind.
- Fresh foods are all that you should consume in your daily diet. Foods that have been kept cooked for more than a day or fermented food for that matter should be strictly avoided.
- Plan your meals to buy only fresh foods and consume them as soon as it is purchased.
- Avoid overcooking the food ingredients as it is necessary to keep the ingredients close to their original form as much as possible.
- Certain cooking techniques can help you to minimize histamine levels. Frying and grilling tend to increase histamine levels whereas, on the other hand, boiling ameliorates it.
- According to studies, freezing foods also helps you to prevent or reduce histamine development.
- Keep a journal by your hand to keep the diet on track and note uncomfortable symptoms and allergic reactions to the food items.
- Avoid eating junk food and processed food as much as possible.
- A low histamine diet should not be followed for more than a month. After a month, observe your symptoms and then again switch back to the diet tweaking it according to your needs.
- If you have a deficiency of DAO hormone in your system, many foods can help you increase your DAO levels. However, you can also try DAO supplements6 to help you to combat the situation.
2. Conclusion
Now there you go, everything you need to know about a low histamine diet.
People who are histamine intolerant cannot have a complete elimination diet avoiding all the histamine-rich foods as most of the food ingredients are extremely important for pepper functioning of the body and completely avoiding can produce unwanted effects in the body in the long term.
To lead a quality life, find a balance between the extremes. Eat foods that are fresh, and low in histamine content, help you combat the symptoms, and reduce histamine intolerance condition naturally. However, before ending the article, we would definitely like to provide a small piece of advice.
Always consult a nutritionist or dietician before starting the meal plan for proper guidelines and techniques.
FAQ
1. Can a low histamine diet help with allergies?
A: A low histamine diet may provide relief for some individuals with histamine intolerance, but it may not directly address other types of allergies such as pollen or pet allergies. Histamine intolerance is different from allergies caused by an immune response to allergens, and the two conditions require different approaches for management.
2. How long should a low histamine diet be followed?
A: The duration of a low histamine diet varies depending on the individual and their specific condition. Some people may need to follow the diet strictly for a few weeks to several months to allow their symptoms to improve. After that, a gradual reintroduction of certain foods can be attempted to identify personal triggers and determine individual tolerances.
3. Can I follow a low histamine diet without medical guidance?
A: While some individuals may find relief from histamine-related symptoms by following a low histamine diet, it is generally recommended to seek medical guidance, especially if you suspect histamine intolerance or if your symptoms are severe or persistent. A healthcare professional can help diagnose the condition, provide appropriate dietary recommendations, and rule out other underlying causes of your symptoms.
Also read: Spinach Smoothie Benefits
- Sánchez-Pérez, Sònia, et al. “Low-histamine diets: is the exclusion of foods justified by their histamine content?.” Nutrients 13.5 (2021): 1395. ↩︎
- Niggemann, B., and K. Beyer. “Factors augmenting allergic reactions.” Allergy 69.12 (2014): 1582-1587. ↩︎
- Maintz, Laura, and Natalija Novak. “Histamine and histamine intolerance.” The American journal of clinical nutrition 85.5 (2007): 1185-1196. ↩︎
- Spergel, Jonathan M., and Amy S. Paller. “Atopic dermatitis and the atopic march.” Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology 112.6 (2003): S118-S127. ↩︎
- Vlieg-Boerstra, B. J., et al. “Mastocytosis and adverse reactions to biogenic amines and histamine-releasing foods: what is the evidence.” Neth J Med 63.7 (2005): 244-9. ↩︎
- Izquierdo-Casas, Joan, et al. “Diamine oxidase (DAO) supplement reduces headache in episodic migraine patients with DAO deficiency: A randomized double-blind trial.” Clinical nutrition 38.1 (2019): 152-158. ↩︎
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