Food Sources of Histamine

Food Sources of Histamine
Histamine occurs in food as a result of microbial enzymes converting the amino acid histidine (present in all
proteins) to histamine. All foods subjected to microbial fermentation in the manufacturing process contain
histamine. Included in this category are cheeses, fermented soy products, other fermented foods (e.g.
sauerkraut), alcoholic beverages, and vinegars.
Foods exposed to microbial contamination also contain histamine in levels determined by the extent and rate of
action of the microbes. Histamine levels reach a reactive level long before any signs of spoilage occur in the
food. This characteristic has important implications in fin fish, where bacteria in the gut are particularly active
in converting histidine to histamine. The longer the fish remains ungutted, the higher the levels of histamine in
the flesh.
Some foods such as eggplant and spinach contain high levels of histamine naturally. In addition, a number of
food additives such as azo dyes and preservatives mediate the release of histamine.
Some of these chemicals such as benzoates occur naturally in foods, especially fruits, and may have the same
effect as the food additive in releasing histamine.
The histamine restricted diet excludes all foods known to contain high levels of histamine or to contain
chemicals that can promote the physiological release of histamine.
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From the Urticaria Chapter
The foods most commonly reported to induce urticaria are shellfish, fish, egg, nuts, chocolate, berries, tomatoes,
cheese, milk, and wheat.
Foods reported to release histamine directly from mast cells are uncooked egg whites, shellfish, strawberries,
tomatoes, fish, chocolate, pineapple and alcohol.
Foods containing histamine—Aged protein containing foods and fermented foods commonly have increased
histamine levels.
Foods reported to be high in histamine are fermented cheeses (e.g. Camembert, Brie, Gruyere, Cheddar,
Roquefort, Parmesan), brewer's yeast, shellfish, many fin fish, canned fish, tomato, spinach, red wine
(especially Chianti), beer, unpasteurized milk (e.g., cow, goat or human milk), chicken, dry pork sausage, beef
sausage, ham, chocolate, fermented soy products, and all fermented vegetables, such as sauerkraut.
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Allowed/Restricted Foods
This diet excludes all:
 foods with naturally high levels of histamine

 fermented food
 artificial food coloring, especially tartrazine
 Benzoates including food sources of benzoates, benzoic acid and sodium benzoate
 Butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) and butylated hydoxytoluene (BHT)

Type of Food Foods Allowed Foods Restricted

Milk and dairy Plain milk All prepared dairy products made with
Ricotta cheese restricted ingredients
All cheese
All yogurt
Buttermilk
Breads and cereals Any pure unbleached grain or flour Products made with:
Any plain fresh bread, buns, biscuits,  Anise

pizza dough with allowed ingredients  Artificial colors
 Artificial flavors
Homemade or purchased baked cookies,  Bleached flour
pies etc made with allowed ingredients  Cheese
 Chocolate
 Cinnamon
 Cloves
 Cocoa
 Margarine
 Preservatives
 Restricted fruits
 Some jams, jellies
 Any food made with or cooked in oils
with hydrolyzed lecithin, BHA, BHT
 Commercial pie, pastry, and fillings
 Baking mixes
 Dry dessert mixes
Breakfast cereals made with allowed All others

foods, including:

 All plain grains
 Plain oats and oatmeal
 Plain cream of wheat
 Puffed rice and wheat
Plain crackers with allowed ingredients:
 Grissol Melba toast

 RyVita Rye Krisp
 Wasa light or golden crackers
Plain pasta All packaged rice and pasta meals
Vegetables All pure fresh and frozen vegetables and Eggplant

juices except those listed Pumpkin
Sauerkraut
Spinach
Tomato and all tomato products
All vegetables prepared with restricted

ingredients
Fruits Apple Apricot

Banana Cherry
Cantaloupe (rock melon) Cranberry
Figs Currant
Grapefruit Date
Grapes Loganberry
Honeydew Nectarine
Kiwi Orange
Lemon Papaya (pawpaw)
Lime Peach
Mango Pineapple
Pear Prunes
Rhubarb Plums
Watermelon Raisins
Raspberries
Fruit dishes made with allowed Strawberries
ingredients Fruit dishes, jams, juices made with restricted
ingredients
Meat, poultry All pure, freshly cooked meat or poultry All fish and shellfish
and fish All processed meats
All leftover cooked meats
Eggs All plain, cooked egg All prepared with restricted ingredients
Raw egg white (as in some eggnog,

hollandaise sauce, milkshake)
Legumes All plain legumes except those listed Soy beans

opposite Red beans
Pure peanut butter
Nuts and seeds All plain nuts and seeds All with restricted ingredients
Fats and oils Pure butter All fats and oils with color and/or
Pure vegetable oil preservatives
Homemade salad dressings with allowed Hydrolyzed lecithin
ingredients Margarine
Prepared salad dressings with restricted
Lard and meat drippings ingredients
Homemade gravies
Prepared gravies
Spices and herbs All fresh, frozen or dried herbs and Anise
spices except those listed opposite Cinnamon
Cloves
Curry powder
Hot paprika
Nutmeg
Seasoning packets with restricted ingredients
Foods labeled "with spices"
Sweeteners Sugar Flavored syrups

Honey Prepared desert fillings
Molasses Prepared icings, frostings
Maple syrup
Corn syrup Spreads with restricted ingredients
Icing sugar
Cake decorations
Pure jams, jellies, marmalades, Confectionary
conserves made with allowed Commercial candies
ingredients
Plain artificial sweeteners
Homemade sweets with allowed

ingredients
Miscellaneous Baking powder All chocolate and cocoa

Baking soda Flavored gelatin
Cream of tartar Mincemeat
Plain gelatin Prepared relishes and olives
Homemade relishes with allowed Soy sauce
ingredients Miso
Commercial ketchup
Gherkin pickles
Most commercial salad dressing
Beverages Plain milk Flavored milks

Pure juices of allowed fruits and Fruit juices and cocktails made with restricted
vegetables ingredients
Plain and carbonated mineral water All other carbonated drinks
Coffee All tea
Alcohol: plain vodka, gin, white rum All drinks with "flavor" or "spices"
Beer
Wine
Cider
All other alcoholic beverages
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Histamine Restricted Diet for Control of Urticaria/Angioedema
Do not eat the following food during the 4 week trial elimination period.
Meat/Poultry/Fish
 All seafood including shellfish or fin fish, fresh, frozen, smoked or canned
 Egg (a small quantity in a baked product such as pancakes, muffins, cakes is usually tolerated)
 Processed, smoked and fermented meats such as luncheon meat, sausage, weiner, bologna, salami,
pepperoni
 Leftover meat: eat freshly cooked meat ONLY (side note from Jackie—After meat is cooked, the
histamine levels increase due to microbial action as the meat sits.)
Milk and Milk Products
 All fermented milk products, including cheese (any milk product that is curdled rather than fermented is
allowed, such as cottage cheese, ricotta cheese and panir)
 Cheese products such as processed cheese, cheese slices, cheese spreads
 Yogurt, buttermilk, kefir
Fruits and Vegetables
 Orange
 Grapefruit
 Lemon
 Lime
 Cherries
 Strawberries
 Raspberries
 Cranberries
 Loganberries
 Apricot
 Pineapple
 Dates
 Raisins
 Prunes
 Currants
 Relishes
 Pickles
 Spinach
 Tomatoes
 Ketchup
 Tomato sauces
Food Additives
 Tartrazine and other artificial food colors

 Preservatives, esp. benzoates, sulfites and BHA, BHT
Note: Many medications and vitamin pills contain these additives, especially colors. Ask the pharmacist to
recommend additive-free supplements and medications.
Seasonings
 Cinnamon
 Chili powder
 Cloves
 Anise
 Nutmeg
 Curry powder
 Hot paprika (cayenne)
Miscellaneous
 Fermented soy products

 Fermented food
 Tea—herbal or regular
 Chocolate, cocoa, and cola drinks
 Alcohol
 Vinegar and foods containing vinegar such as pickles, relishes, ketchup, and prepared mustard

Food Sources of Histamine

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Food Sources of Histamine

From the Urticaria Chapter

This diet excludes all:

 foods with naturally high levels of histamine

Type of Food Foods Allowed Foods Restricted

Any plain fresh bread, buns, biscuits,  Anise

Breakfast cereals made with allowed All others

Plain crackers with allowed ingredients:

 Grissol Melba toast

Plain pasta All packaged rice and pasta meals

Vegetables All pure fresh and frozen vegetables and Eggplant

All vegetables prepared with restricted

Fruits Apple Apricot

Raw egg white (as in some eggnog,

Legumes All plain legumes except those listed Soy beans

Pure peanut butter

Foods labeled "with spices"

Sweeteners Sugar Flavored syrups

Plain artificial sweeteners

Homemade sweets with allowed

Miscellaneous Baking powder All chocolate and cocoa

Beverages Plain milk Flavored milks

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Histamine Restricted Diet for Control of Urticaria/Angioedema

Milk and Milk Products

Fruits and Vegetables

 Tartrazine and other artificial food colors

 Fermented soy products

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