Food list for histamine intolerance

Letzte Aktualisierung am 19. December 2023 von Dr. Michael Zechmann-Khreis

Histamine content of foods

Which foods can you eat with histamine intolerance and which not? This frequently asked question of “What to eat with histamine intolerance?” is not so simple, as various factors have to be taken into account. On the one hand the histamine content of the food, which can vary greatly, and on the other hand the content of biogenic amines, histidine, other substances that can block the DAO or the degree of ripeness and processing. Below we have explained some of these factors for you, as well as creating a histamine intolerance food list with histamine values that also takes all other factors into account as best as possible.

Histamine content of foods: Basics

In the following, we would like to present some categories of foods that are low in histamine, high in histamine or histamine-releasing. Please note the following example when evaluating the food:

Example: Histamine content of fish

• Freshly caught fish (white fish) – low in histamine
• the same fish stored unrefrigerated two hours later: contains histamine
• the same fish unchilled to slightly chilled one day later: high histamine content

Another important note: The following also applies here: In principle, there are points of reference that apply to all those affected, but there are also individual limits and situations or physical conditions to consider.

Different histamine contents in different tables?

We are often asked why the histamine information in different histamine intolerance food lists has different values . This makes the question of “What to eat with histamine intolerance?” difficult. The answer is quite simple: the histamine content – unlike the lactose content, for example – is subject to strong fluctuations. These include, for example, the storage or age of the food. This means that the values in such tables can only be used as a guide. And they should be treated with caution. In the meantime, the indication of histamine values has therefore generally been abandoned. It makes more sense to have lists with tolerability information that take into account the usual consumption quantities and preparation methods, as well as factors such as biogenic amines or other relevant ingredients.

Our tables and data therefore include a histamine tolerance list that takes all these factors into account. For example, we were the first institution in the world to draw up a compatibility index in our own study, including the usual consumption quantities, storage conditions and production processes. You can read this data as a table here or call it up in our “Ask Ingrid!” app. The advantage of the app is that there is also a community rating, i.e. a rating of the food by other affected people, and you can scan food.

Low histamine foods

Mostly compatible with histamine intolerance

• Cream cheese: young Gouda, cream cheese, butter cheese, mascarpone, mozzarella, ricotta
• Pasteurized milk (lactose-free milk can sometimes cause problems; the reason is unknown)
• Fresh meat (fresh, chilled, frozen) – some people have problems with pork
• Freshly caught fish (not tuna!)
• Fresh fruit: melon, blueberries, cranberries, lychee, mango, khaki, rhubarb, cherries, blueberries, currants, apricots, apples
• Fresh vegetables: green salad, cabbage, beet, pumpkin, onion, radish, radish, Rapunzel, peppers, carrots, broccoli, potatoes, cucumber, leek, zucchini, sweetcorn, asparagus, garlic
• Cereals/supplements: rice, maize, spelt, quinoa, amaranth, oats, millet, chestnuts
• Pasta: Spelt, corn and rice noodles, yeast-free rye bread, corn and rice crispbread, rice cakes
• Milk substitutes: rice milk, oat milk, coconut milk – test individually!
• all fresh, non-citrus and/or tomato-based fruit juices, all vegetable juices (except sauerkraut)
• Herbal teas
• Egg yolk (egg white/egg white is poorly tolerated); quail eggs are well tolerated;
• Fried eggs fried in sunflower oil are often reported to be well tolerated
• Vinegar: Alcohol vinegar, brandy vinegar, spirit vinegar, apple vinegar, vinegar essence – (balsamic vinegar and wine vinegars are usually not compatible)

Foods that are poorly tolerated

• Pickled/preserved foods
• Cheese: especially hard cheese – the older, i.e. the longer matured, the more histamine
• Smoked meat, ham, salami …
• most fish products, especially canned fish
• Beans and pulses (especially chickpeas and soybeans, also peanuts)
• Soy products (soy milk, soy cream, tofu, soy sauces …)
• Wheat products (sometimes well tolerated)
• Sauerkraut
• Ready meals
• Some types of fruit (bananas, pears, eggplants, oranges, kiwi …)
• Alcoholic drinks / fermented drinks; some wines are well tolerated
• Black tea
• Chocolate, cocoa
• Balsamic vinegar, red wine vinegar, white wine vinegar
• Yeast / baker’s yeast / brewer’s yeast are well tolerated, but they convert histidine into histamine during fermentation and thus further increase the histamine level in the product (see below)

Foods that release histamine (histamine liberators) – not tolerated

• Pulses
• Strawberries
• Citrus fruits (are sometimes well tolerated due to the small amount consumed)
• Tomatoes
• Nuts
• Pineapple
• Cocoa and chocolate

Diamine oxidase blocking foods – not tolerated

• Alcohol
• Cocoa
• black tea, green tea, mate tea
• Energy drinks

Special case: Wheat

Many sufferers report that wheat is poorly tolerated, whereas rye and spelt are well tolerated. This phenomenon has not yet been explained. Wheat can increase acid production in the stomach, which can trigger symptoms in patients with heartburn. This phenomenon may be the cause, i.e. the problem is not histamine, but heartburn. On the other hand, it could also be due to ATI, a substance that modern high-performance wheat produces more of than old varieties. It is also possible that this phenomenon is mostly observed with bread. The problem is then the yeast, which forms histamine when the dough is left to rise. So we don’t know what the problem is. It is therefore best to test it out and find out your own tolerance to wheat products.

You should definitely work out a precise diet with a nutrition professional (e.g. dietician)!

Tip: The episode of our podcast about histamine intolerance

Histidine content and yeast for histamine intolerance

Histidine is broken down into histamine in the body. This is done with the enzyme L-histidine decarboxylase (HDC). This enzyme is also found in bacteria and yeast. Foods with a high histidine content should therefore be consumed with caution. Especially if they are kept unrefrigerated for a longer period of time (bacterial decomposition) or if they have been processed by yeasts. This topic is very complex, as there are an incredible number of different yeasts. For example, a special Bordeaux yeast is used to produce Bordeaux wine. Different yeasts produce different amounts of histamine. This makes it almost impossible to standardize these values.

However, it is important to note that a high histidine content is often associated with poor tolerance in the case of histamine intolerance. Especially with food processed by yeasts.

We often read that yeast is poorly tolerated by histamine intolerance sufferers. So that’s not true. The yeast itself is low in histamine, but it breaks down the histidine into histamine. Wheat flour has a relatively high histidine content of 450 mg/100g, which also produces a lot of histamine due to the processing of the yeast. You should therefore be careful with products to which yeast has been added.

Table: Histamine intolerance food list

As histamine levels are very dependent on external factors (degree of ripeness, processing, origin, storage, etc.), they fluctuate greatly. For this reason, it is no longer necessary to specify histamine values for foods. In addition, some foods release histamine in the body or block the breakdown of biogenic amines. All these (and more) factors make it difficult to create a sensible food chart for histamine intolerance. We have compiled the foods listed below with histamine, histidine and other biogenic amine values from the literature, evaluated the data with a great deal of experience and knowledge and assessed them with the help of a tolerance index. This index was compiled from an nmi-Portal study in which more than 800 affected people rated these foods in terms of the usual amounts consumed, preparation methods and their individual tolerance. The result is this list, which shows the compatibility of many foods very well.

Please note that despite all care and research, this histamine intolerance food list can only serve as a guide! You have to find out for yourself about individual tolerances. Always make sure the food is fresh!

I recommend that all those affected download the “Ask Ingrid” app. The advantage of the app is that there is an evaluation of the food by other people affected. Thanks to thousands of reviews from those affected, you can classify food better.

Dr. Michael Zechmann-Khreis, podcast “Nutrition Monologues” (german only)

Foods for histamine intolerance (ordered by tolerance)

Table explanation:
tolerated | not tolerated | individual testing recommended | KP = elimination diet | DE = permanent diet (The abbreviations are taken from the German original)

Foodstuffs	KP	EN	Foodstuffs	KP	EN
Potatoes			Celery
Lettuce, green			Grapes
Rice, white, polished			Onions
Zucchini			Pork
Chicken (without skin)			Coffee
Endive salad			Fruit teas, fresh
Lamb’s lettuce			Mushrooms
Blueberries			Savoy cabbage**
Pumpkin (Hokkaido)			Garlic
Dandelion leaves			Paprika (green)
Carrots			Chanterelles
Sweet potatoes			Plums
Watermelons			Porcini mushroom
Broccoli			Corn (from the tin)
Chicory			Bamboo shoots
Chinese cabbage			Red cabbage**
Fennel			green beans
Cucumbers			Peas
Fresh corn, cooked			Horseradish
Asparagus			Raisins
Sugar melon			Pears
Beef			Chickpeas
Apple			Tuna, fresh
Cauliflower			Light soft drinks
Red currants			Eggplant
Prickly pears			Avocados
Peach			Bananas
Leek			Dates, dried
Radish			Lima beans
Beet			Mandarins / Tangerines
Gooseberries			Soy products
Egg yolk			White cabbage**
Apricots			Malt beer
Artichokes			Figs, dried
Blackberries			Limes
Chestnuts, chestnuts			Spinach
Pomegranate			Lemons
Persimmon			Cocoa powder
Cherries			Spirits, distilled
Kohlrabi			Pineapple
Lychee			Strawberries
Mango			Pickled cucumbers
Okra			Grapefruit / grapefruit
Black salsify			Kiwis
Saltwater fish (not tuna!)			Oranges
Freshwater fish			Tomatoes
Honey			Beer*
Figs			Energy drink, sugar-free
Raspberries			White wine
Coconut milk			Canned tuna
Swiss chard			Energy drink with sugar
Papaya			Sauerkraut
Parsnip			Wheat beer*
Rhubarb			Red wine*
Brussels sprouts			Protein

* Alcoholic drinks should generally be avoided with HIT, as they have a DAO-blocking effect!

** Data not clear; food is also often tolerated without problems

Sources and others

Jarisch, R.,2004: Ärztemagazin 08/2004, Histamin-Intoleranz
Jarisch, R. “Histaminunverträglichkeit”, Thieme Verlag TB 2. Auflage
Schmutz Helmut (Autor); Abbot, G.; Lieners C.; Mayer, I.; et.al; “Nahrungsmittelunverträglichkeit (Histamin Intoleranz)”, Sachbuch, Wien 2006
Zechmann, M.; Masterman, G; “Erste Hilfe bei Fruktoseintoleranz, Laktoseintoleranz und Histaminintoleranz”, Berenkamp Verlag, 3. Auflage 2014
nmidb.de and nmi portal (own studies)