{"id":57373,"date":"2023-03-02T09:30:56","date_gmt":"2023-03-02T14:30:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/?p=57373"},"modified":"2025-03-05T15:18:35","modified_gmt":"2025-03-05T20:18:35","slug":"low-histamine-diet","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/low-histamine-diet\/","title":{"rendered":"The best low-histamine diet"},"content":{"rendered":"

If you\u2019ve been experiencing<\/span> symptoms of histamine intolerance or sensitivity<\/span>\u2014such as itching, hives, sneezing, headaches, and nausea\u2014you\u2019re likely looking for ways to alleviate your discomfort. A low-histamine diet is one strategy that could help. Learn which foods to eat and which to avoid when this eating plan is recommended, and other possibilities for dealing with this condition.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What is a low-histamine diet?<\/span><\/h2>\n

A low-histamine diet involves avoiding foods that have a naturally high histamine content, or foods that cause your immune system to release histamine.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWith histamine intolerance, high levels of histamine in the body result from the body’s inability to break down histamine,\u201d explains<\/span> Johna Burdeos<\/span>, RD, a registered dietician and wellness blogger. \u201cThis causes symptoms such as runny nose and congestion, hives, itchy skin, red and itchy eyes, eczema flare-up, and digestive symptoms like diarrhea.\u201d Avoiding histamine-releasing foods can help alleviate these symptoms for some people.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Popular<\/span> diet plans<\/span><\/a>, such as the Mediterranean diet, DASH diet, keto diet, paleo, or vegan diet, often include foods <\/span>high<\/span><\/i> in histamine and are therefore not appropriate for people with histamine sensitivity. However, the <\/span>low FODMAP diet<\/span><\/a> may reduce the amount of histamine in the digestive tract. This eating plan involves avoiding certain carbohydrates that are difficult to digest\u2014such as high fructose fruits, high lactose dairy, and high-fructan cereals.<\/span><\/p>\n

Should you try a low-histamine diet?<\/span><\/h3>\n

About<\/span> 1% of people have histamine intolerances<\/span><\/a>, but it\u2019s unknown how much of the population may experience histamine sensitivities. It can be hard to know if a histamine intolerance or sensitivity is causing your symptoms.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThere aren\u2019t specific tools to diagnose a histamine issue, whether that be an intolerance or sensitivity,\u201d explains Blanca Garcia, RDN, a registered dietitian nutritionist and specialist at<\/span> Healthcanal<\/span><\/a>. \u201cIf you are experiencing uncomfortable symptoms, you can follow an elimination diet closely monitored by a doctor.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Certain <\/span>gastrointestinal conditions<\/span><\/a> can increase your risk for histamine issues, such as Crohn\u2019s disease, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and non-celiac gluten sensitivity. Additionally, some medications may increase your risk of difficulty with histamine, including some analgesics, heart medications, antibiotics, antidepressants, antifungals, antihypertensives, antimalarial drugs, muscle relaxants, and diuretics.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

If your healthcare team determines that you may have histamine intolerance, they will likely want to rule out any food allergies first. Then, your healthcare provider will recommend trying a low-histamine diet, and give you guidelines for evaluating if it\u2019s working. Typically, you will avoid high-histamine foods for <\/span>four to eight weeks<\/span><\/a> to see if your symptoms resolve. If they do, it can indicate that you are sensitive or intolerant to histamine. Then, you reintroduce foods one at a time while keeping a food diary to determine which food intolerances trigger your symptoms.<\/span><\/p>\n

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