Sensitive to histamines? Foods to avoid!

Histamines are a hormone and neurotransmitter that is primarily active in the immune system.
They are also abundant in certain foods, and if you are sensitive to histamines, you may have an allergic reaction.
Here, our registered dietitian Sofia explains what types of foods you should avoid if you are going to avoid them – and what you should focus on instead if you are hypersensitive.

Reader question: My friend has become sensitive to histamines, she says. She no longer eats foods that she claims contain a lot of histamines, such as canned fish and air-dried ham. When she eats these, she gets a rash around her mouth and her lips swell.

Now to my question. My friend is constantly filling up and I’m thinking of taking her out for dinner. What type of restaurant should I choose?

The dietitian answers: “Ultimately, it’s about food choices.”

It sounds like your friend is reacting to histamines, which are found in large quantities in canned fish, such as tuna, and air-dried ham. Other foods that contain histamine include sauerkraut, wine, and aged cheeses.

There are also foods that release histamine in the body. There are many more of them and it usually depends on the individual how you react to them. I would recommend that you go to a restaurant with clean foods such as meat, chicken, cod, or salmon with rice, potatoes, or vegetables. There shouldn’t be any problem eating home-cooked food, Thai or Lebanese food should work well, but ultimately it’s about food choices. If she’s well-informed herself, she should be able to choose something that doesn’t cause any discomfort.