Barbecue Sauce Histamine Information

Barbecue sauce has a variety of ingredients like tomatoes, vinegar, sugars, salts, and various spices. They differ in composition depending on the specifics of the recipe, the brand, or the type of the barbecue sauce, but these components are generally present. Tomatoes, a primary ingredient, have a notable histamine content. Tomato-based products may thus result in elevated histamine levels when consumed. As research suggests, individuals with histamine intolerance can experience symptoms like flushing, hives, or headaches after consuming tomato-based products, including barbecue sauce (Maintz & Novak, 2007). Vinegar is another ingredient commonly present in barbecue sauce. Like tomatoes, it also falls under the category of foods with high histamine content. It might act either as a histamine liberator or serve to delay the breakdown of histamine (Auborn et al., 1988). Its role is not only tied to its inherent histamine content, but also to its potential to enhance the histamine effect when taken in conjunction with other histamine-rich or histamine releasing foods. In terms of possibly lowering histamine levels, none of the common ingredients in barbecue sauce are known to have this effect. Future research might bring new insights into this aspect. It's important to consider individual tolerance and reactions, which may differ significantly among individuals with histamine intolerance. Moreover, the combination of barbecue sauce with other histamine-rich foods could enhance histamine's effect. References: Auborn, K., Abramson, H., & Edelson, R. (1988). Acetic acid content of commercial vinegars and implications of consumption. American Journal of Public Health, 78(6), 683-685. Maintz, L., & Novak, N. (2007). Histamine and histamine intolerance. American journal of clinical nutrition, 85(5), 1185-1196.