Barley Histamine Information

Barley, a popular cereal grain, falls under foods known as histamine liberators. Specific research on barley and histamine is still relatively scant, indicating the need for further exploration. Nevertheless, we know that barley, like other histamine liberators, may provoke the release of histamine in the body, exacerbating reactions for those with histamine intolerance. Barley contains amino acids, like histidine, that can convert into histamine under certain conditions such as in a protein-rich and fermented food. It's also rich in probiotics that act as histamine producers during their metabolic processes seen in products like beer and malt. Subsequently, incorporating barley into your diet can potentially increase your body's overall histamine level, especially if you already have histamine intolerance. Those sensitive to histamine may observe symptoms such as headaches, itchy skin, stomach complaints or sinusitis after consuming barley or barley-based products. However, it's crucial to remember that every individual's response to histamine may vary significantly. Some people might not experience any adverse effects, while others might, depending on their body's ability to break down histamine. Besides this, histamine level is not only influenced by a diet that includes barley but also by the interaction of barley with other foods that are high in histamine or are histamine liberators. For instance, drinking a barley-based beer alongside cheese or salami could elevate the histamine reaction due to their high histamine content. Lastly, it's worth mentioning that certain food processing methods, such as fermenting, can increase the histamine level in some barley products. For example, sourdough bread made with barley may have higher histamine levels due to the fermentation process it undergoes. However, more concrete research is needed to adequately understand the histamine content of barley. The exact influence of barley on histamine levels is complex and depends on many different factors, such as the type of barley product, the individual's tolerance, and the food's preparation method. References: 1. Maintz, L., & Novak, N. (2007). Histamine and histamine intolerance. The American journal of clinical nutrition, 85(5), 1185-1196. 2. Kovacova-Hanuskova, E., Buday, T., Gavliakova, S., & Plevkova, J. (2015). Histamine, histamine intoxication and intolerance. Allergologia et immunopathologia, 43(5), 498-506. 3. Comas-Basté, O., Sánchez-Pérez, S., Veciana-Nogués, M. T., Latorre-Moratalla, M., & Vidal-Carou, M. C. (2020). Histamine Intolerance: The Current State of the Art. Biomolecules, 10(8), 1181.