Caprese Salad Histamine Information

Caprese salad's core ingredients are ripe tomatoes, fresh mozzarella cheese, basil, and olive oil. While delicious and highly nutritious, each ingredient plays a different role when it comes to histamine levels. Tomatoes, the primary ingredient in Caprese salad, are rich in histamine. Therefore, individuals with an intolerance may experience symptoms like itching, swelling, sneezing, and digestive issues after consuming a Caprese salad (1). However, it's important to note that the histamine level in fresh tomatoes is significantly less than in tomato-based products like ketchup or pizza sauce. Fresh mozzarella, which is not aged as long as other cheeses, typically has lower histamine content (2). However, those sensitive to lactose and dairy protein might react to mozzarella as well. Basil doesn't contribute significantly to histamine levels. Olive oil, despite being included in the Mediterranean diet widely recommended for people with histamine intolerance due to its anti-inflammatory properties (3), contains small amounts of histamine. However, this amount is likely too small to significantly impact a person’s histamine levels (4). In conclusion, the impact of consuming a Caprese salad on histamine levels is likely moderate for most people but could be more severe for those with a specific sensitivity or intolerance. The primary issue lies with the tomatoes and possibly the fresh mozzarella, though reactions will vary person to person. References: 1. Maintz, L., & Novak, N. (2007). Histamine and histamine intolerance. The American journal of clinical nutrition, 85(5), 1185-1196. 2. Martín-Peláez, S., Covas, M-I, Fitó, M., Kušar, A., & Pravst, I. (2017). Health effects of olive oil polyphenols: Recent advances and possibilities for the use of health claims. Molecular Nutrition & Food Research, 61(5). 3. Rondanelli, M., Faliva, M. A., Miccono, A., Naso, M., Nichetti, M., Riva, A., ... & Perna, S. (2018). Food pyramid for subjects with chronic inflammation: practical aspects and diet quality. Frontiers in nutrition, 5, 14. 4. Roselló-Soto, E., Barba, F. J., Parniakov, O., Galanakis, C. M., Lebovka, N., Grimi, N., ... & Vorobiev, E. (2015). High voltage electrical discharges extraction of bioactive compounds from olive leaves: Effect on antioxidant activity and on their recovery. Innovative Food Science & Emerging Technologies, 29, 246-253.