Couscous Histamine Information

Couscous is a popular food product made from wheat semolina, typically enjoyed in the Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, and North African countries. The effect of couscous consumption on histamine levels in the body isn't well documented in scientific literature. Couscous itself lacks ingredients known for high histamine content, thus it isn't directly associated with increasing histamine levels or acting as a histamine liberator. Being a processed form of wheat, it doesn't fall under the usual categories of food known to produce histamine like cheeses, certain fish, or fermented products which have gone through bacterial fermentation that can lead to histamine production[1]. However, couscous can potentially influence histamine levels based on what it is served with. For example, couscous is often paired with tomatoes, which are known to have higher histamine levels and may increase the overall histamine content of a meal[2]. Another aspect to consider is that, while the preparation of couscous can be simple, there could be additional ingredients involved which could influence histamine levels. For instance, adding spices, vegetables, dried fruits or nuts that have been identified as histamine liberators or ingredients that delay histamine breakdown can increase histamine levels[3]. In conclusion, couscous itself isn't typically associated with a direct impact on histamine levels in the body. However, due to its versatility and varied culinary applications, the overall histamine content of a couscous-based meal may be influenced by accompanying ingredients. References: [1] Maintz, Laura, and Natalija Novak. "Histamine and histamine intolerance." the American journal of clinical nutrition 85.5 (2007): 1185-1196. [2] Reese, Ian, et al. "German guideline for the management of adverse reactions to ingested histamine: Guideline of the German Society for Allergology and Clinical Immunology (DGAKI), the German Society for Pediatric Allergology and Environmental Medicine (GPA), the German Association of Allergologists (AeDA), and the Swiss Society for Allergology and Immunology (SGAI)." Allergo Journal International 26.1 (2017): 16-24. [3] Schnedl, Wolfgang J., et al. "Evaluation of symptoms and symptom combinations in histamine intolerance." Intestinal research 17.3 (2019): 427.