Lingonberries Histamine Information

Lingonberries, a tart Nordic fruit, are considered to have potential positive effects on health with high nutritional value packed with antioxidants, vitamins, and fibers. Regarding its impact on histamine levels, there are limited direct studies on this area. However, there are a few points one can infer from the nature of lingonberries and their constituents. Primarily, lingonberries are rich in Quercetin, a type of flavonoid antioxidant that's believed to help reduce inflammation, allergy symptoms and potentially histamine release. In a study titled “Flavonoids as anti-allergic substances” highlighted that Quercetin is one of the flavonoids that exhibit anti-allergic activity through various mechanisms including the inhibition of histamine release (Mlcek et al., 2016). On the contrary, a fact to be wary of is that lingonberries are very high in Benzoic Acid. When metabolized, Benzoic Acid can convert into Hippuric Acid and lead to the release of histamines (Scadding et al., 2008). However, the actual impact this has on the individual's histamine levels may depend on several factors including quantity consumed, the person’s sensitivity, and their ability to metabolize histamines. Whilst lingonberries may have compounds that could potentially both increase and decrease histamine levels, it is crucial to note that people react to foods and substances differently. Therefore, consistent and concrete claims cannot be established. This product has not been researched well enough to publish any concrete information and further investigation would be necessary. References: Mlcek, J., Jurikova, T., Skrovankova, S., & Sochor, J. (2016). Quercetin and Its Anti-Allergic Immune Response. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland), 21(5), 623. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules21050623 Scadding, G. K., & Brostoff, J. (2008). Low dose sublingual therapy in patients with allergic rhinitis due to house dust mite. Clinical Allergy, 9(6), 483–491. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2222.1979.tb02510.x