Pavlova Histamine Information

Pavlova is a delectable dessert made of meringue shell topped with whipped cream and fresh fruits. To understand the impact of this dish on histamine levels, we must deconstruct its main ingredients: egg whites, sugar, cream, and fruits. Starting with egg whites, which are used to create the meringue base. Eggs are generally considered low in histamine[1]. However, certain processes such as ageing can increase the histamine content. Given that pavlova uses fresh eggs, this is not a significant concern. Furthermore, egg whites do not appear to be histamine liberators or inhibitors[2]. Sugar is the next key component. It is a low histamine food[3]. Even so, it's crucial to remember that an excess of sugar can adversely affect general health, although it doesn't directly impact histamine levels[4]. Whipped cream, the next ingredient, can have varying impacts on histamine levels depending on the type of cream used and individual tolerance. Some dairy products, especially long-ripened cheese, can have high histamine content but fresh dairy products like cream are typically low[5]. Finally, fruity toppings on pavlova could be a significant factor. Strawberries, pineapples, and citrus fruits commonly used in pavlova are known histamine liberators[6], meaning they could stimulate the release of more histamine in the body even if they do not contain a lot of histamines themselves. From the analysis above, it's clear that Pavlova, in isolation, has a mostly low histamine level, however, the impact can vary based on individual tolerance and the kinds of fruits used as toppings. References: 1. "Food Intolerance - Histamine Intolerance and HNMT Polymorphisms." Gene Food, 2021. https://www.mygenefood.com/nutrition/histamine/histamines/hnmt/ 2. "The Big Histamine List." Histamine Pirate, 2013. https://histaminepirate.wordpress.com/2013/05/21/the-big-histamin-list/ 3. "Histamine and Histamine Intolerance." The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2007. https://academic.oup.com/ajcn/article/85/5/1185/4633007 4. "How Does Sugar In Our Diet Affect Our Health?" Medical News Today, 2020. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/324854 5. "Histamine in Foods." Baliza, 2018. https://blog.baliza.se/b/histamine-in-foods 6. "Histamine Intolerance and Dietary Management." Journal of Food and Nutrition, 2016. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2212267216310028