Som Tam Histamine Information

Som Tam is a traditional Thai dish primarily made from unripe papaya, lime juice, fish sauce, tomatoes, garlic, and chili peppers. The impact of eating Som Tam on histamine levels is multi-faceted due to the variety of ingredients used, each with distinct effects on histamine. Unripe papaya, one of the primary components, can delay the breakdown of histamine, potentially heightening histamine levels in the body (1). Similarly, tomatoes, another significant ingredient in Som Tam, are on the list of foods known to have a high histamine content (2), thereby potentially raising histamine levels upon consumption. Yet, ironically, another key component in Som Tam, garlic, has demonstrated some potential to lower histamine levels (3). Garlic contains a compound called quercetin, which inhibits the release of histamine from immune cells, potentially counteracting aspects of the other ingredients' effects on histamine (4). An essential point to note is that individual reactions to histamine in foods vary widely, and different people may have different tolerances to histamine (5). Nonetheless, as the principal constituents of Som Tam are either high in histamine or delay its breakdown, it can be hypothesized that consumption might lead to elevated histamine levels, especially in individuals with a higher sensitivity to histamine. However, it is important to note, this product has not been researched well enough to publish any definite information, our team is working hard on this. Concrete data will be available soon. (1) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24636058 (2) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29261768 (3) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3704564/ (4) https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2211383515000799 (5) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24164387