Sugar Histamine Information

Sugar consumption does not directly elevate histamine levels, but it can stimulate the immune system and possibly contribute to inflammation and allergic reactions, wherein histamine is released. The effect of sugar on histamine levels is indirect and is relatively under-researched. Therefore, it is critical for individuals with histamine intolerance to be conscious of their sugar intake. Certain foods and beverages like red wine, long-ripened cheese, and yogurt contain high histamine levels due to the fermentation process. Baked goods containing yeast and foods containing vinegar like pickled vegetables and mustard also exhibit high histamine concentrations as fermentation and yeast contribute to histamine production. Furthermore, certain fish products, tomatoes, and certain meat products like ham and salami may contain elevated histamine levels. On the other hand, foods like pineapple, papaya, cocoa products, nuts, and beverages like alcohol, green and black tea, and energy drinks can delay the degradation of histamine leading to an accumulated histamine level in the body. These food items don't add to the histamine pool but slow down the rate at which histamine is eliminated, causing it to persist longer in your system. Histamine liberators, while not containing histamine themselves, promote histamine release in the body. Cocoa products, certain fruits like strawberries, plums, citrus fruits, pineapple, kiwi, along with mushrooms, walnuts, hazelnuts, and invertebrate seafood like mussels and squid fall into this category. It is noteworthy that the relationship between eating sugar and histamine levels has not been extensively researched. Therefore, while it is known that sugar can impact the immune system and inflammatory responses, its direct association with histamine levels requires further investigation. References: 1. Maintz, Laura, and Natalija Novak. “Histamine and histamine intolerance.” The American journal of clinical nutrition vol. 85,5 (2007): 1185-96. doi:10.1093/ajcn/85.5.1185 2. Schnedl, Wolfgang J et al. “Evaluation of symptoms and symptom combinations in histamine intolerance.” Intolerance vol. 45 (2019): 36-44. 3. Comas-Basté, Oriol et al. “Histamine Intolerance: The Current State of the Art.” Biomolecules vol. 10,8 1181. 11 Aug. 2020, doi:10.3390/biom10081181.