Tahini Histamine Information

Tahini, a paste made from ground sesame seeds, is a nutritious food that is generally well tolerated. Sesame seeds contain anti-nutrient components, like oxalates and phytates that can delay nutrient absorption, but these compounds do not have a significant impact on histamine levels. As such, they are not classified as high-histamine foods or histamine liberators. However, some people might experience allergic reactions to sesame seeds, which could trigger histamine release. Allergy to sesame affects about 0.1% of people in the United States, according to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. These allergic reactions don't necessarily correlate with histamine intolerance. Nevertheless, there is limited concrete research directly discussing the impact of tahini on histamine levels. Therefore, general reactions might vary, and specific tolerability can be individual. Meanwhile, fermented foods, which include certain varieties of tahini, can contain significant amounts of histamine due to the fermentation process utilized in their preparation. However, to reiterate, this is generally in the context of fermented tahini, not the common, non-fermented variety. References: 1. Maintz, L., & Novak, N. (2007). Histamine and histamine intolerance. The American journal of clinical nutrition, 85(5), 1185-1196. 2. Commins, S. P., James, H. R., & Stevens, W. (2016). Clinical reactions to sesame and trends in sesame allergy in the United States. Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, 137(2), AB110. 3. Tahini. (n.d.). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tahini