Tapas Histamine Information

Tapas, a traditional Spanish style of cuisine, is often characterized by a diversity of small dishes and flavors, often including items such as cheese, cured meats, seafood, tomatoes, nuts, and bread, accompanied by drinks, particularly wine. These elements of this engaging dining style can potentially impact histamine levels due to the substance's prevalence in many of these food categories, as histamine liberators, or by delaying histamine breakdown. Cheese, notably the long-ripened varieties, and cured meats like ham and salami, are known for high histamine content. This is also applicable to vinegar-containing foods and yeast-based baked goods, which can be elements within a tapas spread (1). Red wine and French champagnes, when crafted from red grapes, also possess considerable histamine levels, potentially magnifying the histamine intake where consumption accompanies tapas (2). Similarly, tomatoes - a frequent ingredient in many tapas dishes - have a high histamine concentration and related products like ketchup can intensify this effect further still. The inclusion of histamine liberators such as mushrooms, nuts, cocoa products, and specific fruits in tapas recipes can amplify the histamine response (3). Unfortunately, many popular tapas dishes may unintentionally combine liberators with high histamine foods, potentially escalating histamine levels even further. Some substances prevalent in tapas ingredients can hinder the body's ability to break down histamine effectively. For example, the alcohol in wine or champagne, plus cocoa products, nuts, and glutamate found within some dishes, can delay histamine breakdown, leading to prolonged levels within the body (4). Despite these potential impacts on histamine levels, the variety inherent in tapas cuisine means there isn't a universal response, nor a need to avoid tapas entirely. Instead, understanding specific ingredient impacts can allow for informed choices, tailoring a tapas selection to personal dietary and health requirements. References: 1. Maintz, L., & Novak, N. (2007). Histamine and histamine intolerance. The American journal of clinical nutrition, 85(5), 1185-1196. 2. Vlieg-Boerstra, B. J., van der Heide, S., Oude Elberink, J. N., Kluin-Nelemans, J. C., & Dubois, A. E. (2005). Placebo-controlled oral provocation tests in the diagnosis of histamine intolerance. Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, 115(5), 952-954. 3. Kanny, G., Gerhardt, F., Romano, A., Wiszniewski, L., & Demoly, P. (2001). No correlation between wine intolerance and histamine content of wine. Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, 107(2), 375-378. 4. Wantke, F., Götz, M., & Jarisch, R. (1993). Histamine-free diet: treatment of choice for histamine-induced food intolerance and supporting treatment for chronic headaches. Clinical & Experimental Allergy, 23(12), 982-985.