Managing any kind of restrictive diet, including a low histamine diet, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed, frustrated, and burned out (especially in the first few months). Toady I want to share some amazing low histamine recipes to help ease the mental burden meals can often have.
Remember, just because you’re low histamine doesn’t mean your food won’t be awesome. Sure, it will be different. And yes, you’ll need to follow a few extra steps with leftovers. However, you can totally have safe and delicious food, and life a full and satisfied life.
Note: Make sure you look over the table of contents. The Q&A section covers a lot of common low histamine ingredient and recipe questions.
What is a Low Histamine Diet?
A low histamine diet is one that is made up of low-histamine foods. Now, what does that really mean? There’s histamine content in al of the food that you eat. However, when someone has a histamine intolerance, the breakdown of histamine doesn’t happen properly and this creates food allergy-like symptoms. A low histamine diet removes foods that are high in histamine or are histamine liberators (more on this further down).
If you’re new to all of this, Mind Body Green has a great (long) intro on histamine intolerance and what you need to know about a low-histamine diet.
The Importance of Fresh Foods
Fresh meat, for example, is very important if you’re following a low-histamine diet. As meat ages, there’s a natural release of histamine, and that can cause symptoms. The same is true of leftover cooked meat, that at it ages, the amount of histamine increases. The great news is that freezing your leftovers is the perfect way to avoid this issue.
It’s so important that you have the right containers on hand. In these situations, I can’t suggest enough having individual portion style containers that are freezer friendly. This allows you to only thaw what you need, and prevent your cooked foods from further histamine-based aging.
It’s important to remember, no two people are the same. People who follow a low-histamine diet each have personal histamine tolerance levels. To better understand your personal limits, keep a food journal/food diary for at least the first two months of your new diet. The journal should include food, stress levels, restroom, sleep cycle, any symptoms, and other details your medical team may benefit from knowing.
As you go about avoiding high-histamine foods, your overall histamine load should decline and you should start to see a reduction of the symptoms of histamine intolerance. However, if you’re not feeling any symptom relief (or very little relief), absolutely follow up with your health care provider. There could be an additional underlying condition that needs to be addressed.
Common High Histamine Ingredients to Avoid
Whilst this is not an exhaustive list, here are some common foods you’ll want to avoid if you don’t have histamine tolerance. RAISE has a lot more low histamine recipes and resources on the topic. I will warn you, as you look online for more information, you’re going to find a lot of conflicting information. Sift through it all, and make a plan that makes sense to you and your medical team. Not all foods will work for everyone.
As you prepare to make foods at home, you’ll also want to avoid pre-made spice blends and make your own blend at home. This is because there are a range of ingredients, common to spice ingredients, that you won’t be able to eat on a low histamine diet.
- Cured Meats (such as salami, deli ham, dried meats, ham, etc.)
- Preserved vegetables (pickles, olives, etc.)
- Tomatoes
- Eggplant
- Mushroom
- Hard/Aged Cheeses
- Shellfish
- Nuts (almond, cashew, pine nuts, walnuts)
- Avocado
- Lemon Juice & Citrus Fruits
Common Histamine Liberators to Avoid
Also not an exhaustive list, but this will give you an idea of what some common histamine liberators are. Histamine liberators are foods that aren’t naturally high in histamine, but can trigger the release of histamine from your immune system.
- Alcohol
- Artificial Dyes
- Banana
- Fish
- Chocolate
- Pineapple
- Strawberries
Common Low-Histamine Ingredients to Enjoy
Again, not an exhaustive list, but here are some delicious ideas to get you started.
- Apples (great for making apple muffins which you can freeze)
- Asparagus
- Blackberries
- Carrot
- Celery
- Chia Seeds (great for making chia pudding)
- Lettuce
- Nectarine
- Pumpkin Seeds
- Sweet Potato
- Zucchini
Huge Planning Tips
When you’re putting together your meal plans, think about meals as components. For example, vegetable + protein + carb. By breaking your meals down into components, you can quickly see ways to save time. Here’s what I really mean: plan to batch cook and freeze components.
Let’s look at the Greek Lamb Tacos I listed below. I could think of tacos as one large main meal, or I could think about the parts. There’s the tortillas, the meat, and the toppings. Tortillas can be made in advance and frozen. Ground meat can be made in advance and frozen. Now, I only need to deal with toppings and a sauce if I want one.
Personally, I like to set aside a few days a month to just COOK. I’ll cook an average of ten recipes each day, and get everything frozen. That’s a LOT of components you could get done, then be able to grab them as you need them. Are you seeing the freedom??
One huge tip when batch cooking and freezing is to freeze foods in individual portion sizes. This allows you to easily grab only what you need and not worry about refreezing leftovers. Bonus points if you’re able to use disposable containers and have less dishes to do.
Another huge tip is to have the right tools. Whilst you don’t need to run out and purchase all the gadgets, do purchase tools and small appliances that will make your life easier. Tools such as an Instant Pot or Multi-Function Cooker can allow you to make a huge range of foods, faster.
If you’re not sure where to start, assess your low histamine recipes and see if there’s a particular cooking method used again and again. If so, make sure you have the best tool(s) for the job. Additionally, as you cook, take note of what takes you a LONG time, or processes that frustrate you. See if there are tools or small appliances to make that process more efficient.
Related Low Histamine Articles
- 30 Low Histamine Diet Breakfast Recipes & Ideas
- Low Histamine Diet Lunches: Ideas & Recipes to Keep You Fueled
- Low Histamine Diet Recipes & Dinner Ideas
- Low Histamine Diet Plan: List of Low Histamine Foods and Sample Menu
- 75 Low Histamine Breakfast Ideas
- Are oats, oatmeal, and oat milk high in histamine?
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Low-Histamine Breakfast Recipes
Here are four amazing low histamine breakfasts. What’s extra exciting is that the sausage and muffins can be made in large batches and frozen for easy future use.
Note: If pork isn’t tolerated, you can swap it for a meat that you can eat safely.
- Easy Creamy Breakfast Potatoes (serve with your fave protein)
- Homemade Breakfast Sausage Recipe (this has so much potential to be used on a rotation basis)
- Rich & Delicious Beef (serve with veg and a carb)
- Tiger Nut Muffins (tiger nuts are tubers, not tree nuts)
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Delicious Low Histamine Lunch Recipes
These are recipes that are great for eating at home or on the go. When packing items such as tacos for your lunch, a bento-style lunch box can be helpful. It will allow you to nicely divide the ingredients so you can easily build your taco at lunch time. The alternative is to build a taco bowl and pack tortillas on the side.
Note: If pork isn’t tolerated, you can swap it for a meat that you can eat safely.
- Carrot & Turkey Ragout (tastes good cold, and an easy way to boost your daily vegetable intake)
- Greek Lamb Tacos (good hot or cold, great for a lunch box)
- Easy Creamy Pasta
- Smash Burgers (tastes great hot or cold, and you can create different flavour profiles)
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Delicious Low-Histamine Recipes for Dinner
Need awesome ideas for your main meals? Here are some of the best suggestions I can make. I can also tell you, my kids are over the moon in love with the mashed potatoes.
Note: If pork isn’t tolerated, you can swap it for a meat that you can eat safely.
- Delicious Pork & Peach Dinner
- Easy & Amazing Mashed Potatoes (serve with your fave protein)
- Creamy Purple Cabbage and Rice (if you’re a pork fan, this would taste amazing with pork folded in)
- Rice Pilaf + Easy Pulled Pork
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Low Histamine Recipes for Snacks
Whilst not everyone needs snacks, here are some options if you’re one of the people who needs them. The graham crackers and cookies are freezer friendly, so make extras if you have time (and freezer space).
- Easy Oat Power Balls (Nut, and Seed Free)
- Gluten & Egg Free Graham Crackers
- Baked Oat Bars
- Cinnamon Cardamom Cookies
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Low Histamine Options for Desserts
A lot of desserts call for high histamine ingredients. Here are four amazing desserts you can enjoy. Each recipe is also gluten free and top 9 allergy free. You can get a lot more low histamine dessert recipes in my Low Histamine Cookbook.
- Easy and Delicious Pie Crust (you can use this as a foundation for more low histamine desserts)
- Grain Free Apple Crumble
- Egg & Dairy Free Vanilla Ice Cream Recipe
- Pillow Soft Cakey Sugar Cookies
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Answering Your Questions About Low Histamine Recipes
Before jumping into the Q&A section, please remember that articles you read on the internet are not medical advice. This is here for informational purposes. Some of the info may resonate with you, and some may not apply to your uniquely individual needs. Always work with your medical team, especially when tackling something like leaky gut, histamine intolerance, and other hyper-individualized medical conditions.
Will I still be able to eat pasta on a low histamine diet?
Yes, rest assured that you can still have pasta whilst following a low histamine diet. Now, tomatoes are off the menu, however, there are loads of ways to make a delicious pasta without tomatoes, and other high histamine ingredients.
First, you’ll want to choose a good wheat free pasta/noodle base. This fantastic article has a list of brands that sell gluten free pasta if that’s a product you still haven’t found. Remember, it’s not a low histamine focused list, so keep your needs in mind as you read it over (I include the base so you can quickly skip over what won’t work for you, focus on the rice pastas).
Next, think about combinations that interest you. Here are a few great examples:
- Pasta with fruit
- Creamy pasta
- Spiced pasta (think herbs and spices, not heat spicy)
- Squash pasta
Now, with those combinations in mind, here are several great ways you can make a low histamine pasta dish:
- Creamy apple low histamine pasta
- Pasta salad with faux homemade mayo and peppers
- Rice noodle ramen with seared meat and veg
- Peach and pork pasta
- Creamy carrot pasta
- Spiced cabbage pasta with lamb
- Sweet pepper and pineapple pasta
Hopefully these ideas get you started. To see low histamine pasta recipes, be sure to check out my low histamine cookbook.
What are some easy dinner ideas that would work on a low histamine diet?
Honestly, the easiest dinners in my humble opinion are made on sheet pans and in pressure cookers. The reason why? These are hands off cooking methods and it doesn’t take too long to prep your produce and get everything cooking. With that in mind, here are a few easy dinner ideas that could work for you:
- Sheet pan potatoes + salted & seasoned ground turkey chunks + sliced celery + sliced carrots
- Ground turkey or ground chicken meatballs with a side of steamed veg such as carrots or broccoli
- Sheet pan Japanese yams + salted & seasoned pork cubes + thick zucchini quarters
- Lamb meatballs + soft cooked cabbage + maple carrots
What are the best dairy free substitute options for a low histamine diet?
Rather than talk your ear off all day about every dairy free substitute you can tap into, I’m going to point you towards this guide instead. It’s called the Ultimate Guide for a reason, and that’s because I cover all of the bases. So, be sure to use the table of contents liberally and jump around to the items you need.
This guide isn’t low histamine specific, rather, it covers *everything*, so keep your individual needs in mind as you read through the options. You’ll want to skip the sections of the guide that cover fermented products including buttermilk and yogurt. You can also skip the section on chocolate chips.
Can I still have roast chicken when following a low histamine diet? I’ve read mixed information.
I’ve also read mixed information. On one hand, chicken is not considered a high histamine food based on levels. On the other hand, reputable medical professionals and universities have said the opposite. Something you’ll have to remember when mast cells are involved: no two people are the same.
People following a low histamine diet all have different levels of tolerance. What that means is you should follow a very strict low histamine diet when you’re starting out. Once you’ve reached a good baseline and your medical team clears you for food trials and re-introductions, do a trial for chicken if you’re wanting to incorporate it back into your diet.
Rabbit is a great alternative to chicken should you find it’s not a good option for you. Northstar Bison sells high quality rabbit in different forms. You can use it in place of chicken 1:1 in slow cooker recipes, Asian meals, and anywhere else you’d normally use chicken. Given how lean it is, be careful if you’re using it in place of chicken thigh, as cook times will vary and you don’t want to dry your meat out.
Do you know of any delicious muffins that are also low histamine?
Why yes, yes I do. These delicious muffins right here: Tiger Nut Muffins. Tiger nuts are tubers, not tree nuts, as their name would suggest. This recipe is also grain free, truly corn free, refined sugar free, and top 9 allergy free.
Are garlic and ginger low histamine foods?
No, both ginger and garlic are not low histamine foods. Whilst these are considered lower histamine options where herbs and spices are concerned, if your goal is to eliminate all high histamine foods, garlic and ginger are off the menu.
Is turmeric a low histamine food option?
Yes! The great news is that turmeric is one of many low histamine foods that you can stock in your kitchen. If you’re looking for a tasty turmeric dinner idea, I’d oven roast carrots in maple, turmeric, and parsley, then place that on top of quinoa. It makes for a fantastic dinner that you can put together without too much effort. This vegan carrot recipe is a great method you can follow for this dinner idea.
Is honey a low histamine sweetener?
Generally speaking, honey is considered a low histamine sweetener, along with maple, stevia, and cane sugar in all its forms. Know however that honey is one of those debated ingredients where one group says yes and the next says no. These debates happen because each institution has its own dataset to refer to.
As always, the best way to know if an ingredient such as honey is truly safe for you is to keep a detailed food journal as you do food trials and explore different ingredients.
Can I bake with yeast on a low histamine diet?
Maybe. Generally, yeast isn’t considered a low histamine ingredient. However, some MCAS patients are able to bake with it at home. Ask your medical team if it’s an ingredient worth trialing.
If bread is what you’re after, and you find out yeast isn’t a good idea for you, check out this yeast free bread recipe on RAISE (membership website).
Is mint a low histamine herb?
Yes! I’m happy to tell you that mint is a low histamine herb and you can have a lot of fun with it.
Are oats low histamine?
Yes, oats are a low histamine ingredient you can enjoy. However, oat milk will need to be homemade, not store bought. You can read more about oats and histamine in this article.
Is butter low histamine?
Cow’s milk butter, as long as it’s pure butter without any fermentation is considered a low histamine food. Dairy free butter on the other hand, you’d have to work really. hard to find a safe option. That’s because most of them have at least one high histamine ingredient. In some cases, it’s just easier to use something like olive oil or tiger nut oil (tuber not a tree nut) for all of your cooking and most of your baking needs.
Are blueberries a low histamine fruit?
If you were to look at the SIGHI list, you’d see that blueberries are considered a low histamine fruit. However, I’ve seen some conflicting information over the years, and this is one of those ingredients where one place says yes and another says no.
The thing is, a histamine intolerance diagnosis comes on a spectrum, as no two people are the same. In addition to that, each institution that’s shared some type of high/low histamine list uses their own curated data, and that can vary by institution.
Ultimately, you’ll have to do food trials whilst keeping a detailed food journal to know truly what types of foods are good for you.
Are macadamia nuts good for a low histamine diet?
Nuts in general will vary by type. Macadamia nuts tend to be an accepted nut for those following a low histamine diet. The good news is that there’s a lot you can do creatively with macadamia nuts to include them on your plate. Whilst their taste is distinct, you could use them as part of a sauce to add texture and body.
You can also use them in smoothies, but don’t overdo it, because again, that taste is pretty distinct. Oh. And cookies. Please be sure to make cookies with chopped macadamia nuts.
Are broccoli and cauliflower good for someone following a low histamine diet?
Yes! The great news is that both broccoli and cauliflower are compatible with a low histamine diet. You can do a lot with these, including making them crispy in your air fryer. You could also make a low histamine version of a cream of broccoli soup (this can even be made dairy free).
One of my kids loves when I take cauliflower, roast it, then blend some with dairy free milk and fold into creamy rice dishes. He says it adds so much extra body and smooth texture to the cream sauces, so that’s something else you could try making at home.
Can I eat vegetable soups on a low histamine diet?
Yes, you can eat vegetable soups when following a low histamine diet, however, it’s not as simple as going to the grocery store and purchasing soup. First, it’s important to know that store bought products such as chicken broth and chicken stock usually contain high histamine ingredients. Additionally, many vegetable soups contain beans and legumes, which aren’t considered low histamine ingredients.
More often than not, when making a low histamine vegetable soup, you might find yourself making more creamy soups since it’s a little easier to round out. This cauliflower and potato soup recipe is a great example of a low histamine vegetable soup. This carrot and parsnip soup is another good example (you can also find both of these recipes in my Low Histamine Cookbook).
If you want to create broth based soup recipes, you’ll need to start by making a stock or broth at home that uses low histamine ingredients that are safe from you. Be sure to purchase containers to freeze your extras. Also, plan to make HUGE batches so you always have some to pull from. Once you have that made, look online for cabbage soup recipes. This will be an easy starting point, and cabbage is a fantastic low histamine vegetable for soup making.
The beauty about soups is that they’re SO forgiving. Additionally, you can add a little of this, a little of that, give it all a good stir and simmer, and you’ve got soup. It’s not a complicated dish, and you have the wiggle room to experiment with a wide range of low histamine vegetables.
Is it possible to purchase low histamine salad dressing?
Unfortunately, I don’t think you’ll be able to find one. Even AIP Paleo salad dressing options often contain high histamine ingredients. However! The great news is that you can make a low histamine salad dressing at home using safe-for-you ingredients.
Look online for creamy salad dressing recipes, as non-creamy dressings will usually contain vinegar and other high histamine ingredients. You may need to swap some herbs or spices for low histamine options, but with a little creativity, you can absolutely make a delicious salad dressing at home.
Vinegar note: most vinegar types aren’t considered low histamine. Some people are able to tolerate white vinegar, but this type of ingredient should always be used sparingly.
Which proteins are safe to eat on a low histamine diet?
Low histamine proteins aren’t exactly agreed upon. SIGHI (Swiss Interest Group Histamine Intolerance) has a great resource with high histamine ingredients and low histamine ingredients. However, other institutions and doctors have also published lists that don’t match the SIGHI food list. The reason these conflicts exist is because of the data available to each person/institution that’s putting the list together.
What that means for you: keep a detailed food journal to determine what’s safe for you. A histamine intolerance is a hyper-individualized diagnosis, and no two people are the same. Some people have regular histamine flare-ups, even when following a strict low histamine diet because they haven’t found the right foods for them. Others may respond well to a DAO supplement and some simply don’t. Many people with histamine issues come to quickly learn that not a lot of doctors are super duper helpful, so make sure you learn as much as you can, and be an amazing advocate for yourself.
All of that to say this: generally, the proteins that everyone agrees on are beef, duck, ostrich, and turkey. Chicken is generally well tolerated, but not by all. Fresh fish is tolerated by some, but fresh is key if you want to do a food trial.
Once you have proteins that are safe for you to eat, it’s important that you freeze leftovers to prevent histamine from developing as the meat ages.
What grains can I include on my low histamine diet?
Low histamine grains include amaranth, corn, KAMUT (a special strain of wheat), millet, oats, quinoa, rice, spelt (a special strain of wheat), and wild rice. I’ve also included pseudograins on that list since modern/common wheat isn’t low histamine.
You can do a LOT with these grains and pseudograins, and there are a lot of products such as pasta, that you can still purchase that will be low histamine compliant.
Is there a type of cheese I can eat on a lot histamine diet?
Yes! The good news about cheese is that as long you select the right type, there’s a chance you can include cheese on your diet (assuming you’re not allergic to milk or lactose intolerant).
You’ll want to avoid mold-based cheese such as blue cheese, cheddar cheese, hard cheese, feta cheese, and processed cheese. There are a lot more to avoid, and you can look up a full list online.
For cheese you can trial, you’ll want to try curd cheese, sheep’s milk cheese, mascarpone cheese, mozzarella cheese, and ricotta cheese. Essentially, young/fresh cheese is what you want to stick with. If you do try sheep cheese, make sure it’s not an aged cheese like manchego (basically the sheep version of Parmesan).
Is an Elimination Diet Necessary?
There are several health conditions that benefit from an elimination diet. There’s a lot of reason behind it, so I’ll try to be brief and sum it up for you. In some people, the immune response can be off the charts, and some of their responses look like allergic reactions. The responses can also look like food intolerances. Often times, allergy testing in these patients is inconclusive, and the “easiest” way to find out what may be wrong is to start the patient on an elimination diet.
The thing is, there are lots of different types of elimination diets, and your medical team will help you determine what your diet should look like.
In the case of someone with mast cell activation syndrome, as an example, the excess histamine is one of the root causes of all of the symptoms. Their elimination diet will probably be a four day food rotation in combination with eliminating histamine-rich foods. Their goal would be to have lower histamine levels, along with symptom relief. If they respond positively to the diet, their doctor(s) will continue to advise them on which foods to eliminate etc. to continue to see results.
If we were to look at someone who has a case of Celiac Disease that isn’t improving on a gluten free diet, their doctor may have them do an elimination diet based on FODMAPs. This isn’t uncommon with those who are gluten free, especially if digestive issues aren’t clearing up after following a strict gluten free diet for many months.
I say all of that to say this: sometimes an elimination diet is necessary. It really depends on the individual case. What I can tell you is this: research, research, research. You are your own best advocate, and it’s important that you understand what’s going on with your body. We live in a country with medical freedom, so you can request a test, refuse a treatment, and so on. However, if you don’t know what’s going on and the underlying mechanics, it will be a lot harder for you to advocate for yourself.
