10 keys to reduce histamine and inflammation in the body

When eating we seek to obtain energy, well-being and pleasure. However, the foods we are drawn to often have a dark side. Some are related, for example, to a excessive presence of histamine in the tissues.

What is histamine?

Histamine is a compound that the body produces and stores in mast cells, cells that are activated in inflammatory and allergic processes. It is present in practically all the tissues of the body and fulfills necessary functions.

In case of injury, allergy or inflammation, the body releases the histamine accumulated in the mast cells as part of the body’s immune response, producing effects such as the contraction of the smooth muscle tissues of the lungs, uterus and stomach, the dilation of blood vessels, the stimulation of gastric juices or the acceleration of the heartbeat. Besides participates in immunity, the sleep-wake cycle and appetite.

Do you have an excess of histamine in the body?

Histamine performs basic functions And it’s not always “bad.” Only gives problems if there is an excess or intolerance to histamine. These are some of the reasons why you may have excess histamine or be sensitive to the consumption of foods with histamine.

Foods with histamine or that favor it. Indeed, some food contain histamine, which appears when the amino acid histidine is broken down. In turn, there are other foods that, without being rich in histamine, favor its release from mast cells.DAO deficiency. Histamine absorbed in digestion is usually eliminated through the intestine thanks to the digestive enzyme diamine oxidase (DAO), but some people don’t get rid of enough. It is not an allergy, although sometimes they are confused.
If you suffer a DAO deficiency, the enzyme responsible for removing histamine, you are more likely to exceed the tolerable amount of histamine in the body. The deficiency can be caused by genetic predisposition or by inflammatory processes.Histamine intolerance. When in doubt, an analysis of IgE immunoglobulin levels should be carried out to rule out an allergy.

High Histamine Symptoms

The symptoms of excess histamine They are very varied: they range from cramps and other digestive discomforts to itching, shortness of breath or runny nose. Some people get red cheeks when drinking red wine due to vasodilation caused by histamine. In others it is the reason for their headaches.

When discomfort appears immediately after eating food, we can suspect that they are due to excess histamine.

If you go without any source of histamine for four weeks and experience a disappearance of the symptoms you were suffering from, it is very likely that the cause of the problem is a histamine intolerance.

10 keys to control histamine

To eliminate histamine and avoid excess in the body, certain dietary guidelines should be taken into account.

1. Low histamine foods that you can take

Cereals, potatoes, vegetables, most fruits, vegetable oils or spices and aromatic plants are almost free of histamines.

As a general rule, the fresh food they also contain less histamine than if they have been frozen, processed or reheated. In this e-book, Healthy lunches and dinners: 100 vegetarian recipesyou have 100 ideas recipes for healthy vegetable lunches and dinners based on fresh foods.

2. Attention to pre-cooked foods, foods with more histamine

Are the main sources of histamine in the conventional diet. These foods overload the body with additives and histamine. This is found in excess in meat products, such as sausages (280 mg per kilo in salami). It is also abundant in canned fish (300 mg in smoked mackerel), aged cheeses (especially near the rind), and red wine.

3. Foods rich in histamine of plant origin

Most fresh fruits and vegetables do not provide enough histamine to cause symptoms. However, some favor its production. It is the case of the strawberry, hence sometimes generates hives. The fermented –like sauerkraut or tempeh– are rich in histamine.

4. Foods with amines

In vulnerable people a excess of certain foods with other amines May reduce histamine clearance. Among them, citrus (rich in tyramine), plum (octopamine), ripe banana (tyrosine) or chocolate (phenylethylamine). It is advisable to limit its consumption.

5. Be careful with allergies and some habits

The histamine release It is part of any allergic process. It can also be increased by the imbalance between different populations of intestinal bacteria or by smoking.

6. It is important to drink frequently

Histamine concentration in tissues increases when they are poorly hydrated. Water needs vary depending on the type of diet, constitution, habits and climate, but in general it is recommended to take a minimum of eight glasses of water daily.

7. Nutrients that help you control and eliminate histamine

You should pay special attention to some nutrients, which should be abundant in your diet:

The vitamin C stops the release of histamine and favors the effect of the enzyme that eliminates it. vitamin B6 helps the enzyme to be effective. It is found, for example, in foods such as potatoes, peppers and pistachios. quercetin it is present in the onion and its relatives, and inhibits the release of histamine.

8. The less reheated, the better

It is preferable to eat freshly prepared food. This is true for fruits and vegetables as well as for everything else. When a food is reheated for the third time, it contains significantly more histamine than the first time it was prepared.

9. Expendable additives

Preservatives are normally added to products that are abundant in histamine. Other additives that should be avoided are flavor enhancers (from E-620 to E-625), such as monosodium glutamate, since they slow down the elimination of histamine.

10. Avoid excesses

Moderate the consumption of alcoholic beveragesof wine vinegarof canned vegetables and fruits (such as sauerkraut, spinach, cucumbers, pineapple, raspberries), and produce soybean-based fermented.

The light pastry it has more yeast and therefore also more histamine.