Histamine intolerance food list

What foods should you avoid with histamine intolerance?

Histamine intolerance foods to avoid include aged cheeses, fermented products like sauerkraut and kombucha, cured and processed meats, and alcoholic beverages — especially red wine (1). A smaller group of fresh, plant-origin foods can also contain meaningful amounts of histamine or trigger its release in sensitive individuals; research specifically points to eggplant, spinach, tomato, and avocado as the plant foods most consistently associated with higher histamine levels, though the amount varies a lot depending on ripeness and storage (2).

Common foods to limit or avoid:

• Certain vegetables: tomatoes, spinach, eggplant, mushrooms
• Fermented food: Sauerkraut, yoghurt, kombucha, soy sauce
• Dried fruit
• Cured meats, such as salami and dry sausage, also pork
• Fish
• Aged cheese (1)
• Broth and stock
• Alcohol, especially red wine
• Canned food
• Certain spices, such as cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla

Why do histamine food lists vary so much?

If you’ve compared a few histamine intolerance food lists and noticed they don’t fully agree, that’s normal — a review comparing ten published low-histamine diets found that fermented foods were the only category every single one excluded (3). Around a third of the other excluded foods could be explained by genuinely high histamine content, while others were flagged because of putrescine, a related compound that can interfere with how the DAO enzyme breaks down histamine (3). A separate category — so-called “histamine liberators” like certain fruits — is included in many lists even though they contain little histamine themselves, because they may trigger the body’s own histamine release through a mechanism that isn’t yet fully understood (3). In practice, this means a food list is a helpful starting point, not a strict rulebook — your own tolerance may differ from what’s on any single list.

What are good low-histamine food alternatives?

Incorporating fresh, unprocessed foods can replace high-histamine items. For instance:

• Replace aged cheeses with fresh alternatives like ricotta or cream cheese.
• Swap cured meats with freshly cooked poultry or fish.
• Choose fresh herbs over fermented seasonings like soy sauce.
• Opt for frozen vegetables instead of canned varieties, as they generally have lower histamine levels.

These substitutions help maintain a balanced and enjoyable diet while managing symptoms.

If you suspect a food intolerance but are not yet certain you can contact one of our dietitians for personalized advice. If you’re looking for enzymes to support your situation you can try our supplement advisor below!:

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.