Which food is good for angioedema? A guide to dietary management

October 5, 2025 •

4 min read

According to one study, up to 36% of hereditary angioedema (HAE) attacks may be triggered by food. Knowing which food is good for angioedema is a crucial step in managing symptoms and can significantly reduce the frequency and severity of swelling episodes, regardless of the underlying cause.

Quick Summary

Managing angioedema through diet involves identifying personal trigger foods and focusing on low-histamine, anti-inflammatory options. The best dietary approach can vary depending on the angioedema type, emphasizing fresh ingredients, lean proteins, and avoiding fermented or processed items.

Key Points

Histamine Management: A low-histamine diet can help manage allergic angioedema by reducing the body’s overall histamine load.
Anti-Inflammatory Focus: A balanced, anti-inflammatory diet, such as the Mediterranean style, supports overall health for hereditary angioedema (HAE) patients.
Identify Individual Triggers: Food triggers are highly personal, especially in non-allergic angioedema, and can even include typically healthy items like strawberries or tomatoes.
Supportive Foods During Attacks: During abdominal swelling, bland and easy-to-digest foods like broths, plain rice, and bananas are best to minimize digestive distress.
Avoid Aged and Fermented Foods: High-histamine foods like aged cheeses, fermented items, and cured meats should be avoided on a low-histamine diet.
Seek Professional Guidance: An elimination diet should only be undertaken with medical supervision to correctly identify triggers and prevent nutritional deficiencies.

Understanding the role of diet in angioedema

Angioedema, characterized by deep-layer skin swelling, can result from various causes, including allergic reactions, certain medications, and genetic conditions like hereditary angioedema (HAE). Diet's impact differs across these types, but a consistent theme is managing inflammation and identifying individual triggers. While a specific food may be generally considered anti-inflammatory, it could still be a personal trigger for some individuals. Therefore, dietary management requires a personalized approach, often guided by a healthcare professional or dietitian.

Low-histamine foods for allergic angioedema

For angioedema caused by allergic reactions, the body releases histamine, leading to swelling. A low-histamine diet can help by reducing the body's overall histamine load. The best strategy is to focus on fresh, unprocessed ingredients. This approach often involves avoiding foods with high histamine content or those that prompt histamine release.

Foods to include on a low-histamine diet:

Fresh meat and poultry: Choose fresh, high-quality sources like beef, chicken, or turkey.
Fresh fish: Opt for fish that is fresh or flash-frozen, such as cod, salmon, and trout. Avoid canned, smoked, or salted fish.
Eggs: Eggs are generally well-tolerated and can be a good protein source.
Most vegetables: The majority of fresh vegetables are low in histamine. Good choices include cucumber, radish, lettuce, broccoli, and carrots.
Non-citrus fruits: Focus on fruits like apples, blueberries, cantaloupe, and pears. Avoid citrus fruits, strawberries, and pineapples.
Whole grains: Quinoa, millet, and rice are safe grain options.
Herbal teas: Caffeine-free herbal teas can be a soothing beverage.
Olive oil: Healthy fats like olive oil are generally considered safe.

Anti-inflammatory and balanced diets for hereditary angioedema

In HAE, food-related triggers are not driven by classic allergic reactions but potentially by food intolerances or other mechanisms. A broader anti-inflammatory diet, like the Mediterranean diet, is often recommended for overall health and may help manage symptoms by reducing systemic inflammation.

Foods for an anti-inflammatory diet:

Fatty fish: Salmon and other oily fish provide anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids.
Whole grains: Beans, lentils, and other whole grains are rich in fiber, which supports a healthy gut.
Nuts and seeds: Almonds, nuts, and seeds offer healthy fats and nutrients.
Lean protein: Opt for lean sources like chicken and turkey.
Leafy greens and vegetables: Dark green vegetables and other fresh produce are nutrient-dense and anti-inflammatory.
Healthy fats: Olive oil and avocados provide healthy fats that help reduce inflammation.

The role of quercetin and other nutrients

Quercetin is a natural flavonoid with anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic properties that may help inhibit histamine release.

Foods rich in quercetin:

Onions and shallots: These are among the richest dietary sources of quercetin, though some HAE patients report onions as a trigger.
Apples: A common and delicious source of this flavonoid.
Berries: Strawberries, blueberries, and cranberries contain quercetin, but some patients with angioedema report berries as a trigger.
Green tea: A significant source of flavonoids and other antioxidants.

Comparison of angioedema dietary approaches


Feature	Low-Histamine Diet (for Allergic Angioedema)	Anti-Inflammatory Diet (for HAE/General Health)
Primary Goal	Reduce body's histamine load to prevent allergic reactions.	Reduce systemic inflammation to manage overall health and potentially lower attack frequency.
Typical Proteins	Fresh meat, chicken, and select fish (e.g., cod, salmon).	Lean proteins like chicken, turkey, and fatty fish (omega-3s).
Produce	Most fresh vegetables; non-citrus fruits.	Plenty of fruits and vegetables, including leafy greens.
Foods to Avoid	Aged cheese, fermented foods, cured meats, spinach, tomatoes, citrus, alcohol.	Individual triggers, potentially acidic or spicy foods; fermented foods (which are often high in histamine anyway).
Key Takeaway	Focus on freshness and avoid histamine-rich/releasing foods.	Promote overall health and reduce inflammation through a balanced diet.

Bland foods for managing acute abdominal attacks

For patients, particularly those with HAE, abdominal swelling can cause pain, nausea, and vomiting. During such attacks, solid food may be difficult to tolerate. Sticking to bland, easy-to-digest options can prevent further discomfort.

Foods and drinks during an attack:

Clear broths
Plain rice
Bananas
Electrolyte drinks
Toast
Plain oatmeal

The importance of a guided elimination diet

Since trigger foods are highly individual, working with a dietitian on an elimination diet is one of the most effective ways to pinpoint specific sensitivities. This process involves systematically removing potential trigger foods and reintroducing them to observe the body's reaction. This method can help create a personalized, safe dietary plan. It is crucial not to perform an elimination diet without medical supervision, as nutritional deficiencies can occur. For more information on complementary medicine approaches, you can refer to resources like this Angioedema - AntiCoagulation Europe.

Conclusion: A personalized approach is key

Navigating which food is good for angioedema is less about a single cure-all diet and more about a personalized, evidence-based strategy. For allergic angioedema, a low-histamine diet focusing on freshness and unprocessed foods is often beneficial. For HAE, a broader anti-inflammatory diet that avoids individual triggers is recommended, with a particular focus on bland, easy-to-digest foods during abdominal attacks. In all cases, collaborating with a healthcare professional or dietitian to identify specific triggers through methods like an elimination diet is the most reliable path to managing angioedema with nutrition. Remember that staying hydrated and maintaining a generally healthy diet contribute to overall well-being and can help mitigate symptoms.

Frequently Asked Questions

No, diet is a management tool, not a cure for angioedema. While adjusting your diet can help reduce the frequency and severity of swelling episodes, especially by avoiding trigger foods, it does not address the underlying cause of the condition.

Foods high in histamine or those that can release it include aged cheeses, cured or processed meats (salami, bacon), fermented foods (sauerkraut, kombucha), spinach, tomatoes, citrus fruits, and alcohol.

Yes, an anti-inflammatory diet, such as the Mediterranean style, can support general health and may help manage symptoms by reducing systemic inflammation, which is beneficial for many forms of angioedema.

The most effective way to identify specific food triggers is by working with a dietitian on a medically supervised elimination diet. This process involves removing potential trigger foods and reintroducing them systematically to track your body's response.

During an abdominal attack, stick to bland, easy-to-digest foods and fluids to avoid irritating your digestive system. Good options include clear broths, plain rice, bananas, and electrolyte drinks.

You should not start an elimination diet, including a low-histamine diet, without medical guidance. A dietitian can ensure you maintain proper nutrition and help you correctly identify trigger foods without unnecessary restrictions.

Yes. In non-allergic types, like hereditary angioedema (HAE), certain foods can trigger attacks through non-IgE mediated intolerance reactions. Examples reported by patients include tomatoes, garlic, and citrus fruits.