Which Foods Have the Highest Histamines? Your Guide to Dietary Triggers

October 17, 2025 •

5 min read

For those with histamine intolerance, managing symptoms often starts with the pantry. A study found that foods undergoing fermentation, aging, or prolonged storage are significantly higher in histamine due to bacterial activity. Understanding which foods have the highest histamines is the first step toward controlling dietary intake and finding relief.

Quick Summary

This guide identifies the primary foods with high histamine levels, including fermented items, cured meats, and aged cheeses, and explains how storage and processing affect histamine content. Key strategies for managing dietary intake to alleviate sensitivity symptoms are also discussed.

Key Points

Fermented foods contain high histamines: Items like aged cheeses, wine, sauerkraut, and kombucha are notoriously high in histamine due to the fermentation and aging process.
Improperly stored leftovers are a risk: Bacteria multiply in leftover protein-based foods, such as meat and fish, increasing their histamine content over time.
Some foods release your body's histamine: Certain foods, known as liberators (e.g., citrus fruits, strawberries, chocolate), can trigger your body to release its own stored histamine.
DAO enzyme activity is key: Histamine intolerance is often linked to low activity of the DAO enzyme, which breaks down histamine in the body.
Alcohol and other substances inhibit DAO: Alcoholic beverages, certain teas, and some medications can interfere with the function of the histamine-degrading DAO enzyme.
Fresh is best for a low-histamine diet: Opt for fresh, unprocessed ingredients and cook meals immediately to minimize histamine buildup.

What is Histamine and Histamine Intolerance?

Histamine is a natural compound involved in your body's immune response, acting as a key messenger for allergic reactions, stomach acid production, and even brain functions. The body also produces an enzyme called diamine oxidase (DAO), which is primarily responsible for breaking down excess histamine in the gut. For individuals with histamine intolerance, reduced DAO activity or high histamine levels from food and other sources can lead to a buildup of histamine, causing a variety of symptoms. These can include headaches, skin rashes, flushing, digestive upset, and nasal congestion. A low-histamine diet is often used as a way to reduce the total histamine load on the body.

Which Foods Have the Highest Histamines?

Histamine levels in food are largely influenced by bacterial growth, aging, and fermentation. This means the freshest foods tend to be lowest in histamine, while items that have been processed, cured, or stored for long periods are typically the highest. It's also important to note that some foods, known as 'histamine liberators,' can trigger your body's cells to release their own histamine, even if they aren't inherently high in it.

Fermented and Aged Foods

Fermentation, a process that relies on bacteria and yeast, is a major source of dietary histamine. The longer a food ferments or ages, the higher its histamine content often becomes.

Aged Cheeses: Hard, semi-hard, and blue cheeses like parmesan, aged cheddar, and gorgonzola are particularly high in histamine.
Fermented Vegetables: Sauerkraut, kimchi, and pickles contain high levels of histamine due to the fermentation process.
Fermented Soy Products: Items like soy sauce, tempeh, and miso are also high-histamine sources.
Fermented Beverages: Wine (especially red), beer, and kombucha are classic high-histamine culprits, with alcohol also inhibiting the DAO enzyme.

Processed and Cured Meats

Any meat that has been cured, smoked, or aged typically has elevated histamine levels compared to fresh meat. This includes:

Salami, pepperoni, and other dry-fermented sausages.
Bacon and cured hams.
Deli meats and cold cuts.

Fish and Seafood

While fresh fish can be low in histamine, improper handling or storage can cause rapid bacterial growth, leading to a significant increase in histamine levels. This can even cause histamine poisoning (scombroid poisoning) in severe cases.

Canned, smoked, and pickled fish (tuna, anchovies, sardines, herring).
Shellfish and crustaceans.
Fish that is not freshly caught and quickly processed.

Certain Vegetables and Fruits

Although most fresh produce is low in histamine, some specific fruits and vegetables are known to be problematic.

Vegetables: Spinach, tomatoes, and eggplant contain higher levels of histamine or similar biogenic amines.
Fruits: Citrus fruits, strawberries, pineapple, bananas, papaya, and dried fruits can either contain histamine or act as histamine liberators.

Other Notable Triggers

Leftovers: Protein-rich leftovers, especially meat and fish, develop higher histamine levels as they sit in the refrigerator. It is recommended to freeze leftovers quickly if they are not consumed within a day.
Nuts and Seeds: Walnuts, cashews, and peanuts are known to be potential histamine triggers.
Chocolate and Cocoa: These contain histamine and are also histamine-liberating.
Condiments: Vinegar-based products like mayonnaise, ketchup, and salad dressings.

Comparison of High vs. Low Histamine Foods


Food Group	Higher Histamine Options	Lower Histamine Options
Dairy	Aged cheeses (Parmesan, Cheddar), yogurt, sour cream, buttermilk	Fresh cheeses (Mozzarella, Cream cheese), butter, milk substitutes
Meat	Cured/processed meats (salami, bacon), aged meats, pre-packaged mincemeat, leftovers	Freshly cooked meat (beef, chicken), frozen fresh meat
Fish/Seafood	Canned/smoked fish (tuna, sardines), shellfish, crustaceans	Freshly caught or frozen-at-source white fish (trout, cod, pollock)
Vegetables	Tomatoes, spinach, eggplant, avocado	Most other fresh vegetables (broccoli, carrots, celery, potatoes)
Fruits	Citrus fruits, pineapple, strawberries, bananas, dried fruit	Apples, pears, mango, melon, grapes, berries (low histamine berries)
Beverages	Wine, beer, champagne, kombucha, alcohol, black tea	Herbal teas, water, coconut milk, rice milk

The Impact of Histamine Liberators and DAO Inhibitors

Histamine liberators are foods that, while not necessarily high in histamine themselves, can trigger the body's mast cells to release their own internal histamine stores. This can cause symptoms similar to consuming high-histamine foods. Common liberators include citrus fruits, chocolate, nuts, and papaya.

Conversely, certain substances can inhibit the function of the DAO enzyme, making the body less efficient at breaking down dietary histamine. Alcohol, certain teas (black, green, mate), and some medications are known DAO inhibitors. Combining high-histamine foods with DAO inhibitors can significantly increase the risk and severity of symptoms for sensitive individuals.

How to Manage Your Diet

Managing your histamine intake requires a strategic approach to your diet and food preparation. Here are some key steps:

Prioritize Freshness: Always opt for the freshest ingredients possible. When buying meat, fish, or poultry, purchase it fresh and cook it immediately or freeze it for later use.
Mind Your Leftovers: Avoid eating protein-based leftovers that have been in the refrigerator for more than one or two days. To save food safely, cool cooked items quickly before immediately freezing them.
Read Labels Carefully: Be mindful of food additives and preservatives, as some can trigger histamine release. Check ingredient lists for fermented products like vinegar, yeast extracts, or soy sauce.
Explore Low-Histamine Alternatives: Look for low-histamine alternatives for common high-histamine foods. For example, use fresh mozzarella instead of aged cheddar, or swap out vinegar-based dressings for simple olive oil and salt.
Keep a Food Diary: A food and symptom diary can help you identify your personal triggers and tolerance levels. It's a key tool for personalizing a low-histamine diet.

Conclusion: Navigating a Histamine-Conscious Diet

For individuals with histamine intolerance, knowledge is power. Recognizing which foods have the highest histamines—such as fermented goods, aged products, and leftovers—empowers you to make informed dietary choices. By prioritizing fresh, unprocessed foods, minimizing intake of known liberators, and being mindful of proper food storage, you can effectively reduce your body's overall histamine load. However, it is essential to consult with a registered dietitian or healthcare professional before beginning any restrictive diet to ensure it is nutritionally balanced and safe for your specific needs. The journey to a low-histamine lifestyle is personal, but with the right information, it can lead to a significant improvement in your health and well-being. To learn more about histamine intolerance and its effects, consider consulting resources like Allergy UK.

Frequently Asked Questions

Histamine intolerance is a condition caused by a reduced ability to break down histamine in the body, typically due to low levels or reduced activity of the diamine oxidase (DAO) enzyme. This leads to an accumulation of histamine, triggering various allergy-like symptoms.

Most fermented foods, such as aged cheese, wine, beer, and fermented vegetables like sauerkraut, do contain higher levels of histamine because the microbial activity involved in fermentation converts the amino acid histidine into histamine. However, the exact amount can vary based on the specific ingredients, bacteria strains, and aging process.

Leftovers, particularly protein-rich foods like meat and fish, can become high in histamine due to bacterial action during refrigeration. The longer leftovers are stored, the more histamine can be produced, making them a common trigger for sensitive individuals.

It is not recommended, as most alcoholic beverages, especially red wine and beer, contain high levels of histamine. Furthermore, alcohol is a known inhibitor of the DAO enzyme, further reducing your body's ability to break down any histamine present.

Freezing can effectively slow down the formation of histamine in leftovers. The best practice is to cool cooked food rapidly and freeze it immediately after cooking to minimize bacterial action and histamine buildup.

No, sensitivity to histamine is individual, and the dose-dependent response varies from person to person. Some people have a higher tolerance for histamine than others, and even an individual's tolerance can fluctuate based on factors like stress, medication, and overall health.

High-histamine foods contain histamine directly as a result of aging or processing, whereas histamine liberators are foods that cause the body's own mast cells to release histamine. Examples of liberators include citrus fruits, strawberries, and chocolate.