Most people cut these first
If you only change a handful of things this week, start here. Aged, fermented, cured, canned and leftover foods carry the most histamine.
- Leftover meat
- Tuna (canned)
- Salami
- Prosciutto
- Cheddar (aged)
- Parmesan
- Yogurt
- Kefir
- Sauerkraut
- Soy sauce
- Miso
- Vinegar
- Tomato (fresh)
- Spinach
- Eggplant
- Avocado
- Strawberries
- Orange
- Pineapple
- Chocolate (dark)
- Red wine
- Beer
- Kombucha
Safe staples to build meals around
Plain, fresh, simply cooked. Most people do fine eating these the day they're made.
- Chicken
- Beef
- Lamb
- Salmon
- Eggs
- Milk
- Butter
- Fresh mozzarella
- Ricotta
- Basmati rice
- Oats
- Quinoa
- Potato
- Sweet potato
- Carrot
- Zucchini
- Broccoli
- Cucumber
- Blueberries
- Pear
- Peach
- Grapes
- Macadamia nuts
- Pumpkin seeds
- Olive oil
The "it depends" pile
Fine for some people, a problem for others. Try one at a time, in a small portion, once you've settled.
- Banana
- Kiwi
- Mango
- Peanuts
- Almonds
- Cashews
- Chickpeas
- Lentils
- Cream cheese
- Chocolate (milk)
Four things that matter more than any list
- Fresh beats everything. Histamine builds up as food sits. The same chicken is low on day one and high on day three. Cook, eat, and freeze what's left right away instead of keeping it in the fridge.
- Some foods release histamine instead of containing it. These are called liberators. Strawberries, citrus and tomatoes are the famous ones. They're marked with an L below.
- A few things block the enzyme that clears histamine. That enzyme is DAO. Alcohol and black, green and mate tea are the big ones, marked D.
- Your list will end up shorter than this one. Most people react to some amber foods and not others. Cut the red ones for a few weeks, then bring amber foods back one at a time and notice what happens.
Usually fine
Depends on you
Most people avoid
L histamine liberator
D DAO blocker
Vegetables 133
Usually fine
- Acorn squash
- Artichoke
- Arugula
- Asparagus
- Baked potato
- Bamboo shoots (canned)
- Bean sprouts
- Beet
- Beetroot
- Bell pepper
- Bok choy
- Borage
- Breadfruit
- Broccoli
- Broccolini
- Brussels sprouts
- Butterhead lettuce
- Butternut squash
- Cabbage
- Cactus
- Carrot
- Cassava
- Cauliflower
- Celery
- Celery root
- Chanterelles
- Chard
- Chayote
- Chicory
- Chinese broccoli
- Chinese cabbage
- Chinese cabbage (Napa)
- Collard greens
- Corn
- Corn salad
- Cucumber
- Daikon
- Dandelion greens
- Enoki mushrooms
- Escarole
- Fennel
- Frisee lettuce
- Garden cress
- Garlic
- Green beans
- Green onions
- Iceberg lettuce
- Jerusalem artichoke
- Jicama
- Kale
- King trumpet mushroom
- Kohlrabi
- Leek
- Lettuce
- Lotus root
- Mesclun
- Mixed lettuce
- Mixed vegetables
- Mizuna
- Morels
- Mustard greens
- Napa cabbage
- Okra
- Onion
- Oyster mushroom
- Pak choi
- Parsnip
- Peas
- Perilla
- Potato
- Potato dumplings
- Potato pancake
- Purslane
- Radicchio
- Radish
- Red cabbage
- Red radish
- Romaine lettuce
- Rutabaga
- Savoy cabbage
- Scallions
- Shallot
- Spaghetti squash
- Squash
- Sugar snap pea
- Sweet corn
- Sweet potato
- Sweet potato fries
- Taro
- Turnip
- Water chestnut
- Water spinach
- Watercress
- Wax gourd
- White radish
- White turnip
- Winter squash
- Yam
- Zucchini
Depends on you
- Alfalfa sprouts
- Chili pepper L
- Fried onions
- Horseradish
- Kelp/Seaweed
- Mung bean sprouts
- Mushrooms
- Mushrooms (canned)
- Olives (pickled)
- Porcini
- Pumpkin
- Shiitake
- Spring onions
- Tomatillo
- Tomato (green)
Most people avoid
- Avocado L
- Capers
- Cherry tomato L
- Chili pepper (pickled) L
- Eggplant L
- Kimchi
- Mixed pickles
- Olives
- Pickled cucumber
- Pickled vegetables
- Pickles
- Sauerkraut
- Seaweed
- Spinach
- Sun-dried tomato L
- Tomato (canned) L
- Tomato (fresh) L
- Tomato paste L
- Tomato sauce L
Fruits 89
Usually fine
- Apple
- Apricot
- Aronia berries
- Blackberries
- Blueberries
- Cantaloupe
- Cherry
- Coconut
- Currants
- Dragon fruit
- Fig
- Fresh fruit
- Galia melon
- Gooseberry
- Grapes
- Groundcherries
- Guava
- Honeydew
- Jackfruit
- Jujube
- Lingonberry
- Litchi
- Longans
- Loquat
- Lychee
- Mulberries
- Nashi pear
- Nectarine
- Peach
- Pear
- Persimmon
- Plantain
- Pomegranate
- Prickly pear
- Quince
- Rambutan
- Rhubarb
- Soursop
- Starfruit
- Watermelon
Depends on you
- Açaí
- Apple (dried)
- Aronia berry (dried)
- Banana L
- Banana (ripe) L
- Banana chips
- Black currants
- Cranberries
- Durian
- Elderberries
- Kiwi L
- Kumquat L
- Mango L
- Passionfruit L
- Pear (canned)
- Plum
- Plum (stewed)
- Pomelo L
- Raspberries L
- Red currants
- Rose hip
- Sea buckthorn berries
- White currants
Most people avoid
- Apricot (canned)
- Apricot (dried)
- Blood orange L
- Clementine L
- Cranberry (dried)
- Date (dried)
- Fig (dried)
- Fruit salad (canned)
- Grapefruit L
- Lemon L
- Lime L
- Maraschino cherries
- Orange L
- Overripe banana L
- Overripe fruits
- Papaya L
- Peach (canned)
- Peach (dried)
- Pineapple L
- Pineapple (canned) L
- Prune
- Raisins
- Strawberries L
- Strawberry (dried) L
- Sultana
- Tangerine L
Proteins 107
Usually fine
- Antelope
- Beef
- Bison
- Chicken
- Chicken (breaded)
- Chicken eggs
- Duck
- Duck eggs
- Egg substitute L
- Egg white L
- Egg yolk
- Eggs
- Eggs (hard-boiled)
- Eggs (whole, cooked)
- Elk
- Fried egg
- Frog legs
- Game meats
- Goat
- Goose
- Goose egg
- Guinea hen
- Kangaroo
- Lamb
- Llama
- Mutton
- Ostrich
- Pea protein powder
- Pheasant
- Pork
- Pork (breaded)
- Quail
- Quail eggs
- Rabbit
- Tofu (fresh)
- Tofu (silken)
- Turkey
- Turkey egg
- Veal
- Veal (breaded)
- Venison
- Wild boar
- Wild rabbit
Depends on you
- Beef (ground)
- Beef heart
- Beef liver
- Beef tongue
- Bratwurst
- Chicken (ground)
- Chicken gizzard
- Chicken hearts
- Chicken liver
- Duck liver
- Frankfurter
- Goose liver
- Ground meat (cook same day)
- Ground meat (mixed)
- Ground meat (vegan)
- Lamb (ground)
- Lamb liver
- Meat substitute (lupin)
- Meats (canned)
- Pork (ground)
- Pork liver
- Pork sausage
- Protein powder
- Pulled pork
- Seitan
- Spareribs
- Sweetbread
- Turkey (ground)
- Turkey gizzard
- Turkey heart
- Turkey liver
- Veal kidney
- Veal liver
Most people avoid
- Bacon
- Blood sausage
- Bologna
- Chorizo
- Corned beef
- Deli slices (vegan)
- Dry-aged beef
- Ham (cured)
- Headcheese
- Hot dogs
- Jerky
- Leftover meat
- Liverwurst
- Luncheon meats
- Meat extract
- Mortadella
- Nuggets (vegan)
- Organ meats (liver, kidney)
- Pâté
- Pepperoni
- Pork (dry-cured belly)
- Prosciutto
- Roast beef (sliced)
- Salami
- Sausages
- Smoked meats
- Textured soy protein
- Tofu (smoked)
- Turkey bacon
- Turkey breast (sliced)
- Vienna sausages
Fish & Seafood 70
Usually fine
- Bass
- Carp
- Catfish
- Cod
- Grouper
- Haddock
- Haddock (battered)
- Hake
- Halibut
- Lemon sole
- Monkfish
- Perch
- Plaice
- Plaice (battered)
- Pollock
- Porgies
- Red snapper
- Salmon
- Smelt
- Sole
- Sturgeon
- Tilapia
- Trout
- Turbot
- Walleye
- Whitefish
- Whiting
Depends on you
- Catfish (farmed)
- Crayfish L
- Eel
- Salmon (vegan)
- Sardines
- Swordfish
- Trout (smoked)
- Tuna (frozen)
- Tuna (vegan)
Most people avoid
- Anchovy
- Anchovy (canned)
- Atlantic herring (kippered)
- Blue mussels
- Calamari
- Caviar
- Clams
- Crab
- Dogfish (smoked)
- Fish sticks
- Herring
- Herring (in tomato sauce)
- Lobster
- Mackerel
- Mackerel (canned)
- Mackerel (smoked)
- Mussels
- Octopus
- Oysters
- Pickled herring
- Prawns
- Salmon (canned)
- Salmon (smoked)
- Sardines (canned)
- Sardines (smoked)
- Scallops
- Seafood (mixed)
- Shrimp
- Shrimp (breaded)
- Smoked fish
- Smoked salmon (lox)
- Squid
- Tuna
- Tuna (canned)
Dairy 71
Usually fine
- A2 milk
- Buffalo mozzarella
- Butter
- Coffee cream
- Cream
- Double cream
- Fresh goat cheese
- Fresh milk
- Fresh mozzarella
- Ghee
- Goat milk
- Light cream
- Mascarpone
- Milk
- Milk (lactose-free)
- Mozzarella
- Paneer
- Quark
- Ricotta
- Sheep milk
- Sweet whey
- Whey
- Whipping cream
Depends on you
- Cashew cheese (vegan)
- Coconut cheese (vegan)
- Coconut yoghurt
- Cottage cheese
- Cream cheese
- Cream substitute (soy)
- Crème fraîche
- Evaporated milk
- Feta
- Halloumi
- Mexican cheese
- Powdered milk
- Processed cheese
- Skyr
- Sliced cheese
- Soft cheeses (varies)
- Soured milk
- Soy cheese
- Soy yogurt
- Whey powder
- Young Gouda
Most people avoid
- Blue cheese
- Brie
- Buttermilk
- Camembert
- Cheddar (aged)
- Cheshire cheese
- Edam
- Emmental
- Feta (aged)
- Fontina
- Goat cheese (aged)
- Gorgonzola
- Gouda (aged)
- Grana Padano
- Gruyere
- Hard cheese (aged)
- Kefir
- Limburger cheese
- Manchego
- Parmesan
- Provolone
- Raclette
- Roquefort
- Sheep cheese (aged)
- Sour cream
- Swiss cheese
- Yogurt
Grains & Starches 124
Usually fine
- Amaranth
- Arepa
- Arrowroot
- Arrowroot flour
- Baguette
- Basmati rice
- Bread
- Bread crumbs
- Bread dumplings
- Bread roll
- Brown rice
- Brown rice pasta
- Buckwheat
- Buckwheat flour
- Buckwheat noodles (soba)
- Bulgur
- Cassava flour
- Chickpea flour
- Cloud bread
- Coconut flour
- Corn bran
- Corn cakes
- Corn flakes
- Corn pasta
- Corn tortillas
- Cornmeal
- Cornstarch
- Couscous
- Crackers (wheat)
- Dough sheets
- Filo dough
- Flat bread
- Flax seed flour
- Flour tortillas
- French toast
- Gluten-free bread
- Glutinous rice
- Graham bread
- Green banana flour
- Grits
- Hi-maize resistant starch
- Jasmine rice
- Kamut
- Millet
- Millet flakes
- Millet flour
- Miracle noodles
- Miracle rice
- Mixed flour (gluten-free)
- Multigrain bread (gluten-free)
- Multigrain flakes
- Mung bean vermicelli
- Oat flour
- Oatmeal
- Oatmeal bread (gluten-free)
- Oatmeal porridge
- Oats
- Papadums
- Parboiled rice
- Pasta
- Pasta (egg)
- Pasta (wheat)
- Polenta
- Puff pastry
- Puffed wheat
- Quinoa
- Rice bran
- Rice cakes
- Rice crackers
- Rice flakes
- Rice flour
- Rice noodles
- Rice paper wrapper
- Sago
- Semolina
- Sorghum
- Sorghum flour
- Spaghetti
- Spelt bread
- Spelt flakes
- Spelt flour
- Spelt pasta
- Sushi rice
- Sweet lupin flour
- Taco shells
- Tapioca
- Teff
- Thai red rice
- Toast
- Wheat
- Wheat bran
- Wheat flakes
- Wheat flour
- Wheat gluten
- Wheat starch (gluten-free)
- White bread
- White rice
- Whole wheat bread
- Whole wheat pasta
- Wild rice
Depends on you
- Bagel
- Barley
- Barley flakes
- Brioche
- Chickpea pasta
- Crisp bread (rye)
- Croissant
- Focaccia
- Lentil pasta
- Muesli
- Naan
- Oat bran
- Protein bread
- Ravioli
- Rye
- Rye bread
- Rye flakes
- Rye flour
- Spinach pasta
- Tortellini
- Wheat bran flakes
Most people avoid
- Pumpernickel
- Sourdough bread
- Soybean pasta
Legumes 17
Usually fine
- Adzuki beans
- Edamame
- Green split peas
- Split peas
- Sweet lupin beans
- Yellow split peas
Depends on you
- Black beans
- Broad beans
- Chickpeas
- Kidney beans
- Lentils
- Lentils (canned)
- Lima beans
- Navy beans
- Pinto beans
Most people avoid
- Baked beans L
- Soybeans L
Nuts & Seeds 26
Usually fine
- Brazil nuts
- Chestnuts
- Chia seeds
- Flax seeds
- Hemp seeds
- Lotus seeds
- Macadamia nuts
- Pecans
- Pistachios
- Poppy seeds
- Psyllium husks
- Pumpkin seed butter
- Pumpkin seeds
- Sesame seeds
- Tiger nuts
Depends on you
- Almond butter
- Almonds
- Cashews L
- Hazelnuts L
- Peanut butter L
- Peanut puffs
- Peanuts L
- Pine nuts
- Sunflower seed butter
- Sunflower seeds
Most people avoid
- Walnuts L
Fats & Oils 41
Usually fine
- Algae oil
- Almond oil
- Argan oil
- Avocado oil
- Avocado oil (refined)
- Camelina oil
- Clarified butter
- Cocoa butter
- Coconut oil
- Corn oil
- Cottonseed oil
- Flaxseed oil
- Grape seed oil
- Hemp seed oil
- Lard
- Macadamia oil
- MCT oil
- Olive oil
- Palm kernel fat
- Palm oil
- Perilla oil
- Poppyseed oil
- Pumpkin seed oil
- Rapeseed oil
- Rice bran oil
- Safflower oil
- Sesame oil
- Shea butter
- Sunflower oil
- Sunflower oil (high oleic)
- Tallow
- Vegetable fats
Depends on you
- Goose fat
- Margarine
- Peanut oil
- Soybean lecithin
- Soybean oil
- Walnut oil
- Wheat germ oil
Most people avoid
- Cod liver oil
- Fish oil
Seasonings 53
Usually fine
- Basil
- Bay leaf
- Black pepper
- Caraway
- Cardamom
- Chives
- Cilantro
- Coriander
- Coriander seeds
- Curry leaves
- Dill
- Fennel seeds
- Fenugreek
- Ginger
- Juniper berries
- Lemon balm
- Lemon peel
- Lemongrass
- Marjoram
- Mint
- Mixed herbs
- Orange peel
- Oregano
- Parsley
- Pink peppercorns
- Rosemary
- Saffron
- Sage
- Salt
- Sorrel
- Spearmint
- Tarragon
- Thyme
- Turmeric
- White pepper
Depends on you
- Allspice
- Anise
- Cayenne
- Chili powder L
- Cinnamon L
- Cloves L
- Cumin
- Curry powder
- Garlic powder
- Ginger (dried)
- Licorice L
- Mustard seeds
- Nutmeg
- Onion powder
- Paprika
Most people avoid
- Curry L
- Garam masala L
- Tamarind L
Condiments & Sauces 44
Usually fine
- Distilled vinegar
- Tahini
Depends on you
- Apple cider vinegar
- Gravy
- Horseradish sauce
- Jam
- Liquid smoke
- Marmalade L
- Mayonnaise (vegan)
- Mustard (sweet)
- Plum butter
- Rice vinegar
- Salad dressing
- Tzatziki
- Wasabi
Most people avoid
- Barbecue (BBQ) sauce
- Bolognese sauce L
- Cocktail sauce L
- Curry paste L
- Fish sauce
- Ginger root (pickled)
- Hollandaise sauce
- Hot chili sauce L
- Hot sauce
- Ketchup
- Malt vinegar
- Mayonnaise
- Miso
- Mustard
- Pesto
- Ranch dressing
- Relish
- Salsa
- Soy sauce
- Sweet chili sauce L
- Tabasco sauce
- Tamari
- Teriyaki sauce
- Tomato salsa L
- Vinegar
- Vinegar (balsamic)
- Vinegar (red wine)
- Vinegar (white wine)
- Worcestershire sauce
Snacks & Sweets 48
Usually fine
- Apple pie
- Chewing gum (sugar-free)
- Cough drops
- Cream cake
- Doughnut
- Jelly beans
- Marshmallows
- Meringue L
- Muffin
- Pancakes
- Popcorn
- Popsicle
- Potato chips
- Pretzels (soft)
- Pudding
- Shortbread
- Soda crackers
- Sorbet
- Sponge cake
- Sugar cookies
- Tortilla chips
- Vanilla pudding
- Vanilla sauce
- Waffles
Depends on you
- Almond biscuits
- Apple strudel
- Baklava
- Banana bread
- Candied citron peel
- Cheese crackers
- Chocolate (milk) L
- Chocolate (white)
- Danish pastry
- Dulce de leche
- Fruit gummies
- Gingerbread
- Granola bars
- Ice cream
- Marzipan
- Nut cake
- Oatmeal cookies
Most people avoid
- Chocolate (dark) L
- Chocolate brownie L
- Chocolate cookies L
- Fruitcake
- Nougat
- Pralines L
- Tiramisu
Beverages 82
Usually fine
- Almond milk
- Apple juice
- Cappuccino
- Carrot juice
- Chamomile tea
- Coconut milk
- Coconut water
- Coffee
- Coffee (decaffeinated)
- Coffee substitute
- Cola
- Dandelion root tea
- Energy drinks
- Espresso
- Fruit tea
- Ginger ale
- Ginger tea
- Green smoothie
- Hemp drink
- Hemp milk
- Herbal teas (most)
- Iced coffee
- Macadamia drink
- Mango nectar
- Mineral water
- Nettle tea
- Oat milk
- Peach nectar
- Pear juice
- Pear nectar
- Peppermint tea
- Quinoa drink
- Rice milk
- Rooibos tea
- Soda water (club soda)
- Sparkling water
- Tap water
- Vegetable juice
- Water
- Wheat grass juice
Depends on you
- Acerola juice
- Apricot juice
- Aronia berry juice
- Bitter lemon
- Black tea D
- Bubble tea D
- Cashew drink
- Cashew milk
- Chai latte D
- Cherry juice
- Cranberry juice
- Currant juice
- Grape juice
- Grapefruit juice L
- Green tea D
- Guava nectar
- Hazelnut drink
- Iced tea D
- Mango lassi
- Matcha D
- Mate tea D
- Milkshake
- Oolong tea D
- Orange juice L
- Passion fruit juice L
- Pea drink
- Pineapple juice L
- Prune juice
- Root beer
- Smoothie
- Soft drinks
- Soy milk L
- White tea D
Most people avoid
- Beer (alcohol-free)
- Beet juice (fermented)
- Cabbage juice (fermented)
- Eggnog
- Hot chocolate L
- Kombucha
- Lemonade L
- Tomato juice L
- Tonic water
Alcoholic Beverages 30
Most people avoid
- Beer D
- Bitter liqueur D
- Brandy D
- Cachaca D
- Champagne D
- Cider (alcoholic) D
- Cider (dry) D
- Cocktails D
- Cognac D
- Cream liqueur D
- Dessert wine D
- Gin D
- Guinness D
- Malt beer D
- Ouzo D
- Port wine D
- Red wine D
- Rosé wine D
- Rum D
- Sake D
- Sambuca D
- Sherry D
- Sparkling wine D
- Tequila D
- Vermouth D
- Vodka D
- Wheat beer D
- Whiskey D
- White wine D
- Young wine D
Stocks & Broths 5
Usually fine
- Chicken broth (fresh homemade)
Most people avoid
- Beef stock
- Chicken stock
- Fish stock
- Vegetable stock
Nothing matches that yet. Try a simpler word, like "cheese" instead of "brie cheese".
Why histamine food lists disagree
If you've looked at more than one list, you've seen tomatoes marked safe on one and red on another, and eggs everywhere in between. Nobody is lying. The lists measure different things.
Some lists only count how much histamine a food contains. Others also count foods that make your body release its own histamine, or foods that slow down how fast you clear it. Lab numbers also swing a lot with freshness, ripeness and storage, so two honest tests of the same food can land far apart.
This list leans cautious where the major lists split, then marks liberators and DAO blockers separately so you can see why something landed where it did.
Questions people ask first
Are eggs low histamine?
Cooked eggs are usually fine and sit in green here. Some older lists flag raw egg white as a liberator, which is why eggs show up on "avoid" lists you might find elsewhere.
Can I still drink coffee?
Coffee is green on this list and most people keep it. Black and green tea are a different story, because they can slow the enzyme that clears histamine.
Why are tomatoes and spinach red if they're fresh vegetables?
Freshness doesn't help with these two. They're naturally high, and tomatoes are also a liberator.
Is salmon OK?
Fresh or frozen-at-sea salmon cooked the same day, yes. Smoked, canned or day-old salmon, no. Fish is where freshness matters most.
How long do I stay on this?
Most people use the strict version for two to four weeks, then add foods back one at a time. The goal is your own shorter list, not this whole one forever.
Where this list comes from
Each food's rating is based on the major published histamine lists, including SIGHI (the Swiss Interest Group Histamine Intolerance), Histamine Intolerance UK, Mast Cell 360 and the research behind them, then checked against years of living with histamine intolerance. Where those sources disagree, the rating leans cautious.
Everyone's tolerance is different. This is a starting point to talk through with your doctor or dietitian, not medical advice.