What to Eat on a Low Histamine Diet

 

How to do a Low Histamine Diet for Histamine Intolerance and Mast Cell Activation Syndrome Part 2: What to Eat

LOW HISTAMINE / LOW HISTAMINE DIET / MCAS EDUCATION / MCAS ROOT CAUSES / RECIPES

There are so many nutritious and flavorful foods you can eat. It is easy to feel deprived if you just focus on the foods you can’t have. This is a sure road to feeling angry, resentful, and depressed. They key is to think about how much eating fresh, nutritious foods will improve your health.

You don’t just want to eliminate foods. This is a recipe for disaster in the long term. Whittling your food list down to just a handful of foods can make both Histamine Intolerance and Mast Cell Activation Syndrome worse. This is because you lose needed nutrients to keep histamine levels low and stabilize mast cells.

Whenever you take a food out, be sure to add a food in. For example, if you take out spinach, add in arugula. If you stop eating avocados, consider adding in Extra Virgin Avocado Oil like Olivado Organic Avocado Oil.

WHAT to eat on a Low Histamine diet for Histamine Intolerance and Mast Cell Activation Syndrome

For Low Histamine eating, focus on choosing the foods that are healing and that you enjoy. Sometimes, it is good to splurge on yourself by spending a little extra time in the kitchen making something healthy and delicious.

Be sure you are eating fresh, whole, nutrient dense foods. As produce ages, it loses nutrition and increases in histamine levels. The fresher your foods are, the more vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants they have. When you have Mast Cell Activation Syndrome or Histamine Intolerance, you need as many nutrients from healthy foods as you can get.

These nutrients support a healthy immune system. They are also necessary to make histamine degrading enzymes, like DAO and HNMT. So, they also have the added bonus of helping to lower histamine.  Be sure to buy your produce as fresh as possible. If you can, get produce at the farmer’s market or even grow your own for the most nutrient dense options. The book Eating on the Wild Side by Jo Robinson is a great resource on the highest nutrient varieties of fruits and vegetables.

Emphasize vegetables on a Low Histamine diet for Histamine Intolerance and Mast Cell Activation Syndrome

Cover most of your plate with vegetables. Yes, this means lots of vegetables. Vegetables have nutrients and antioxidants you need to heal. These are histamine lowering, low oxalate, low lectin vegetables you can emphasize.

• Arugula
• Bok choy
• Broccoli
• Brussels sprouts
• Cabbage, Green and Red
• Cauliflower
• Collards
• Kale (flat dinosaur or lacinato kind – curly is high oxalate)
• Napa cabbage / Chinese cabbage
• Watercress

You can also try:

• Onions – any kind
• Leeks
• Chives
• Scallions (green onions – especially use green parts)
• Carrots
• Radishes
• Daikon radishes
• Cilantro
• Asparagus
• Garlic
• Romaine, red and green leaf lettuce
• Kohlrabi
• Mesclun
• Endive
• Dandelion greens
• Butter lettuce
• Fennel
• Escarole
• Mustard greens
• Mizuna
• Basil
• Mint
• Perilla (Shiso).

Protein on a Low Histamine diet for Histamine Intolerance and Mast Cell Activation Syndrome

You want to eat moderate amounts of clean protein. If you eat meat, protein should come from pastured-meats like chicken, pork, lamb, and turkey. Be careful with beef, which is aged.

Make sure meat is very fresh. You can call the butcher and ask what day the meat is delivered. Check the sell by dates and make sure you get the freshest packages. Other good options for pasture-raised meats are farmers markets, US Wellness Meats, and Vital Choice.

Vital Choice is a great fish source because they guarantee their fish is low in mercury, pollutants, and radiation contamination. They also ensure the fish is gutted and frozen immediately after catch.

If you try their fish, be sure to try just a small amount first to make sure you don’t react. People with both Mast Cell Activation Syndrome and Histamine Intolerance may still have a hard time with fish and may need to take a DAO Enzyme.

Cook or freeze meat and fish right away to prevent histamine levels from rising. I cook meat while it is still a little frosty to keep histamine levels low. Avoid slow cooking, which allows histamine levels to go up.

Pasture-raised chicken, duck, or quail eggs are also a good protein source. Some people react to eggs. So, test them for yourself. Be sure to cook egg whites thoroughly. Legumes can cause histamine release and are also high oxalate and high lectin. So, you may need to be careful with these.

Read all about Meat Handling Tips to keep your meat Low Histamine here:
Are you Raising your Histamine Levels with these Meat Handling Mistakes?

Fats on a Low Histamine diet for Histamine Intolerance and Mast Cell Activation Syndrome

Healthy fats are needed for overall health too. Be sure you are getting enough good fats. Fats are necessary for healthy brain cells and to make your hormones. Also, some vitamins are fat soluble. This means they are best absorbed when eaten with fats. So, add healthy fats to your vegetables to absorb the most nutrition.

Healthy fat sources include: grass fed butter, very fresh extra-virgin olive oil, virgin coconut oil, grass fed ghee, cold-pressed flax oil, cold pressed avocado oil, and unrefined palm oil. Avoid canola oil, corn oil, safflower oil, and peanut oil. These are inflammatory.

Fresh nuts can be a good source of protein and fat. Walnuts, peanuts, and cashews are likely off the list for you because of their high histamine levels. There are still plenty of other nuts you can enjoy though. Low histamine, low oxalate, and low lectin choices are: flax seeds, macadamias, pistachios, coconut, and pecans in moderation.

Buy nuts as fresh as possible. To make them more digestible, soak them overnight in salt water. Then dry in a food dehydrator or oven at 250 degrees. 

Herbs on a Low Histamine diet for Histamine Intolerance and Mast Cell Activation Syndrome

Season with a lot of fresh herbs. Fresh herbs are some of the highest nutrient and antioxidant foods. Cultures that use a lot of fresh herbs live longer than those that don’t use herbs. Plus, adding herbs to your meals will give them more flavor. If you enjoy your foods, you’ll be more likely to stick to making healthy choices. These are great Histamine Lowering herbs:

• Basil – any type
• Chives
• Garlic
• Garlic chives
• Ginger
• Oregano
• Peppermint
• Rosemary
• Thyme (thyme does affect people with benzoate sensitivity, though)

Avoid or restrict anise, cinnamon, cloves, curry powder, paprika, and nutmeg. These can liberate histamine and cause mast cell reactions.

Fruits on a Low Histamine diet for Histamine Intolerance and Mast Cell Activation Syndrome

Fruits should be eaten as a dessert. This is due to the higher sugar content. Spikes in blood sugar affect the mast cells. Prioritize lower sugar berries like blueberries. Tart cherries and green apples are also good choices. Lemons and limes are ok, if you tolerate them. As your Histamine bucket empties out, you can enjoy raspberries too.

Other lower histamine, low oxalate fruits are:

• all types of apples
• fresh apricots
• cherries
• fresh cranberries
• fresh currant
• cantaloupe
• fresh figs
• honeydew
• kiwi
• mango
• nectarine
• peach
• pear
• watermelon

Grains on a Low Histamine diet for Histamine Intolerance and Mast Cell Activation Syndrome

Some people with Histamine Intolerance and Mast Cell Activation Syndrome do better with carbs and some do worse. You have to experiment to find what works best for you. I find grains increase my inflammation. I do better with lower levels of carbs. I think this is because many grains are high lectin and high oxalate. But going too low carb keeps me from sleeping. Finding your own optimal carb intake takes a little trial and error.

If you feel worse reducing carbs, then you need to work with a Functional Practitioner to find out why. You could have something called Heme Dysregulation. So don’t push through until you know what is happening! I’ll write about this more sometime in the future.

If you aren’t allergic to latex, then you might be able to use the flour of the cassava root as a carb. I use this to make tortillas and pizza crusts. You can get my recipe here:

Low Histamine Cassava Tortillas

If you get cassava, be sure to buy Otto’s brand Cassava Flour. It is the only one that isn’t fermented. I’ve reacted to all the other brands. Also, some brands of cassava flour are higher oxalate. Otto’s seems to be medium oxalate. But it hasn’t been tested yet. So go a little slowly if you have oxalate issues.

You can try these sources of low lectin, low oxalate carbs too:

• Tigernut flour (Gemini Organics is a good brand)
• Organic Flax meal
• Hi-maize resistant starch
• Coconut and coconut flour 
• Miracle Shirataki noodles
• Rutabagas
• Sorghum grain (limit to 1/2 cup cooked, if you have oxalate issues)
• Authentic Foods Sorghum flour (limit to 1/2 cup cooked, if you have oxalate issues)
• Turnips

If oxalates aren’t a problem, then these are some more low lectin and histamine-lowering, great carb choices:

• Sweet Potatoes
• Millet
• Celery Root
• Jicama

Note: If you get gas, bloating, or other GI symptoms with grains, fruits, and vegetables, you may very well have SIBO (Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth), candida, or mold gut infections. In this case, you’ll want to avoid these foods for the short term and get evaluated by a Functional Practitioner. If you need help, you can set something up with me here.

Sweeteners on a Low Histamine diet for Histamine Intolerance and Mast Cell Activation Syndrome

Sweeteners should be kept to a minimum if you have Histamine Intolerance or Mast Cell Activation Syndrome. This is because increases in blood sugar can cause inflammation. And inflammation increases mast cell reactions and increases in histamine levels.

Here are some good sweetener options that don’t affect blood sugar, though. These are:

• Stevia – Better Stevia is a good brand
• Monk fruit – watch for additives like erythritol. I like Smart Monk Organic or Nu Naturals

Stevia and Monk Fruit come from plants. Our bodies don’t metabolize them like sugar. Be sure you get stevia and monk fruit without other additives. Often, they have sugar alcohols added, which isn’t good for Mast Cell Activation Syndrome or Histamine Intolerance. So, you have to check the ingredients.

You can also use coconut sugar in moderation for a treat. Coconut sugar affects blood sugar more slowly than regular sugar. Honey, molasses, and maple syrup do have some good nutrients. They also have a big impact on blood sugar, so use sparingly. I only have coconut sugar, honey, molasses or maple syrup on very special occasions like my birthday.

You want to be sure to avoid sugar, artificial sweeteners, and corn syrup. These are very inflammatory.

Handling Leftovers on a Low Histamine diet for Histamine Intolerance and Mast Cell Activation Syndrome

Leftovers build in histamine quickly. You’ll want to freeze your leftovers if they are going to be kept more than a 4-6 hours in the fridge. I always make a double batch of whatever I’m cooking. Then I freeze the leftovers in single serving containers. This makes it easy to pull out to take for lunch or have for dinner after a busy day.

For lunches, I put the frozen meal in my lunchbox. By lunch time, it is usually mostly thawed. You can also thaw foods by running hot water over the container. Then reheat in a pan or toaster oven. Sometimes, in a pinch you might have to use a microwave. I just trust that my nutrient dense foods outweigh any negatives of occasional microwave use. You want to leave the room when the microwave is running to avoid the EMFs.

Also, store leftovers in glass not plastic. This avoids chemicals from plastics leaching into food.

More Ideas for What to Eat on a Low Histamine diet for Histamine Intolerance and Mast Cell Activation Syndrome

Sample Meal Ideas:

14 Healthy Low Histamine Meal Ideas for Mast Cell Activation Syndrome and Histamine Intolerance + Dessert Options! (Also Low Lectin, Low Oxalate)

You can also find all the Low Histamine, Low Oxalate, Low Lectin recipes on my website here:

Low Histamine, Low Oxalate, Low Lectin Recipes

Low Histamine Diet - Phase 3

Testing Your Limits: After 12-24 months of Phase I and II

This phase is about seeing what your body can handle now that you have gone through some serious healing. Ideally, you will have addressed your underlying Mast Cell Activation Syndrome or Histamine Intolerance Root Causes before this phase. 

DO NOT undertake this phase until your body is in a very good place health-wise. Otherwise, you may backslide.

1. Still only make 1 change every 3-4 days. Keep a Histamine Food Diary. Symptoms can take up to 2-3 days to develop. So don’t introduce anything else new at this time. 
2. Make sure you are still eating plenty of HIGH NUTRIENT Histamine Lowering foods. 
3. Continue to not eat too many high histamine foods on the same day.
4. Continue to avoid junk foods, processed foods, and food with additives like guar gum or carrageenan.
5. Go slowly. If you develop symptoms, note it and let things calm down before you try something else. 
6. Continue to remember that stress, seasonal allergies, mold exposure, and certain medications and supplements can raise histamine levels. You’ll want to control for these things in your testing. So, the day before a stressful event isn’t the best time to introduce a new food.

Here are examples of things you can experiment with in Phase III in moderation and only 1 of these 1x or 2x/week:

• 6-8 ounces Wild Alaskan Salmon, frozen after slaughter (like Vital Choice Fish King Salmon)
• 3-4 ounces freshly caught seafood
• 3-4 ounces chicken, lamb, turkey, or pork at a restaurant
• 3-4 ounces of beef prepared at home
• 2-3 ounces ground meat
• ½ cup high nutrient packaged foods, like Laiki Rice Crackers
• Leftovers refrigerated for 24 hours
• ¼ tsp cinnamon, cloves, or nutmeg
• 1-2 slices pasture-raised bacon
• 2-3 ounces of pasture-raised yogurt (if no casein sensitivity)
• 1-2 ounces raw, fermented sauerkraut
• 2-3 ounces kombucha
• 1 tsp miso
• 1 tsp coconut aminos
• 1 tsp balsamic vinegar
• Small glass of low histamine white wine like Dry Farm Wines

I recommend you not return to these highest histamine foods:

• Fast food
• Packaged foods with additives like MSG, guar gum, or carrageenan
• Flavored alcohols (like coconut rum), packaged mixers (like margarita mix), and significantly aged alcohols (like 10 year aged bourbon)
• Preservatives like sodium benzoate or potassium sorbate
• Peanuts and cashews – very inflammatory

If you find your symptoms are returning at this phase, you’ll need to back up to Phase II. Also, make sure you have completely addressed your underlying Mast Cell Activation Syndrome or Histamine Intolerance Root Causes. 

What if You Don’t See Improvement with the Low Histamine Diet and you have Mast Cell Activation Syndrome or Histamine Intolerance

If you don’t notice a change with reducing Histamine foods, it may be because one or more of these reasons:

1. 1. You may not have given it enough time. You need to be diligent about eliminating low histamine foods for at least 6 months.
   2. You may not be eating low histamine enough. Check and make sure you aren’t sneaking in high histamine foods or eating a lot of processed foods. Think about eating in restaurants too – meat in restaurants is often very high histamine.
   3. You may have other food intolerances or sensitivities that haven’t been addressed yet. These can include oxalates, lectins, and glutamates. These can also include food sensitivities. We’ll talk about this more in the next chapters. 
   4. Eating low histamine may not be enough. You may also have issues with the Histamine Degrading Enzymes. I can help you with this.
   5. You may not notice a major change until you also add in mast cell stabilizing supplements and address the other specific root factors for you. Think of it like this. If you have 12 nails in different parts of your body, you may not notice a big difference if we only take out 1 nail. So, eating low histamine may be helping, but it may not be enough for you to feel significantly better yet.
   6. You may not have Histamine Intolerance. Not everyone with Mast Cell Activation Syndrome has Histamine Intolerance. You may not know until further down the road, though. I encourage you to stay on the Low Histamine Diet until you are symptom free. Then you can experiment with adding in higher histamine foods one at a time to see if your symptoms return. This is the best way to rule out Histamine Intolerance.
   7. Your meat and leftovers may be getting you. Leftovers need to be frozen after cooking. Meat has to be handled in a specific way. Make sure you’ve followed the tips in these posts:

      Are you Raising your Histamine Levels with these Meat Handling Mistakes?

      How to do a Low Histamine Diet for Histamine Intolerance and Mast Cell Activation Syndrome Part 1: Identifying High Histamine Foods

      How to do a Low Histamine Diet for Histamine Intolerance and Mast Cell Activation Syndrome Part 2: What to Eat

Still not sure? Testing for Histamine Intolerance in Mast Cell Activation Syndrome

Histamine Intolerance can be evaluated through a few criteria:

• Ruling out other conditions that could cause continual release of histamine
• Symptoms of Histamine Intolerance without true allergy issues
• Negative skin and blood tests for the allergen antibodies
• Symptom relief with reduction of histamine foods

If the above criteria are true for you, then you can take more steps to narrow down the issues in Histamine Intolerance. Serum Diamine Oxidase testing is available through Dunwoody Labs’ Advanced Intestinal Barrier Assessment. Methylation status related to Histamine Intolerance can be tested in a Doctor’s Data or Genova Blood Methylation Panel. The genes coding for the Histamine Degrading Enzymes can be tested through genetic testing. I use Your Genomic Resource in my practice for genetic testing. This is because it gives the best genetic information for Histamine Intolerance and Mast Cell Activation Syndrome.

Testing isn’t always enough, though. If you have a problem with DAO, you want to look at your gut health. This is because most DAO is made in the brush border cells of the gut. If you have any gut infections, gut inflammation, or are eating inflammatory foods, your DAO product will be affected. 

What about Oxalates and Lectins in Mast Cell Activation Syndrome or Histamine Intolerance? What about other food triggers?

There are other types of foods that people with MCAS or Histamine Intolerance may react to. These include lectins, oxalates, salicylates, glutamates, and FODMAPs. So, try new foods slowly and cautiously until you know how your body will respond. This list is meant to be a starting place for you to make your own personal list. 

If you seem to be reacting to a lot of foods that are low histamine, you may have additional food sensitivities. If this is the case, you can reach out to me for help. I can help you customize your own foods list.

I recommend to my clients they start with the Mast Cell 360 Low Histamine Diet Phase I: Elimination List. Then if there are symptoms left, work with a Mast Cell and Histamine specialist before delving into oxalates or lectins too far. This is because you don’t want to limit foods too much. I’ve seen people get worse and worse when they get down to 20 or less safe foods. This is because they are rapidly losing nutrients needed to stabilize mast cells and build the histamine degrading enzymes.

If you know you have an oxalate issue, PLEASE work with a qualified professional on lowering oxalates slowly. DO NOT go low oxalate cold turkey. People have made themselves extremely sick doing this. 

If you have issues with histamines, oxalates, lectins, salicylates, glutamates, or FODMAPs, I’m here to help. Book a Mast Cell 360 Case Review so we can safely step you through this. I’ll help you build a custom foods list. We’ll also work on your underlying root causes so you can safely add more foods back in as soon as possible.

Do you need help with your Mast Cell Activation Syndrome or Histamine Intolerance?

Mast Cell Activation Syndrome and Histamine Intolerance are both very complex conditions. This is what I’ve spent the past several years studying and dedicating my life to helping others with. It is almost impossible to figure out alone if you don’t have a significant amount of health education and clinical training. I even have a number of high level health care practitioners who consult with me for help with their own Mast Cell Activation Syndrome or Histamine Intolerance. Because it’s that complicated.

If you’d like expert, personalized help you can book a Mast Cell 360 Case Review with me. We’ll explore the root causes underlying your Mast Cell Activation Syndrome or Histamine Intolerance. I’ll help you get the right functional labs needed to figure this out. And I’ll create a comprehensive, individualized action plan to help you through this. 

Low Histamine Diet - Phase 2

 

Important Notes for Mast Cell 360 Low Histamine Diet Phase II:
Re-introduction Phase – Build Your Own Foods List: Usually 6-18 months

After 6 months of the Elimination phase, your symptoms will hopefully be much improved. If so, you can start to experiment with foods you can tolerate. 

If you are still having symptoms, though, don’t continue with this step yet. You will need to find out what your underlying Mast Cell Activation Syndrome or Histamine Intolerance Root Causes are and address those first.

1. Only make 1 change every 3-4 days. Keep a Food Diary. Symptoms can take up to 2-3 days to develop. So, don’t introduce anything else new at this time. 
2. This phase is about adding in a HIGH NUTRIENT higher histamine foods in small quantities. For example, you can add 3-4 walnuts. Or try a couple ounces of freshly cooked Wild Alaskan Salmon that was frozen after catch. Don’t do a full serving yet.
3. Don’t add in packaged or processed foods. Be sure to freeze leftovers and be careful ordering meat at a restaurant. I recommend still taking your own meat to restaurants to avoid confusion in this phase.
4. Keep in mind that stress, seasonal allergies, mold exposure, certain medications and some supplements can raise histamine levels. You’ll want to consider these things in your testing.
5. If you tolerate a small quantity of the High Nutrient, higher histamine food, you can try a moderate quantity. For example, 6-8 walnuts or 4 ounces of freshly cooked Wild Alaskan Salmon that was frozen after catch.
6. Give it another 3-4 days. If no increase in symptoms, add this food to your personal Low Histamine Foods List with the quantity you tolerated.
7. Be patient. It will take many months for you to reintroduce foods.
8. Make sure you are rotating foods and not eating too many high histamine foods on the same day. Remember, histamine levels work like a bucket. This means 3 walnuts might not affect you. But 3 walnuts + ¼ avocado + 2 ounces of salmon very well may get you. I suggest only eating 1 higher histamine food a day, in small quantities, at this phase.

Here are examples of foods you can experiment with rotating in at this point in moderation. Start with a small amount. Then, if it goes ok, a little more the next time. 

• 2-3 Walnuts 
• ¼ Avocado, firmer (not mushy)
• 2-4 Fresh Button or Shiitake Mushrooms
• 1 Fresh Pasture Raised Egg, whites thoroughly cooked
• ¼ cup Fresh Tomatoes
• ¼ Banana 
• 3-4 Cubes Fresh Pineapple 
• 2 ounces Wild Alaskan Salmon, frozen after slaughter (like Vital Choice Fish King Salmon)
• ½ ounce top shelf plain vodka, gin, white rum, silver tequila (no more and on rare occasion)
• 1-2 T Butter or Cream (not high histamine, but may people have trouble with casein)
• 1-2 Ounces Dark Chocolate
• 1-2 tsp Apple Cider Vinegar

I recommend you do NOT include these very high histamine foods in this phase:

• Beef
• Ground meat (unless you grind it yourself at home)
• Fermented Foods: Kefir, Yogurt, Sauerkraut, Miso, Soy Sauce, Kombucha, etc.
• Processed/Packaged foods
• Vinegar – all types
• Strawberries
• Spinach
• All other Fish/Shellfish
• Leftovers not frozen
• Meat at restaurants
• Cured Meats
• Peanuts or Cashews
• Black, Green, White or Rooibos tea
• Wine, Beer, Other Alcohol not listed above

Warming Chicken Ginger Soup (Low Histamine, Low Oxalate, Low Lectin, Low FODMAP) for Mast Cell Activation Syndrome and Histamine Intolerance

 

Ingredients

• 2 T ghee or coconut oil
• 1 stalk celery, diced
• 1 bunch scallions, dark green tops only, chopped
• 4 cups cooked chicken, shredded. For low histamine chicken follow this recipe. 
• 2” of fresh ginger, finely grated
• 6 quarts of water
• 4 ounces baby arugula
• 6 carrots, chopped into ¼” rounds
• Sea salt to taste
• Cilantro, chopped (optional)
• Miracle Noodles, rinsed for 2 minutes

1. Sauté’ ½ the scallion tops and celery in ghee or coconut oil in an 8 Quart or larger stock or soup pot.
2. Add chicken, ginger, sea salt, and water to pot. Simmer for 20-30 minutes.
3. Add carrots to pot and continue to simmer until tender.
4. Add baby arugula to pot to wilt and turn off stove. Let sit for 5 minutes.
5. While arugula is wilting, chop remaining green onion dark green tops. 
6. Add miracle noodles to soup.
7. Dish soup into bowls and garnish with scallion tops and cilantro.
8. Freeze the leftovers. Then serve and enjoy!

https://mastcell360.com/warming-chicken-ginger-soup-low-histamine-low-oxalate-low-lectin-low-fodmap-for-mast-cell-activation-syndrome-and-histamine-intolerancelow-histamine-chicken-ginger-soup/

Low Histamine Iced Hibiscus Tea for Mast Cell Activation Syndrome or Histamine Intolerance

 

Tools

1 2-QT glass pitcher

1 Extra Large Tea Strainer

Ingredients

2 Tablespoons of Hibiscus flowers

2 Holy Basil Tea Bags

2 Dandelion Leaf Tea Bags

½” Fresh Ginger, sliced

Organic Lquid Stevia or Liquid Pure Monk Fruit Extract

Directions

1. Heat 2 quarts of water until just boiling. (If you boil it for more than a few seconds, let it cool down before pouring into glass.)
2. Set the glass pitcher in the sink (in case your water was too hot).
3. Place the tea bags in the pitcher and wrap the strings around the handle.
4. Add hibiscus and fresh ginger to tea strainer and place in the opening of the pitcher.
5. Pour hot water over the tea strainer.
6. Let steep for 20 minutes.
7. Remove the strainer and tea bags.
8. Stir in Organic Lquid Stevia or Liquid Pure Monk Fruit Extract to taste.
9. Put in the fridge to cool.
10. Drink in 24-48 hours.

Low Histamine Mango Blueberry Basil Salad Recipe

 

Serves: 4

Ingredients

1 cup cubed just-ripe mango

1 cup fresh blueberries

1 cup cubed just-ripe peaches

6 large basil leaves, finely chopped

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

½ lime juiced (optional)

2 pinches of salt

2 drops Better Stevia or 100% Monk Fruit Liquid

Directions

1. Toss the mango, blueberries, and peaches together.
2. Whisk the basil, olive oil, lime juice, and salt together.
3. Pour dressing over the fruit.
4. Mix and enjoy!
5. You can freeze leftovers. Before serving, thaw until just barely frosty, but not fully thawed for best texture.

Low Histamine Pizza Recipe (and Low Oxalate, Low Lectin)

 

Low Histamine Pizza Recipe (and Low Oxalate, Low Lectin)

LOW HISTAMINE / LOW LECTIN / LOW OXALATE / RECIPES

When you start reducing histamines, there are a number of comfort foods that it is hard to find low histamine recipes for. Pizza is definitely one of those. My husband loves to make pizza. And it would get tortuous for me to smell it and to know I can’t it eat. I never give in, though, because I just feel too bad if I cheat. I have missed those pizza and movie kind of nights, though.

But then I was really excited when I came up with this Low Histamine Pizza recipe!! Of course, tomato sauce is out for us. So is mushrooms, pepperoni, and hamburger. These are all high histamine. When you have Histamine Intolerance and Mast Cell Activation Syndrome, you can’t really risk those kinds of things while you are healing.

I’ve always liked the gourmet pizzas, though. The ones with pesto base or white sauce base. So that is the direction I went in this recipe. And the great thing is this Low Histamine Pizza recipe is really versatile. You can swap the toppings out with anything low histamine that you like.

For the crust, I use Otto’s Cassava Flour. I’ve tried other cassava flours and found that many of them are fermented. Those other brands didn’t work so well for my histamine levels. Fortunately Otto’s cassava flour has never bothered me. I think it is processed more cleanly and not fermented. It also has the best taste and texture of all the others I tried. They test each batch for quality. So, I really trust this company!

For the base, I use either my Low Histamine Pesto or my Creamy Cauliflower Sauce. Both of these work great. Sometimes I really like to layer them both on! The basil in the pesto has a lot of anti-histamine properties. And cauliflower is not only antihistamine but also helps with healthy detox. For toppings, I use sautéed shallots and wilted arugula. Both of these also have amazing anti-histamine and detox properties. In fact, according to Jo Merchant who wrote Eating On The Wild Side, these 4 vegetables (basil, cauliflower, shallots, and arugula) are some of the most nutritious foods you can eat! And I really love adding some of my Low Histamine Bacon on top.

Think of the topping section of this Low Histamine Recipe as a guideline. And feel free to get creative with the toppings. This recipe is a few different steps, but it comes together quickly. I usually make up extra batches of the creamy cauliflower sauce, pesto, and shallots and keep them in the freezer. That way the next time I make pizza, I can just pull those out – they are all ready to go.

I really hope you enjoy this low histamine recipe! I’d love to hear your ideas for Low Histamine Pizza toppings! You can comment in the comment box below.

Low Histamine Pizza Crust

Ingredients

• 3 cups Otto’s Cassava Flour
• 1 tsp unrefined salt
• 3/8 c Olivado Extra Virgin Avocado Oil or melted Virgin Coconut Oil
• 2 cups water + or – 3 T

Crust Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Grease a glass pie pan like one of these with ghee or coconut oil.
3. Mix flour and salt together. Pour in oil and water and mix well until you have a solid dough.
4. The exact amount of water will differ depending on how humid your kitchen is. This can even vary day to day.
5. You want the dough to hold together well without being sticky. If it is dusty, it needs more water. If it sticks to your hands, add more flour.
6. Press evenly into pie plate and up the sides a little.
7. Bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes until dough is cooked through without burning.

Low Histamine Pizza Sauce Ingredients (Choose 1 or both)

Creamy Cauliflower Sauce

Ingredients

• 1 head of cauliflower
• 1/2 clove of raw garlic, chopped
• ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 – 3/4 tsp unrefined sea salt (like Redmond Real Salt, Celtic Sea Salt, or Himalayan Sea Salt)
• 2 tablespoons water (only needed if using food processor or regular blender)

Directions

1. Consider making a double or triple batch.
2. Steam cauliflower until soft.
3. Put cauliflower, garlic, olive oil, sea salt into high speed blender (like Blendtec Blender or Vitamix blender) or a food processor. Add the 2 tablespoons of water if using a food processor.
4. Blend on high in a Blendtec or Vitamix blender for a couple minutes until sauce is smooth. Or you can process in a food processor.
5. Spread on pizza crust and freeze any leftovers.

Pesto Sauce

Ingredients

• 3 cups fresh basil leaves
• 1/2 cup pecans, pistachios, or macadamias
• ½ raw garlic clove, peeled and pressed or chopped
• 3/4 tsp unrefined sea salt (like Redmond Real Salt, Celtic Sea Salt, or Himalayan Sea Salt)
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• Optional: Juice of 1/2 lemon (you can sub Camu Camu Powder for the tartness if sensitive to lemons)

Directions

1. Add the nuts to a food processor or high speed blender (like a Blendtec Blender or Vitamix blender). Blend until the nuts are finely chopped but stop before it becomes nut butter.
2. Add the basil, garlic, and salt to food processor or blender and pulse until the basil is finely chopped.
3. Add the olive oil and optional lemon or Camu Camu powder. Pulse until everything is well combined but not completely smooth.
4. Spread on pizza crust and freeze any leftovers.

Low Histamine Pizza Toppings Options:

• Sautéed shallots or red onions
• Wilted Arugula
• Roasted Brussels Sprouts
• Roasted Garlic
• Asparagus
• Shredded roasted pork
• Shredded roasted chicken breast
• Low Histamine Bacon

Low Histamine Pizza Assembly Directions:

1. After the crust is cooked, layer on either the Pesto or Creamy Cauliflower base or both.
2. Add the toppings you like.
3. Warm in a hot oven for 5-10 minutes, checking that toppings and crust don’t burn.
4. Cut into pieces and enjoy!
5. Be sure to freeze any leftovers.

Makes 4 servings