Have you heard of anti-histamine foods? When you have Mast Cell Activation Syndrome or MCAS, the key to success is to find the foods you can tolerate. Foods that are high in histamine should generally be avoided, but your individual constitution will determine what you can tolerate. Foods that are low in histamine are generally considered safe. And then there are foods that actually lower histamine or anti-histamine foods. When you include anti-histamine foods in your meals you can ameliorate some of the negative effects of eating higher histamine foods.
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Table of Contents
Who is Betsy Leighton?
I’m a writer, blogger, and healer dedicated to helping individuals reconnect with their innate peace and wholeness by healing nervous system dysregulation. My personal experience with chronic illness called Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS) shapes my work, and my content offers tools to empower those with chronic illness to improve their well-being and take charge of their health.
I created the Sacred Self-Healing Method and am a trained and certified Safe and Sound Protocol provider, an author, blogger, and A Course in Miracles Teacher. I hold a Master of Divinity in Spiritual Counseling and am a trained spiritual mentor, with certificates in sound healing, aromatherapy, nutrition, and Sacred Deathcare. I offer a self-study certificate program in the Sacred Self-Healing Method, provide spiritual counseling and coaching, courses, and supported subscriptions for the Safe and Sound Protocol.
What is MCAS?
Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS) is a chronic condition that affects all organ systems. It can cause severe, disabling symptoms every day, including potentially fatal anaphylaxis.
The common triggers for MCAS are infections, toxic exposures including mold exposure and EMFs, trauma, concussions, and stress.
MCAS often occurs with other chronic conditions like Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS) and Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS). Managing MCAS is challenging because many healthcare providers are unaware of it, and diagnostic tests can be unreliable. Treatments include antihistamines and mast cell stabilizers in the form of medications and supplements, along with avoiding triggers. Check out this post on managing MCAS.
What is histamine?
Histamine is a chemical messenger (a biogenic amine) that plays a key role in immune function, digestion, circulation, and the nervous system. In a healthy body, histamine is released in controlled amounts by mast cells, basophils, and certain neurons, and it helps regulate inflammation, stomach acid, wakefulness, and immune defense.
However, in mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS), histamine becomes a major problem. Here’s how it relates:
Histamine in the Human Body
Histamine has four main jobs:
- Immune response – triggers inflammation to help the body fight infection or injury
- Vasodilation – opens blood vessels, increases circulation, and helps immune cells reach tissues
- Stomach acid regulation – stimulates acid production for digestion
- Neurotransmission – helps regulate wakefulness, appetite, and alertness
It’s stored primarily in mast cells, which are meant to release histamine only when needed.
Histamine in MCAS
In MCAS, mast cells are overly reactive. They can release too much histamine (and other mediators) in response to triggers that shouldn’t pose a threat—like temperature changes, fragrances, foods, stress, EMFs, or pressure on the skin.
Excess histamine causes many hallmark MCAS symptoms, including:
- Skin symptoms: flushing, rashes, hives, itching, burning, swelling
- GI issues: bloating, nausea, diarrhea, heartburn, abdominal pain
- Neurologic symptoms: headaches, “brain fog,” anxiety, dizziness
- Respiratory symptoms: congestion, throat tightness, shortness of breath
- Cardiovascular symptoms: rapid heart rate, drops/spikes in blood pressure
- Systemic symptoms: fatigue, temperature dysregulation
Histamine is not the only mediator involved in MCAS, but it is a central driver of symptoms and one of the most commonly targeted in treatment.
Look for anti-histamine foods
One example of how this works is with my favorite chicken sausage. Ground meats are more likely to form histamine before consumption because they have a higher surface area. But this sausage brand uses a lot of rosemary in its recipe. Rosemary is an anti-histamine food; therefore, it reduces histamine levels in the body.
I had read in MCAS groups on Facebook that quite a few people tolerated these sausages, so I gave them a try and was pleasantly surprised! Up until this point, I had been avoiding all meat except these frozen chicken breasts, so having this new meat available in my diet opened up my diet to more variety. After some trial and error, I found that I can also tolerate AmyLu’s Chicken Gouda Apple Sausages. Of course, if my “bucket” (see this post) is too full, I don’t risk it.
When histamine is problematic
There are three situations in which histamine is a problem when you have MCAS or histamine intolerance: “ingested histamine, low DAO (diamine oxidase, which clears histamine), and histamine-liberating foods.”
- Ingested histamine – eating foods that are high in histamine. Classic examples are tomatoes, citrus fruits, cured meats, bananas, peanuts, fish, shellfish, and fermented foods.
- Low DAO – diamine oxidase is the compound that clears histamine from the body. When it is low you are not able to clear histamine effectively, and histamine builds up.
- Histamine-liberating foods – these are foods that cause more histamine to be released, such as egg whites.
The bucket theory
The bucket theory simplifies understanding symptom reactions with MCAS. Imagine your body as an empty bucket you don’t want to overflow. Reactions to various stimuli fill the histamine bucket at different rates, forming the total histamine level (how full your bucket is). More histamine means more symptoms. By managing triggers, reducing exposures, and taking medications and supplements, you can control your bucket’s level.
Know your typical symptom progression
Understanding your symptom progression during a flare is key to developing your rescue plan. This post discusses how to recognize symptom progression so you can be prepared to address them.
Get my free ebook, symptom log, and meal plan!
Want a tool to easily track your symptoms?
Anti-histamine foods
The following is a comprehensive list of anti-histamine foods broken down by type. Including these foods in your diet may help to counteract the effects of eating foods higher in histamine. Keep in mind that your individual food tolerances will depend on the level of your bucket. And also, some of the following foods are not compatible with a keto diet. I’ve added some foods I have found to be low in histamine from other sources and removed some foods that are problematic for a keto diet.
Anti-histamine Herbs
- Basil
- Cilantro
- Dill
- Lemongrass
- Mint
- Oregano
- Parsley
- Rosemary
- Sage
- Thyme
Antihistamine Spices
- Black Cumin (nigella sativa)
- Caraway
- Cardamom
- Cumin
- Fennel Seed
- Garlic
- Ginger
- Turmeric
Antihistamine Vegetables
- Artichoke
- Arugula
- Asparagus
- Bok Choy
- Broccoli (& Broccolini)
- Brussels Sprouts
- Cabbage
- Dandelion Root (also good as tea)
- Greens (Mustard, Collard)
- Onion
- Pea shoots
- Radish
- Squashes
- Watercress
- Zucchini
Antihistamine Fruits
- Apples
- Pomegranate
- Blueberries
- Blackberries
- Mangoes
- Raspberries
Other Natural Antihistamines
- Aloe Vera (anti-inflammatory in small doses)
- Fresh Capers (preserved in salt & rinsed before use are also ok)
- Hibiscus (great as a tea or chopped up and added to stews)
- Monk Fruit Powder (as a potent sweetener)
- Moringa (stabilizes mast cells)
- Spirulina (inhibits histamine release)
- Stinging Nettle (great for tea, or adding to smoothies in powdered form)
How to use anti-histamine foods to lower histamine
For lunch, I like to eat a salad with pea shoots (or pea tendrils, as they are sometimes called), capers, pomegranate, lettuce, ricotta cheese, olive oil, and sea salt. Pomegranates, pea shoots, and capers are all histamine-lowering.
In the summer months, I make Lower Histamine Pesto with fresh herbs from my garden. I’ve had excellent results with basil, cilantro, dill, lemon balm, and mint (using the herbs separately, not combined).
Monk fruit is my preferred sweetener. For baking, I like to use ChocZero Sugar-Free Maple Syrup because it contains monk fruit and no erythritol. A recent study found that erythritol can increase blood clot formation.
On rare occasions when I eat fruit (which’s relatively high in carbohydrates), I like pomegranate pips, blueberries, or mango. I love this mango ice cream in the hot summer months.
I like to make this Lower Histamine Thai Style Curry that contains greens, garlic, ginger, and turmeric.
Check out these circadian health tools!
I’m an affiliate with Bon Charge, a company that makes tools for circadian health, and you can receive 15% off your order with my coupon code BETSYL.
Bon Charge offers tools such as yellow– and red-tone blue-blocking glasses, red light therapy devices, PEMF mats, infrared saunas, and EMF-blocking products.
Sign up for the SSP!
I’ve found the Safe and Sound Protocol (SSP) to be the most helpful bottom-up healing strategy if your nervous system has been overloaded with toxic exposures, including mold or non-native EMFs, chronic infections, concussions, stress, or trauma. The SSP is a passive listening therapy that helps heal nervous system dysregulation. Many people with MCAS and other chronic conditions have nervous system dysregulation stemming from infections, toxic exposures, concussions, and trauma. The SSP is an easy-to-use app that lets you listen to specially filtered music for 30 minutes each day as part of a 5-hour cycle. Studies show the SSP has a profound effect on mental health and chronic conditions. Here’s a short podcast describing the Safe and Sound Protocol.
You can sign up for the SSP here!
Heal your mind!
While the SSP is a bottom-up, somatic therapy for healing the nervous system, the Sacred Self-Healing Method I offer is a top-down nervous system-healing modality that focuses on cognition, attention, perception, and emotion, using the mind’s higher functions. The SSP and the Sacred Self-Healing Method complement each other and together produce lasting results. Here’s a short podcast on my self-healing practice.
I provide one-on-one in-person and remote chronic illness and caregiver coaching, as well as Sacred Self-Healing Sessions based on the Sacred Self-Healing Method, a proven, novel co-creative healing modality detailed in my Books.
Order my books!
Here’s a short podcast highlighting my five books.
My latest book, Living In The Light: Healing with Forgiveness, Sound, and Light, is all about the tools that have been most helpful for me to heal: forgiveness, sound, through nervous system retraining using the Safe and Sound Protocol, and light, through entraining my circadian rhythm with the energy of the sun. Living In The Light is available here!
Rocks and Roots chronicles my solo backpacking journey on the Superior Hiking Trail and my efforts to overcome nervous system dysregulation, gut dysbiosis, and Mast Cell Activation Syndrome symptoms to complete the 328-mile hike successfully.
The Sacred Self-Healing Method ebook is available here and in most ebook retailers!
The Sacred Self-Healing Workbook is available for purchase here!
Betsy’s first book, Sacred Self-Healing: Finding Peace Through Forgiveness, is available here
Companion Recordings
The companion audio recordings of chants, guided meditations, and sound healing demonstrations that accompany the Sacred Self-Healing Method are available for free on my YouTube channel here
What do you think?
I’d love to have your reply below!
Disclaimer
The preceding material does not constitute medical advice. This information is for information purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, cure, or treatment.
