Are potatoes well-tolerated and low in histamine?
Potatoes are among the most popular foods. They are not only suitable for a low-histamine diet, but also filling and versatile. Potatoes go well with vegetables, meat and fish. Countless different potato dishes are possible, such as potato gratin, mashed potatoes, fries, or baked potatoes.
Everything about potatoes
In 2021/2022, the per capita consumption of potatoes was 56 kg, and that of potato products such as fries, potato chips, or potato salad was just under 36 kg. But to which category do potatoes belong? Are they a vegetable? What nutrients do they contain, and what should you pay attention to if you suffer from a histamine problem?
The potato plant
In the 16th century, the potato also gained popularity in Germany. It is native to the Andes of South America. Today, about 5000 potato varieties are known worldwide. The main growing areas in Germany are North Rhine-Westphalia, Bavaria, and Lower Saxony. The potato belongs to the nightshade family and is related to tomatoes. A potato plant can grow up to 1 meter tall and develop 10 shoots. From these, feathery leaves grow, which have white to purple flowers.
From these, in turn, grow inedible, large berries. The nutrients are stored in the tubers, the thickened ends of the sprouts. The tuber has an oval, round, or elongated shape, and the flesh is white, yellow, or bluish. The annual nightshade plant is frost-sensitive, sprouts in spring, and can reproduce via its tubers. One so-called mother tuber produces 15 to 25 potatoes.
Potatoes are used as animal feed, food, and for alcohol production. The distribution for the use of potatoes is as follows:
- 60% as food
- 30% for starch production
- 4% for ethanol extraction
- Remainder as seed/feed
Starch is used to produce cardboard, paper, building materials, paste, toothpaste, detergents, tablets, packaging, and many other products.
Nutrients in potatoes
A fresh potato consists of about 80% water and contains the following micro and macronutrients:
- Carbohydrates
- Protein
- Magnesium
- Iron
- Potassium
- Vitamin B1
- Vitamin B2
- Vitamin C
Earthy potatoes should only be washed shortly before preparation, as earth preserves the nutrients.
Tolerability of potatoes
In contrast to related tomatoes, potatoes contain only small amounts of histamine and biogenic amines such as tyramine. The potato is also not a histamine liberator and is therefore suitable for a low-histamine diet. Nevertheless, some points are important regarding histamine. For example, it should be noted that histamine can form when potatoes are reheated, as with any other food. For a low-histamine diet, potatoes should also be
- fresh when purchased and ideally bought regionally.
- stored in a dark and cool place between 4 and 8° Celsius.
- kept dry and not in the refrigerator.
- not stored for too long, as histamine is a degradation product and forms with prolonged storage.
- bought in small nets or paper bags and consumed as quickly as possible.
- stored cooked in the refrigerator and consumed within a maximum of 24 hours.
The resistant starch, in particular, has a positive effect on the gut. This healthy dietary fiber is formed by cooling cooked potatoes. The starch changes its chemical structure, making it barely digestible by the gut and thus strengthening the gut flora. Reheating does not destroy resistant starch.
A healthy gut flora and an intact intestinal mucosa play an important role in general well-being. Our MucosaFit combines L-glutamine, zinc, and biotin, among other things. While zinc contributes to the normal function of the immune system, biotin contributes to the maintenance of normal mucous membranes. MucosaFit is vegan and suitable for a low-histamine, low-fructose, gluten-free, and lactose-free diet.
Often, people with and without histamine problems ask themselves why they no longer tolerate potatoes, even though they contain only small amounts of histamine. While the nightshade plant is considered very well-tolerated, it is often associated with intolerances because potatoes contain a lot of salicylic acid. If you have an intolerance to salicylic acid, it is important to remove at least 2 mm of the potato peel, as the peel is rich in salicylic acid. Sprouted potatoes, in particular, are acidic. You should avoid small new potatoes (Drillinge) as they have a thin skin, allowing the acid to transfer into the tuber. Instead, use large potatoes with thick skins. In addition, potatoes contain lectins, which can be difficult to digest for an unbalanced gut.
Low-histamine recipes with potatoes
A meal with potatoes is not monotonous but extremely versatile. Fresh vegetables taste just as good with potatoes as meat or fish. Below you will find a few low-histamine recipes to try.
Potato Pizza
For pizza lovers, there's a delicious HistaFood recipe that's quick to make: the low-histamine potato pizza. You only need 4 large potatoes, our delicious organic vegetable sauce, mozzarella, frozen corn, a red bell pepper, roasting olive oil, and our organic herbal salt.
Vegan Potato Gratin
There's also something delicious for vegans among our potato recipes: our tasty vegan potato gratin with few ingredients. You only need half a kilo of potatoes, garlic, oat cuisine, oat milk, our organic vegetable broth, and roasting olive oil.
Wiener Schnitzel with Potato Salad
For our HistaFood recipe Wiener Schnitzel and potato salad, you need some other ingredients in addition to potatoes. You can find these and the preparation process on the website.
Potato Dumplings with Sage
For our delicious recipe Potato Dumplings in Macadamia-Sage Butter and Cucumber Salad, in addition to 1 kg of potatoes and 100 g of potato starch, you will need
- 2 egg yolks
- HistaFood herbal salt
- 1 onion
- 1 cucumber
- Olive oil
- 50 g macadamia nuts
- 40 g butter
- 6 sprigs of sage.
Baked Chicken with Potatoes
If you love the combination of chicken and potatoes, you should try our baked quince chicken. Various spices round off the dish. A salad, such as a fresh lamb's lettuce, goes well with it.
Potatoes are just one of many foods that can be used to prepare varied low-histamine dishes. If you are looking for more inspiration, our HistaStarter Set is just right for you. It contains a selection of our most popular foods and makes starting a varied low-histamine diet particularly easy - from savory dishes to breakfast and snacks.
Lieferzeit: 2-3 Tage
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More vitamins: how to prepare potatoes correctly
