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Cheese and histamine: Is cheese suitable for a low-histamine diet?

Red wine, cheese, and histamine? A combination that is not suitable for a low-histamine diet! But you can find out which types of cheese are suitable for a low-histamine diet and which are more likely to be high in histamine here.

Cheese and Histamine

There are many different types of cheese, which can be divided into categories of either low-histamine or high-histamine. The histamine content in a food – including cheese – depends on its processing, ripeness, and storage duration and can vary. Thus, the same type of cheese can have a different histamine content each time. Emmental cheese, for example, contains <0.1-2,000 mg/kg of histamine.

Cheese and Biogenic Amines

Matured cheese varieties, especially hard and semi-hard cheeses, form biogenic amines during the metabolic process of certain microorganisms. Cadaverine, putrescine, and tyramine are commonly occurring biogenic amines. However, the best-known is the biogenic amine histamine. Biogenic amines can block DAO synthesis in the gut and cause typical histamine problems.

High-Histamine and Low-Histamine Cheeses

Scientific literature reports little on cheese intolerances. This is very likely because the release of histamine when consuming cheese in the gastrointestinal tract occurs very slowly. For this reason, the so-called threshold dose for histamine effect is higher. Which types of cheese are tolerated is individual from person to person.

High-Histamine Cheese Varieties

Aged and mature cheese varieties have a high histamine content, for example:

Emmental
Swiss cheese
Camembert
Tilsit
Provolone
Gruyère
Parmesan
Sbrinz
Cheddar
Older Gouda

Cheese Varieties with Low Histamine

In principle, the following short-ripened cheese varieties can be consumed on a low-histamine diet:

Butterkäse
Young Gouda
Goat cheese
Sheep cheese
Cottage cheese
Feta
Cream cheese
Mozzarella
Geheimratskäse (a type of German semi-hard cheese)
Young Camembert (caution: remove noble mold if necessary)

Many of the more suitable cheese varieties can be easily refined with just a few ingredients. Our organic herbal salt consists of selected organic herbs and sea salt – completely without flavor enhancers or unnecessary additives. It is suitable for a low-histamine, low-fructose, gluten-free, and lactose-free diet and goes perfectly with cream cheese, mozzarella, feta (1), or cottage cheese.

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Carefree enjoyment? Red wine, cheese and histamine

The combination of red wine and cheese, as well as cheese and alcohol in general, is not recommended for histamine issues, although low-histamine white wine is often tolerated depending on the individual. However, cheese does not have to be completely avoided, because, as so often, it depends on the combination of foods and the individual tolerance threshold.

Buy low-histamine cheeses fresh and preferably in small quantities to keep storage time in the refrigerator as short as possible. Until the cheese is consumed, it should be hermetically sealed to counteract histamine formation. Cheese varieties that have a ripening period of at least six months should be avoided.

Further tips for better tolerance are the following:

Generously remove the cheese rind: The histamine concentration is highest in the rind area and lowest in the middle of the cheese. Removing the rind contributes to a lower histamine content.
Combination with low-histamine foods: Ideally, consume cheese with low-histamine foods such as fresh vegetables, fresh fruits, and herbs. A perfect combination, for example, is cheese with grapes.
Keep a food diary: As with many things, the tolerance of different cheese varieties is individual. A food diary can help you find out which varieties you tolerate best.
Vitamin C for histamine degradation: Vitamin C contributes to histamine degradation, which is why low-histamine and vitamin C-rich foods such as blueberries, cauliflower, parsley, apples, broccoli, peppers, or blackcurrants are ideal for enjoyment with cheese.

Info: Our dietary recommendations are always just a suggestion. Find your personal tolerance limit yourself and seek competent support.

It is not always possible to avoid aged cheese varieties or other histamine-rich foods – for example, at a cheese board with friends, a restaurant visit, or special occasions. For exactly such situations, we have developed our DaoFit. The vegan DAO capsules are taken approximately 15 minutes before a histamine-rich meal and are a practical companion for on the go.