Watermelon and histamine: How well tolerated is this popular summer fruit?

In this article, we take a "histamine-friendly look" at watermelon. It is a very popular summer fruit that originally comes from Africa but is now grown worldwide. But are watermelons suitable for a low-histamine diet, or are they rather high in histamine? We will clarify this and other questions in this article.

Watermelon at a glance:

Watermelons can weigh up to 20 kilograms and consist of 90% water. Watermelon is known as a summer fruit, but it actually belongs to the gourd family, similar to cucumbers. It usually has bright red flesh, but sometimes it also has yellow flesh. In terms of taste, it is slightly sweet, with a unique, refreshing note. It also contains many small black seeds, which are usually not eaten. Nevertheless, the seeds contain important nutrients such as magnesium, zinc, or iron. Roasted and salted, they are excellent as a snack in between.

Season and storage:

In Southern Europe, the main season for watermelon starts in May and ends in September. In the remaining months of the year, they are delivered to our supermarkets, for example, from Florida or South Africa. 
A whole watermelon, if it has not yet been cut, stays fresh for several weeks in the vegetable compartment of the refrigerator. If it has already been cut, however, it should be eaten promptly, otherwise the flesh will become "mealy" and tough.

Watermelon in a low-histamine diet

Watermelon is rated with a tolerance of "1", as there is a suspicion that it acts as a histamine liberator. Therefore, the tolerance should best be tested individually. Here again the principle applies: the fresher, the more tolerable. So, in the best case, the watermelon should be consumed quickly once it has been cut. It should also always be stored cool and tried in small quantities at first. By the way, all other melon varieties are rated with a "0" and are therefore low in histamine. Those affected with mast cell issues should be a little more careful here.

Watermelons are suitable for a:

• low-histamine diet (in moderation)
• gluten-free diet
• lactose-free diet 
• low-nickel diet
• low-sorbitol diet

Watermelons are rather unsuitable for a:

• low-fructose diet
• low-salicylate diet

Low-histamine snacking in summer: Other melons as an alternative

In addition to watermelon, there are also some other melons that are excellent as a low-histamine snack in summer. Among the most popular alternatives are the honeydew melon, Galia melon, and cantaloupe melon. All three melons are excellently suited for a low-histamine diet. The honeydew melon, for example, is also ideal for a low-fructose and low-salicylate diet. It is therefore perfectly suited for all the intolerances mentioned above.

Watermelon in the low-histamine kitchen: Shopping tips and processing

As already mentioned above, it is very important in the low-histamine kitchen to pay attention to the ripeness of the watermelon, as it is the fresher it is, the more tolerable it is. Packaged or cut watermelons are rather less suitable, as histamine-rich or histamine-forming germs form relatively quickly there. Unfortunately, the ripeness can be very difficult to interpret from the outside, so there is a simple tapping test. Here you can tap against the rind with your knuckle. If it sounds hollow, the fruit is dry or unripe inside, and if you can hear a full, deep sound, it is ideally a ripe fruit.

Processing:

The processing of watermelons can be done quickly and easily. On the one hand, you can cut it into pieces and eat it raw by hand as a summer snack, or you can use it for a delicious and summery salad. In addition, you can also excellently turn the flesh of the watermelon into a refreshing ice cream. So how about a watermelon sorbet or a cool watermelon slushie?

Watermelon is not only suitable as a refreshing snack, but also as an ingredient for summery smoothies. For an extra portion of plant-based protein, you can easily supplement your smoothie with our Organic Protein Powder. It consists of organic hemp, pumpkin seed, and rice protein, delivers 72 g of protein per 100 g, and is suitable for a low-histamine, low-fructose, gluten-free, lactose-free, and vegan diet.

Low-histamine melon recipes: Delicious and summery ideas for the kitchen

Melons can be used very diversely in the kitchen. That is why we have put together some delicious recipes for you here, for which you can use melons fantastically.

Honeydew melon feta salad:

The recipe is: low-histamine, low-fructose, gluten-free, and vegetarian

The salad is perfect as a snack in between!
You need the following ingredients:

• Honeydew melon
• Cucumber
• Feta
• Acerola juice
• Olive oil
• Lemon balm

• Honeydew melon
• Apricots
• Red currants
• Quinoa pops

• Honeydew melon
• Frozen mango (1)
• Almond milk (1)
• Blue spirulina powder
• Blueberries
• Passion fruit
• HistaFood Organic Grain Muesli

• Watermelon overview
• Watermelon histamine