Wissenswertes

Bananas and histamine: Are bananas suitable for a low-histamine diet?

In this article, we take a closer look at bananas from a histamine perspective. But are bananas suitable for a low-histamine diet, or are they considered a high-histamine fruit? We'll answer that question here.

Bananas at a glance


Bananas originally come from Asian countries, but nowadays we in Germany are supplied with bananas from Africa and South and Central America – all year round.

Bananas and their nutrients


Bananas provide important B vitamins and also contain vitamin C, potassium, magnesium, and are low in calories. Ripe bananas also contain carbohydrates that provide quick energy. Bananas that are still ripening contain slightly more starch and less fructose. This combination allows bananas to keep you feeling full for a long time.

What is the ideal way to store bananas?


It's often recommended to store fruits and vegetables in the refrigerator to keep them fresh as long as possible. This doesn't apply here. Bananas turn brown and lose their flavor in the refrigerator. Instead, they ripen at room temperature, especially when stored next to apples or tomatoes.

Banana and histamine 1

Bananas and histamine


If you're new to the world of histamine, this information might be confusing: While bananas contain little histamine, they are still rarely well-tolerated. This is because bananas are marked with a "2" on the SIGHI list and contain other biogenic amines that compete with histamine, as they are broken down by the same enzyme (DAO enzyme). Therefore, eating a banana can disrupt histamine breakdown. This is particularly problematic if there is a diamine oxidase deficiency. Furthermore, bananas are considered histamine liberators. For this reason, bananas are not suitable for a low-histamine diet.

Histamine liberator – what does that mean?


Histamine liberators cause the body's own histamine to be released from mast cells. In other words, your body releases its own histamine. This process can cause symptoms of histamine release to appear up to 72 hours after consumption. Other histamine liberators include chocolate, strawberries, citrus fruits, legumes, and certain seafood.

Bananas and histamine intolerance


Eating bananas can trigger histamine-related symptoms. To avoid histamine symptoms, please refrain from eating bananas, especially during the initial phase of your low-histamine diet.



Bananas are suitable for:
 
  • lactose-free diet
  • gluten-free diet
  • low-salicylate diet
  • Low-sorbitol diet.

Bananas are rather unsuitable for:
  • low-histamine diet
  • low-fructose diet
  • nickel-free diet

Plantain and histamine

Is the plantain more suitable for a low-histamine diet?


It's often said that green bananas are easier to digest than ripe ones. However, this doesn't really apply to the "classic" banana, but rather to plantains. Plantains are rich in vitamin B, potassium, magnesium, and manganese, and are low in fructose, sorbitol, and salicylate. While they can't be eaten raw, as the name suggests, they can only be cooked, roasted, or fried. When cooked, they taste delicious with honey, maple syrup, or as a savory ingredient in a low-histamine curry.


And now for the most important information: Plantains are low in histamine and suitable for a low-histamine diet! However, as always, please be mindful of your individual tolerance and tolerance levels.

Alternatives to bananas: Fruit for people with histamine intolerance


Even though bananas are among the most popular fruits, there are plenty of delicious alternatives suitable for a low-histamine diet. These include, for example, apples, blueberries, blackberries, apricots, peaches, grapes, and of course, plantains.

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