Histamine intolerance and vegan diet
These days, veganism is becoming increasingly popular, and for good reason. We'll show you how to follow a vegan or vegetarian diet if you have a histamine intolerance.
Health benefits of a vegetarian or vegan diet
The incidence of diet-related diseases is steadily increasing. These illnesses not only burden individuals but also the entire healthcare system. As research conducted several years ago and numerous studies* have shown, vegetarians and vegans appear to have a significantly reduced risk of diet-related diseases.
These include, on the one hand, obesity, type 2 diabetes, hypertension (high blood pressure), but also cardiovascular diseases (heart and circulatory diseases), atherosclerosis, gout and certain types of cancer.
Vegetarian and vegan diets are therefore suitable for the prevention and treatment of many diseases and have a largely untapped potential for health promotion.
Aside from the health aspect, vegetarian and vegan diets also offer advantages when it comes to global problems such as climate change, resource depletion, and species extinction. There is now a considerable body of scientific data that supports these benefits.
Vegan diet and what science says to consider
The question of whether a vegetarian or vegan diet carries the risk of nutritional deficiencies is valid. Most scientists now agree on this point: deficiencies are likely only in a few exceptional cases with a vegan or vegetarian diet.
- This can occur with a very one-sided and unbalanced diet. In particular, if the so-called critical nutrients of a vegan or vegetarian diet are disregarded and consequently only consumed in very small amounts.
- When infections, certain diseases, growth, physical and mental stress, age, and physical activity increase the need for nutrients and this is ignored.
Nevertheless, it is generally assumed that vegetarian or vegan diets are suitable for all people at all stages of life, provided that a balanced and nutrient-rich diet is taken into account.
The following critical nutrients should be monitored and regularly checked (listed in order of severity): vitamin B12, vitamin D, iodine, DHA, zinc, EPA, selenium, iron, vitamin B2, calcium, and proteins in general, especially the amino acid lysine. According to the German Nutrition Society (DGE), vegans in particular are at high risk of vitamin B12 deficiency if they do not supplement their diet, for example, with drops or tablets.
Taking these aspects into account, this type of diet is also suitable for children, adolescents, pregnant women, and breastfeeding mothers. Athletes can also benefit from it.
How can I follow a low-histamine vegan or vegetarian diet?
To answer the question of whether a vegetarian or vegan diet can be considered in the case of histamine intolerance, let's first look at the "vegan food plate":
As shown in the illustration, a complete vegan diet consists of the following components: vegetables, virgin oils, fruits, whole grains, water, nuts and seeds and legumes and appropriate dietary supplements (according to the German Nutrition Society (DGE), vitamin B12).
To make your vegan or vegetarian diet low in histamine, you can use our food list as a guide. Always remember: While there are no histamine-free foods, there are definitely low-histamine vegan foods.
Here's a little preview for you:
Low-histamine and vegan list of protein-rich foods
- Cabbage vegetables (e.g. broccoli, white cabbage, red cabbage, cauliflower or pointed cabbage)
- Pumpkin seeds & pumpkin seed flour
- Coconut & coconut flour as well as coconut yogurt
- Almonds & almond flour as well as almond yogurt
- Hemp seeds, hemp flour or hemp powder
- Watercress
- Salad (e.g. lettuce or lamb's lettuce)
- wholegrain spelt flour
- oatmeal
- Quinoa
- Cannelli beans (are the lowest in histamine beans and are often well tolerated)
On our website you will also find a wide selection of low-histamine vegetarian and vegan recipes.
Tips on what to consider when following a vegan/vegetarian diet with histamine intolerance:
To meet your fat requirements, you can use vegetable fats such as rapeseed oil, olive oil, or coconut oil for frying. Note that olive oil and coconut oil should not be heated too much. As a butter alternative, you can use a vegetable "butter" made from coconut or almonds.
When it comes to fruits and vegetables, it's important to note that, strictly speaking, some varieties are not considered vegan because they have been treated with animal-derived substances. These substances include, for example, shellac (derived from cochineal insects) or beeswax.
It can sometimes be difficult to tell whether a particular food product has been treated or not. The label "untreated" gives you peace of mind. Organic products are also not allowed to undergo any further treatment. This way, you can also avoid chemical-synthetic pesticides.
Nuts, seeds, and legumes provide high-quality protein as well as healthy, unsaturated fatty acids. However, people with histamine intolerance don't have a huge selection of nuts and seeds. Pistachios, macadamia nuts, and Brazil nuts (in small quantities) are considered low in histamine. According to the SIGHI food list, almonds have a "1" rating, meaning they may be tolerated depending on individual tolerance levels. So, feel free to try them in small amounts first.
The selection of low-histamine legumes is very limited. For more in-depth information, you can read our blog post on " Nuts and Seeds with Histamine Intolerance" .
Meeting protein requirements despite a low-histamine diet
To still adequately meet protein requirements, vegan protein powders can be used as a supplement.
Alternatively, protein powder made from hemp seeds or pumpkin seeds is suitable. Hemp seeds contain around 25 g of protein per 100 g and about 80% unsaturated, healthy fatty acids. The protein content of pumpkin seeds is very similar.
Other low-histamine, vegan protein sources include quinoa with a protein content of 15 g/100 g, rolled oats 13.5 g/100 g and amaranth 15 g/100 g.
If you want to eat a vegetarian diet and not a vegan one, you also have various dairy products available, such as quark, cream, mozzarella or raw milk.
If you have a histamine intolerance, you should largely avoid vegan and vegetarian convenience foods. These often contain various additives and other histamine-rich ingredients such as soy flour, soybeans, etc. – these are high in histamine. It's better to cook for yourself instead.
Preventing and counteracting nutrient deficiencies in histamine intolerance at an early stage
To ensure that no vitamin or mineral deficiency develops over time, it is recommended to have the critical nutrients checked with a blood test approximately every 1-2 years.
Furthermore, it is advantageous to develop a general understanding of which vitamins and minerals are found in which foods, or how you can generally eat a balanced diet.
It's important that a vegan or vegetarian diet remains varied, balanced, and healthy. This is especially true for those with histamine intolerance, who should avoid soy-based convenience foods and all vegan "meat alternatives." We therefore recommend always cooking fresh meals yourself to ensure they contain only low-histamine or otherwise well-tolerated ingredients.
Sources
- DGE (2018): Selected questions and answers on vitamin B1. (online) Available at: https://www.dge.de/wissenschaft/faqs/vitaminb12/, last accessed on 24.07.22.
- Leitzmann, Claus/ Keller, Markus (2020): Vegetarian and vegan nutrition. 4th edition, Eugen Ulmer Publishing House, Stuttgart.
- Rittenau, Nico (2020): Goodbye Vegan Clichés!: Scientific Answers to Critical Questions about Plant-Based Nutrition. (online) Available at: https://de.scribd.com/book/432408941/Vegan-Klischee-ade-Wissenschaftliche-Antworten-auf-kritische-Fragen-zu-pflanzlicher-Ernahrung, last accessed on 25.07.22.
- Reinarz, Stefanie (2022): Treated fruit is not always vegan: What you can look out for. (online) Available at: https://utopia.de/ratgeber/behandeltes-obst-ist-nicht-immer-vegan-worauf-du-achten-kannst/, last accessed on 24.07.22.
- SIGHI (2016): Food Compatibility List. (online) Available at: https://www.mastzellaktivierung.info/downloads/foodlist/11_FoodList_DE_alphabetisch_mitKat.pdf, last accessed on 25.07.22.
- Keller, Markus (2013): The preventive and therapeutic potential of vegetarian and vegan diets. (online) Available at: https://www.thieme-connect.com/products/ejournals/abstract/10.1055/s-0033-1357231, last accessed on 24.07.22.