Food additives for histamine intolerance

This blog post will focus entirely on the topic of food additives and histamine intolerance. Food additives should be viewed critically in a low-histamine diet – but also in a generally healthy diet.

Perhaps you are familiar with this situation:

You really want to eat a low-histamine diet – but the food industry doesn't make it easy. That's why you spend far too much time (especially in the beginning) standing in the supermarket reading product ingredient lists. And even then, you often don't know what's safe to eat and what isn't.

That's how it was (and still is) for us. That's why we now have a great solution for you:

A list of additives that you should avoid as much as possible when following a low-histamine diet.

Below you can read about which additives you might find in processed foods that could cause intolerance. And we also have a solution for you: which products do not pose any problems at all?

What are additives?

Additives are generally either synthetic or of natural origin. There are various types of additives, such as preservatives, colorings, acidulants, anti-caking agents, and emulsifiers. You will often find the so-called E-numbers on the packaging. The "E" stands for "Europe," because the same E-numbers are used for additives throughout Europe.

Why are there additives in food?

Over 300 food additives are currently permitted for use in food. Many foods must have a certain shelf life before consumption, which is why preservatives and stabilizing additives are used. Furthermore, additives also contribute to making foods smell, look, or taste better. Gummy bears, for example, wouldn't be colorful without colorings.

Commonly used types of additives:

Preservatives

...extend the shelf life of food: inhibit the growth of bacteria, molds and yeasts

Antioxidants

...fats, vitamins, or flavorings are protected from reacting with atmospheric oxygen.

Flavor enhancers

...the taste should be enhanced after the product has been processed

Sweeteners

... sugar is replaced

Dyes

... the appearance of food is "enhanced"

Thickener

... ensure that the consistency becomes thicker and firmer.

Unfortunately, these substances are found in many processed foods, which is why it is often so difficult to follow a low-histamine – and therefore "clean" – diet.
to find compatible products.

Which additives are high in histamine?

While we recommend choosing unprocessed foods and products, not every product with additives is necessarily problematic. Many additives are high in histamine, and you should be aware of and avoid them. However, there are also additives that are often well-tolerated on a low-histamine diet.

Which additives you should avoid on a low-histamine diet:

Citric acid (1)*
Citric acid (1)*
locust bean gum (2)
Guar gum (1)
Vinegar (1-3)
Yeast extract (2)
Flavorings/Flavorings (1)
Carrageenan (2)
Gelatine (1)
Amaranth (E123) (2)
Glutamate (2)
Gum arabic (1)
Sunflower oil (1)
Sunflower seeds (2)
Tomato paste (2)

Yes, there is a difference between citric acid and citric acid, which lies in the extraction and origin: citric acid is a cultivated mold, citric acid is extracted from the lemon.

General tips for your shopping

There are some basic rules for shopping for low-histamine products. The most important criterion is:

The fresher, the better. The less fresh a food is, the more histamine-producing bacteria are found on it.

Furthermore, organic quality is very important. Otherwise, the risk of harmful substances being present in the food is higher. These include, for example, heavy metals , antibiotics, and pesticides. Since we can hardly avoid ingesting such substances occasionally, we should do something good for our liver and gut.

Try to make sure you buy foods that are as natural and unprocessed as possible.

And this also applies to this topic: be aware of your individual tolerance level! Some people can tolerate certain substances in small amounts, while others cannot tolerate them at all. Therefore, our information only provides a rough guideline.