Select those high-histamine foods and their possible substitutions to make it easier for you to manage a low-histamine diet during the Christmas season.
The most magical time of the year is coming, where houses are filled with illusion and food turns out to be one of the protagonists. Therefore, if you are following a low-histamine diet, you may have doubts about how to manage these dates in the best possible way. The key will be to plan, relativise and, above all, enjoy!
Depending on which phase of the low-histamine diet you are in, you may be able to expand your food choices to a lesser or greater extent during holiday meals. However, in any case, we recommend pre-planning those meals that you can participate in first hand and that you can include some low-histamine options. If this is not possible, try to put things into perspective and remember that it’s just a one-time meal. You’ll have plenty of other opportunities—either during non-holiday meals or on different days—to manage your diet more easily. Often, we find that excessive control can lead to a total loss of control, making us feel disconnected not only from the reason we’re gathering but also from the company around us. Therefore, you can try everything, but in moderation and, most importantly, chew slowly to savor and appreciate what you eat.
Here’s a table with some typical foods of the season, along with their respective low/moderate or high-histamine alternatives, so you can have them on hand:
|
|
HISTAMINE ACCUMULATION | |
|
FOOD |
LOW or MODERATE |
HIGH |
|
Vegetables |
Chard, artichokes, mushrooms < zucchini, pumpkin, spinach, tomato | Sauerkraut |
| Fish | Cod, monkfish, sole, sea bass, sea bream, trout < sardine, salmon, tuna |
Canned tuna, smoked salmon, anchovies in vinegar |
|
Seafood |
Squid, cuttlefish, crab and octopus | Prawns, mussels, clams |
| Sausage | Cooked turkey, cooked ham and Iberian/serrano ham |
Chorizo, sausage |
| Eggs | Yolk, cooked egg white |
Raw egg white |
|
Cheeses |
Fresh, soft | Semi-cured and cured |
| Sauces | Dairy-based |
Made from fermented vegetables (soya, rice, oats or coconut) |
|
Fruits |
Pear, apple, mango, plum, pomegranate, mango, grape < strawberries, papaya, avocado |
Citrus fruits (orange, grapefruit, tangerine, lemon, kiwi, pineapple), bananas |
|
Nougat (typical Spanish sweets) |
Coconut, figs, “tocinillos de cielo”, carob, dates, sweet potatoes |
Chocolate, nuts |
| Beverages | Water, carbonated beverages |
Alcoholic beverages (champagne, wine, beer, cider, distilled beverages) |
On the other hand, remember to take one or two mini-tablets of the DAO enzyme before holiday meals, and, if necessary, also during the meal. Even with the best intentions, it’s normal to have a higher histamine load during this time of year.
The whole Team wishes you Merry Christmas and a happy 2025!
If you want us to advise you in a personalized way, either in our Barcelona nutrition centre or by video conference from anywhere in the world, contact us and we will help you