Histamine and Fermented Foods

For many of us, regular consumption of fermented foods assists in the maintenance of our digestive health. However, for some people, eating fermented foods produces a range or adverse effects such as: Headaches, itchy skin, nasal congestion, bloating and fatigue.

Why?

As a by-product of fermentation, certain bacteria produce biogenic amines such as histamine. Some people have low levels of the enzymes needed to break down histamine which can lead to a build up of histamine in the body. Because the histamine is not being metabolised efficiently, this elevated histamine is responsible for a range of unpleasant symptoms. Dried anchovies and fish sauce contain the highest mean contents of histamine. A few commonly used histamine producing probiotic strains found in fermented foods include: Lactobacillus casei, Lactobacillus bulgaricus, Streptococcus thermophilus.

However, there are numerous probiotics capable of degrading histamine. Some well known strains include: Lactobacillus paracasei, Lactobacillus rhamnosus, Bifidobacterium bifidum.

Due to the wide variety of micro-organisms found across the different types of fermented foods, apart from reading labels, it is often a case of trial and error to find the fermented foods that you tolerate well. I would also suggest eating only small amounts at a time. If you suffer from histamine intlerance, speak with a qualified nutritionist to develop a suitable dietary plan..