Take note that the safest drinks to curb alcohol intolerance are those that don’t raise your body’s histamine levels. There’s no definitive list of histamine content in each type of alcoholic drink. This depends on factors like which plants are used to produce the alcohol, the fermentation process, and whether or not there are additives. The red wine provocation test also shows the histamine ranges for alcohols like wine, beer, and champagne. While we get all alcohol rehab the histamine our body needs from our cells, histamine can also be found in foods and drinks. Foods like aged cheeses, meats, citrus fruits, tomatoes, and fermented products like yogurt, sauerkraut, and soy sauce contain high levels of histamine.

Tips for Low-Histamine Alcohol Consumption

But if you are like me, you might want to have a low histamine cocktail on New Year’s Eve or to celebrate a birthday or other important milestone. You do still have some choices when it comes to putting together a fun, low histamine cocktail for your next party. So, you might start with a low histamine fruit like apples. Juices can also be higher histamine if they aren’t freshly squeezed.

• Even an alcohol that is very low in histamine might raise histamine levels in your body.
• The distillation process involved in whiskey production helps reduce histamine concentrations.
• To earn this credential I attained a Master’s Degree in Human Nutrition, passed a rigorous exam, and completed 1000 hours of supervised practice experience.
• It’s fascinating how histamines play a pivotal role in our body’s defense mechanisms, orchestrating a complex series of reactions to protect us from harm.

Histamine Content of Alcoholic Beverages

This process can potentially remove some histamines, resulting in lower histamine levels in the final product. However, when it comes to whiskey, the story is slightly different. Whiskey is generally considered to have lower histamine levels than other alcoholic beverages. The distillation process involved in whiskey production helps reduce histamine concentrations. While it is not completely histamine-free, whiskey may be a more suitable choice for individuals with histamine sensitivities. Whiskey usually contains less pre-formed histamine than some other alcoholic beverages like wine, champagne, and beer.

• So, if you have histamine sensitivity, you might find whiskey to be a more tolerable choice compared to other fermented alcohol option options.
• In addition to allergy-like symptoms, it can contribute to systemic inflammation, impaired digestion, and even affect mental well-being.
• When histamines bind to receptors in the airways, they cause constriction, making it harder for air to flow freely.
• Additionally, certain medications, such as antihistamines, can help alleviate symptoms and reduce histamine levels in the body.
• However, studies show there is a range for some products like wine, beer and champagne (1).

Understanding Histamines

It’s always best to use freshly squeezed or pressed fruit juices as mixers. If you don’t have any on hand, it’s okay to use store-bought fruit juices, as long as they contain lower histamine. There’s no such thing as a gold standard food list for a low histamine diet since it varies from one person to another.

Histamines and Mucus Production

During this process, alcohol can disrupt the normal functioning of mast cells, which are responsible for releasing histamines. Red wine, for example, is known to have high levels of histamines. This is because red wine is made from grapes, which naturally whiskey histamine contain histamine. During the fermentation process, the histamine content can increase further. Additionally, the aging process of red wine can also contribute to higher histamine levels.