Yes, chocolate, especially dark chocolate, is considered high in histamine or acts as a histamine liberator, meaning it can trigger the body's own histamine release, making it problematic for those with histamine intolerance (HIT). While cocoa itself might have low histamine, other compounds in it, like tyramine and phenylethylamine, can slow histamine breakdown, and dark chocolate generally has higher levels, so milk chocolate with less cocoa is often a better choice.
Although cocoa and chocolate contain hardly any histamine, other substances in these products block the DAO enzyme. That is why they feature among the histamine liberators. How well sufferers can tolerate chocolate depends on the cocoa content.
Low-histamine foods you can enjoy include:
White chocolate is different from dark and milk chocolate as it is made from cocoa butter, sugar, and milk solids and does not contain cocoa solids. Since cocoa solids are a primary contributor to the histamine content in dark and milk chocolate, white chocolate is generally considered to have lower histamine content.
Currently, the only evidence-based strategy for alleviating or preventing symptoms is adherence to a low-histamine diet, often supplemented with exogenous DAO to enhance histamine breakdown at the intestinal level [8,9,10,11,12,13,14,15,16].
Vitamin C. Vitamin C is a very common and well-known nutrient to strengthen the immune system and reduce inflammation. Vitamin C is also required to produce the necessary enzymes for the process of histamine breakdown, making it a vital anti-histamine nutrient.
For example, respiratory symptoms associated with histamine receptor intolerance include rhinorrhea, rhinitis, nasal congestion, dyspnea, and sneezing [19,21]. Histamine receptors are present in the skin; therefore, there will be skin manifestations, including pruritis, flushing, urticaria, dermatitis, and swelling.
It's also worth noting that dark chocolate generally contains less histamine compared to other chocolate types like milk chocolate.
29 Low Histamine Candy & Chocolate Products
Feeling sick after eating chocolate can be caused by several factors, including overconsumption, individual sensitivities or allergies to its ingredients, or even the natural compounds in chocolate that may affect the digestive system. Or it could be as simple as you have overindulged and eaten far too much chocolate.
Many people believe they experience a “histamine dump.” This phenomenon usually happens at night when your body releases a sudden surge of histamine. A histamine dump can interrupt your sleep and cause headaches, flushing, itching, anxiety, and a racing heart.
High histamine levels are often caused by a deficiency in the enzyme DAO, which helps to break down histamine.
8 Low Histamine Bread Products
H1 and H2 antihistamines.
These block histamine receptors in various parts of your body so histamine can't activate them. Taking antihistamines alone probably won't stop your symptoms, but it could help in combination with dietary changes. H1 histamine inhibitors include cetirizine, loratadine and fexofenadine.
Dark chocolate has anti-inflammatory, anti-oncogenic, and cardioprotective effects [13,14], and the polyphenols stand out for the range of benefits found in chocolate.
You may have chocolate intolerance or sensitivity if you experience any of the following when you consume it:
Here are some foods that are low in histamine:
Gluten-free grains like amaranth, arrowroot, buckwheat, millet, rice, quinoa, and more. Fresh meat that has not been aged. Salmon: Only fresh or flash-frozen within 30 minutes of catch. Non-citrus fruits like apples, blueberries, mangoes, peaches, pomegranates, and more.
Citrus Fruits
Vitamin C is a well-known immune booster, but it also has antihistamine properties. “Citrus fruits like oranges, lemons and grapefruits can help reduce symptoms like a runny nose and watery eyes,” says Oldman.
So if you suffer from histamine intolerance, you should prefer calmer sports such as strength training, Pilates or yoga. Interesting fact: Cardio training releases histamine and other inflammation substances, but the effect only takes temporary (up to 72 hours).
Lindt admits its dark chocolate bars have heavy metals like lead & cadmium. Lindt's Excellence Dark Chocolate 70% Cocoa contained. 116% of the recommended cadmium limit and 48% of the lead limit.
Limit or avoid foods with histamine-releasing capabilities
It depends on the strain and the person.
Some probiotic strains may support the gut barrier and help with histamine issues, while others can produce it.
Medical Conditions
Autoimmune disorders affect immune system function, which might lead to more histamine being released (11). Another condition causing elevated histamine levels is mastocytosis, rare disorder involving abnormal mast cell growth—the cells that make and store histamine (12).
Circadian Rhythms: Histamine levels follow a natural daily cycle, peaking in the early morning hours and dropping in the afternoon and evening. This nighttime rise can trigger symptoms in sensitive individuals.
If you've regularly reached for antihistamines or H2 antagonists such as ZYRTEC® or Benadryl® to treat your symptoms of histamine intolerance, you could be doing your gut more harm. Antihistamines block stomach acid production which leads to low stomach acid levels. This can result in symptoms of acid reflux.