If you have histamine intolerance, you may have noticed every time you slurp down your favorite peanut butter banana smoothie your gums begin to itch a short while later. Or you break out in hives after you've eaten a banana that’s just past its ideal ripeness...
With histamine intolerance becoming an increasingly hot topic in the health community, this beloved yellow fruit has found itself at the center of some heated debates.
If you're not ready to give up on the unique sweetness of your daily banana, you’ll want to keep reading. Today we're peeling back the layers of truth about bananas and their relationship with your histamine symptoms.
Bananas and Histamine: The Facts
So, the main question you're likely dying to have answered is, are bananas high in histamine?
Here's the quick answer I'm sure you're going to love: fresh bananas are considered low in histamine! YAY!
Not so fast, though. Unfortunately, the relationship between bananas and histamine sensitivity is more complex than a simple "yes" or "no".
Histamine Content
Fresh bananas contain relatively low levels of histamine compared to many other fruits. In a study examining whether foods should be excluded from a low-histamine diet based on their histamine content, the simple banana showed undetectable traces of this biological compound (1).
Additional information gathered from the study showed the exact histamine content varies based on ripeness and storage conditions. And it seems the research showed histamine content actually decreases as the fruit ripens (2).
Why then are bananas on the list of foods to avoid if you have histamine intolerance?
Histamine Liberators
This is where bananas get interesting. They are thought to be histamine liberators, which means bananas contain substances that can trigger the release of histamine in your body (3).
In other words, even though bananas might not contain high levels of histamine themselves, they can still cause a histamine response and all the symptoms that go with it because of the impact they have on your body and it's histamine levels.
Other Relevant Compounds in Bananas
Interestingly, other biogenic amines, the class of chemicals histamine belongs to, contribute to your body’s histamine sensitivity. The same study that found histamine levels in bananas drop while ripening discovered a specific type of biogenic amine called putrescine, increases the riper the banana gets (4).
While putrescine is not identical to histamine and it does not stimulate its release, high amounts are in fact associated with elevated histamine levels.
Why does this happen? Well, it's pretty simple: putrescine interferes with the enzymes that break down histamine.
You see, when histamine is released in response to a potential threat like an allergen, it sets in motion your body’s allergic response to neutralize the invader. Once the threat has been taken care of, histamine is degraded by specialized enzymes.
If you have a deficiency in one of these enzymes, called diamine oxidase (DAO) and histamine N-methyltransferase (HNMT), histamine isn’t broken down as efficiently as it should be, leading to higher levels in your body. It's what happens in the presence of high putrescine levels.
Considerations for Histamine-Sensitive People
One of the reasons histamine intolerance is so difficult to diagnose is because it causes such a wide range of symptoms and symptom combinations. People also have different environmental, lifestyle, and dietary triggers.
It's why some histamine sensitive people may tolerate small portions of banana, while others feel just the smell of it can cause their symptoms to flare.
Factors affecting histamine intolerance include:
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Overall health digestive health: Histamine sensitivity begins in the gut (5). If your intestinal lining is more permeable than it should be, partially digested food particles can pass through it, entering your bloodstream and coming into contact with your immune cells. Because the immune cells aren't supposed to see these food particles, it may trigger an allergic response.
Your gut microbiome is key to improving overall gut and immune health. When the beneficial bacteria thrive and growth of harmful ones is controlled, your digestive health improves.
A healthy, whole-food diet combined with a low-histamine probiotic supplement can give your digestive tract the boost it needs.
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DAO and HNMT enzyme efficiency: Genetics is the main cause of rdeficiency relating to the availability of histamine degrading enzymes. Other causes include poor gut health, certain drugs, and alcohol (6).
While you can’t change your genetic makeup, you can stop taking medication that inhibits DAO, such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs), antidepressants, and metformin. Always consult with your doctor before you stop taking your meditation.
You can also take a DAO supplement before eating a high-histamine meal or a histamine-liberating foods like bananas.
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Total histamine load: Histamine intolerance can be confusing because sometimes you can eat your banana without being bothered by pesky symptoms, but other times, your skin breaks out in a rash, your nose runs, or you get diarrhea (7).
Your reaction to foods depends on how much histamine is in your system at any given time. Think of a bucket being filled with water. If the tap is left running, the bucket eventually overflows.
The same thing is happening in your body. When the histamine-tap is left running because it is not being degraded, levels rise. When your histamine-bucket overflows, it can seem like your body starts reacting to everything.
Following a low-histamine diet is the cornerstone of managing elevated histamine levels. That includes avoiding bananas.
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Stress levels: Are bananas a no-no when you’re under pressure? It could be because your fight-or-flight response is triggering histamine release. Ideally, a stress response is short-lived. Your body is primed to defend yourself or run away and then everything settles back down to normal.
However, busy, pressure-filled days lead to chronic stress and persistently high levels of stress hormones. This in turn can cause elevated histamine levels and increased histamine sensitivity.
If you're histamine-sensitive but want to include bananas in your diet, start with small portions of banana. Monitor your symptoms for 24-48 hours—reactions aren’t always immediate, and keep a food diary to help you track your body’s response.
Benefits Vs. Risks
Bananas are a nutritious fruit rich in important nutrients such as potassium and fiber. They also contain prebiotic compounds that support overall digestive health and can give you a natural energy boost.
Despite their benefits, consider avoiding bananas if you:
- Have confirmed histamine intolerance and react to a variety of foods
- Experience reactions to histamine liberators
- Have salicylate sensitivity
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Are following a low-FODMAP diet (8)
Practical Tips
Take care when storing bananas to minimize histamine and putrescine development. Keep them at room temperature until ripe and then refrigerate them to slow further ripening.
If you can’t eat them when they are perfectly ripe, consider peeling them and freezing them to use in low-histamine smoothies.
Histamine intolerance and bananas are often not compatible. If you love them, and wish to include them in your diet, ensure that you don’t eat any other high-histamine or histamine-releasing foods at the same time.
Also, choose fresh bananas over dried or processed ones, avoid banana products with added preservatives, and choose organic produce to minimize pesticide exposure.
Bananas and Histamine Intolerance
While bananas are technically low in histamine, their impact on histamine-sensitive people can vary. The key is understanding your personal tolerance and making informed decisions based on your body's responses.
For most people, even those with mild histamine sensitivity, bananas can be safely enjoyed as part of a balanced diet. However, if you have severe histamine intolerance or experience consistent reactions to bananas, consult with a healthcare provider who specializes in histamine sensitivity to determine the most suitable and personalized approach to your diet.
Managing histamine intolerance requires an individual approach. If you love bananas, pay attention to your body's signals when you eat them. Start with small portions and adjust your consumption based on your personal experience rather than relying on general rules.
References
- Sánchez-Pérez S, Comas-Basté O, Veciana-Nogués MT, Latorre-Moratalla ML, Vidal-Carou MC. Low-Histamine Diets: Is the Exclusion of Foods Justified by Their Histamine Content? Nutrients. 2021 Apr 21;(5):1395.
- Borges CV, Belin MAF, Amorim EP, Minatel IO, Monteiro GC, Gomez Gomez HA, et al. Bioactive amines changes during the ripening and thermal processes of bananas and plantains. Food Chemistry. 2019 Nov;125020.
- Matysiak J. Histamine intolerance (HIT). Journal of Medical Science. 2022 Sep 16;e727.
- Durak-Dados A, Michalski M, Osek J. Histamine and other biogenic amines in food. Journal of Veterinary Research. 2020 Apr 30;(2):281–8.
- Schnedl WJ, Enko D. Histamine Intolerance Originates in the Gut. Nutrients. 2021 Apr 12;(4):1262.
- Manzotti G, Breda D, Di Gioacchino M, Burastero S. Serum diamine oxidase activity in patients with histamine intolerance. International Journal of Immunopathology and Pharmacology. 2015 Nov 16;(1):105–11.
- Jochum C. Histamine Intolerance: Symptoms, Diagnosis, and Beyond. Nutrients. 2024 Apr 19;(8):1219.
- FODMAP Diet: What You Need to Know. Johns Hopkins Medicine. Johns Hopkins Medicine. 2021.
Anita Tee
My name is Anita Tee. I'm a nutritional scientist specializing in histamine intolerance. I hold a Master of Science in Personalized Nutrition and a Bachelor of Science in Human Biology and Psychology.
For the past ten years, I have used my experience in nutritional and medical health sciences to create a scientifically backed, natural approach to healthcare that relies 100% on evidence-based research.
As I previously suffered from - and overcame - histamine intolerance, my focus is to increase recognition and expand the available resources and protocols for resolving the disorder. To date, I have helped over 4,000 individuals fully resolve or better manage their histamine intolerance symptoms.
