Low Histamine Coconut and Kale Fried Rice Recipe

Fried rice can be a wholesome, hearty meal that fills you up and keeps you feeling satisfied when you're craving some carbs. But, with all of that soy sauce, lemon juice and who knows what else, it’s a high histamine nightmare.

Guess what?!

There is a way to make this delicious meal without all of those histamine containing and liberating ingredients, and I'm about to show you how! So, if you're ready to try this Asian fusion dish with a low-histamine twist, keep reading.

First, let me tell you a little bit more about why this recipe is a great low histamine option, and why I put these specific ingredients together...

Low Histamine Fried Rice Recipe: Nutritional Information

Coconut is such a versatile, nutritious and tasty low histamine food. From the oil to the milk and the flesh, it’s a great food that not only adds a nutty flavour to your meals, it has an awesome nutrition profile. While coconut is high in saturated fat, it’s not the same type of saturated fat you’d get in animal products. In fact, 50% of the saturated fat in coconut is from the type called lauric acid, which has been shown to benefit the good type of cholesterol, or HDL.

Coconut also contains vitamin B6 as well as the minerals iron, magnesium, zinc, copper, manganese and selenium. If you've been struggling with food allergies such as histamine intolerance, your restrictive diet may not be providing you with enough of these. That's why adding coconut to your meals is a great way to boost your overall nutrition (1).

Some additional health benefits coconut may provide you include:

• Improve cognitive function
• Boost heart health
• Improve body fat composition
• Reduce appetite and cravings
• Act as a natural antimicrobial
• Benefit hair skin and nail health

Eggs are an ingredient that can often be confusing to those with histamine intolerance. On the one hand, raw egg whites are extremely high in histamine and are a source of many histamine reactions. Often it's an immune reaction to the protein content of the egg white, and the body sees this as a threat. In this case, the egg white allergen has been recognized by the mast cells, causing them to break open and release their histamine and inflammatory components, which result in the typical allergic-like symptoms to develop. With an egg white reaction, it's usually the mast cells in the digestive tract that are triggered, which is why this type of reaction is commonly associated with diarrhea and vomiting (2) as well as a runny nose, stuffy eyes, sneezing and coughing.

On the other hand, whole, cooked eggs are typically well-tolerated by those with histamine intolerance. It's highly likely that there are some of you who will react to whole eggs, even when they're cooked. Just in case you fall into the latter category it’s important to note that egg whites and yolks are very different, and you may be (and are likely) still only intolerant to the whites. Many people with intolerances to eggs find they can actually still eat the yolks without trouble! That's why, in the below recipe, you have the option of using both the whites and yolks - or, just the yolks! 

Egg yolks are where most of the nutrition comes from, anyway. The yolk contains the fat soluble vitamins A, D, E and K, as well as omega 3 fatty acids. There are also other important vitamins in the yolk, like folate and vitamin B12, and good levels of amino acids, such as tryptophan and tyrosine that are beneficial for overall health including heart and brain health. The whites on the other hand, are quite a concentrated sources of protein, without being as nutrient-dense.

Of course, if you can squeeze a few vegetables into any dish, it boosts the overall health profile, which is another reason I love this fried rice recipe. By adding a combination of carrots, brussels sprouts and kale you're adding a whole host of beneficial minerals and vitamins as well as powerful anti-inflammatory compounds and antioxidants to the dish. They also diversify the flavours of the meal, with sweet and tart tastes.

In a meal like this, there is a need for some acidity to tie all of the flavours together. Unfortunately, citrus like lemon is out of the question, as is the typical citrus substitute many people may think they can use. Citric acid and lemons are both well-known histamine liberating foods, so you'll want to stay away from them in this low histamine dish. But I have the perfect low histamine substitute, and that’s were lemon balm comes in.

Don't worry! Lemon balm actually contains no lemon, and it's not part of the citrus family. In fact, it's part of the mint family and comes with its own host of benefits! Not only does it provide a mint-like lemon flavor that's perfectly suited to this recipe, lemon balm contains the histamine-reducing compound quercetin, which is well-known for its antihistamine effects. There's also some evidence to suggest that lemon balm can help to support the digestive process (3), which is a great property of the ingredient in this low histamine recipe.

What's a fried rice recipe without rice? In this recipe we suggest brown rice instead of white, as it contains more fiber and is less likely to spike your blood sugar. You can also use wild rice or red jasmine rice.

Now that you're familiar with all of the ingredients, and the reason they've been included, it’s time to get into the recipe. 

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Low Histamine Coconut and Kale Fried Rice Recipe

Makes 4 servings.

Calories: 362 per serving (Carbohydrate: 35g; Protein: 10g; Fat: 18g)

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsps coconut oil
• 2 whole eggs OR 4 egg yolks, beaten with a pinch of salt and 2 tbsps coconut milk to make them more of a whole egg consistency 
• 2 large garlic cloves, minced (note: if you react to garlic with gas and bloating, either leave the garlic out of the recipe or lightly saute the garlic before adding)
• 3 large green onions, thinly sliced
• 1 cup of carrots, cut into matchsticks (can also be roughly grated) 
• 1 cup of Brussels Sprouts, topped and diced into 4
• 1 medium bunch of kale, ribs removed and the leaves shredded
• ¼ tsp Himalayan or Celtic salt
• 2 cups of cooked and cooled brown rice (or rice of your choice)
• ¾ cups of shredded coconut, unsweetened variety
• ¼ cup of lemon balm leaves, diced
• Fresh cilantro for serving

Method:

1. Over medium high heat in a large skillet, add 1 tablespoon of the coconut oil and when hot, add the egg mixture. Stir occasionally until the eggs are cooked. Remove from the pan and set aside in a serving bowl.
2. Add the second teaspoon of coconut oil to the pan and then add the garlic, green onions, carrots and brussels sprouts. Stir occasionally and cook until the vegetables appear tender. Add the kale and salt, and cook until the kale starts to wilt.
3. Remove from the pan into the bowl with the eggs.
4. Add the remaining coconut oil to the pan and add the coconut flakes, stirring frequently until they begin to turn golden brown. Add the rice and stir it in to heat.
5. Add the egg and vegetable mixture back into the pan, as well as the lemon balm leaves. Stir to combine and heat through.
6. Remove to the serving bowl and garnish with fresh cilantro.
7. Best served hot! 

This recipe has become a staple in my life, and many of my client's lives, too. It's not only an easy healthy meal, it's a tasty, low histamine treat I'm sure you'll love. 

 

References:

1. Sankararaman S, Sferra TJ. Are We Going Nuts on Coconut Oil?. Curr Nutr Rep. 2018;7(3):107-115. doi:10.1007/s13668-018-0230-5
2. Mathew P, Pfleghaar JL. Egg Allergy. [Updated 2023 Jul 4]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2024 Jan.
3. LiverTox: Clinical and Research Information on Drug-Induced Liver Injury [Internet]. Bethesda (MD): National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases; 2012-. Lemon Balm. [Updated 2024 Feb 10]. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK600583/