14 Natural Antihistamine Foods Plus Benefits!

By Owen Ibbotson Naturopath

There are many products on the market that promise to relieve, control, manage or attack allergies. These products work by interfering with biochemical responses that happen in the body. One example is antihistamines.

These medications may relieve symptoms by stopping histamine from being released by certain cells in the body.

Though antihistamines are the most common drugs used to treat allergic symptoms, they are not short of side effects. A major side effect is sleepiness. Driving a car or working equipment is not suggested while under the influence of antihistamines.

Further common side effects are dryness of the mouth, nose and throat, blurry vision, faintness, loss of appetite, biliousness, upset stomach, low blood pressure, headache, anxiety, agitation, sleeplessness and loss of coordination.

With all those side effects, you may be looking for other options?

Continue reading to discover my top natural antihistamine foods with benefits…

As a naturopath with 15 years of experience, I have a special interest in the treatment of allergic conditions. I love using natural remedies and food.

Histamine is a biochemical that the body makes on its own. We can also eat diets that are rich in histamine.

Histamine plays a key role in allergy-related inflammation in the body. It also regulates sleep and stomach acid. Your body might experience histamine intolerance to food when it is no longer able to break it down.

Histamine intolerance is a food intolerance. So, it should come as no surprise that the gut microbiome has a large part to play in its pathogenesis.

Upon histamine digestion, enzymes work to metabolise histamine. This decreases the quantity absorbed into the bloodstream.

The inflammation, as a result of a disturbed gut microbiome, might be an underlying powerful influence behind histamine intolerance.

Here are some of the top natural antihistamine foods that you can incorporate in your diet:

1. Apples

Apples contain quercetin. Quercetin can help steady the release of histamines from certain immune cells. Quercetin reduces symptoms like coughs, watery eyes, runny noses, rash, puffy lips or tongue, and dyspepsia.

Like many other bioflavonoids, quercetin has anti-oxidant, anti-atherogenic, and anti-carcinogenic properties. You know the old saying – an apple a day keeps the doctor away!

Apples are also one of my top foods to buy organic. If you haven’t switched to organic apples I recommend it, they are super crisp and tasty!

2. Thyme

Thyme essential oil has antimicrobial activity against a multitude of diverse microorganisms and yeasts. It is a natural antihistamine.

Thyme essential oil has sterile properties to help fight infections. It is a herbal antibiotic particularly armed to challenge lung infections. Thyme is sterile, antiviral, antihistamine, anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, nervine, and antitussive.

Unlike antibiotics, thyme works on microbial or virus-related contagions (not just bacteria). It has a soothing effect on the nervous system and might help you get some much-needed time out.

Including fresh thyme in your meals is helpful, but for a more therapeutic dose, thyme essential oil can be found in a number of antimicrobial supplements.

3. Watercress

Investigation tells us that compounds removed from this hot herbal can stop histamine release from cells exposed to an allergen. Watercress helps to reduce high blood pressure. Watercress compounds lower cancer risk and can protect from the side-effects of radioactivity and chemotherapy.

Watercress is one of the most nutrient-rich foods. It has the capability to constrain 60% of the histamine released from mast cells. I use watercress all the time as a garnish for salads to make them extra tasty. The spicy and nourishing greeneries of watercress have been used to treat bronchitis and adenoidal illnesses in children.

4. Onion

Consistent onion eating can steady mast cells . Onions also lower down the histamine levels in blood plasma cells. What makes the health benefits of onions so abundant is the presence of the polyphenol quercetin compound.

Polyphenols are phytochemicals, antioxidants that defend vegetations against microorganisms and worms. Quercetin halts your immune system from releasing histamines, easing allergen symptoms such as runny nose and watery eyes.

The health benefits of onions aren’t only due to quercetin. Onions are salt and fat free, low in calories and plentiful in vitamins C, B6, A and E. The copper found in onions protects your bones and joints, firms your skin and stops osteoporosis in women.

Your intestines will also thank you, since onions boost the development of good gut bacteria that helps in digestion.

5. Parsley

Testing displays Parsley’s antihistamine action which indicates it to be helpful for individuals with hay fever or rash. It’s anti-inflammatory and can patch-up liver damage. As it turns out, further investigation proposes that parsley, that once-ignored garnish, is a star when it comes to ‘food as medicine’.

This herb is a key source of vitamin A, vitamin C, and lutein and zeaxanthin recognised as the macular carotenoids for their key role in protecting eye strength.

Shopping for parsley is like purchasing a bunch of fresh-cut rosettes: Freshness is important. The greeneries must be bright green, the stalks stable, nothing floppy. At home, take them out of the plastic so they can breathe a little. Once you are ready to enjoy, first give them a decent rinse in warm water.

6. Broccoli

A reliable source of vitamin C, broccoli is an easy-to-find natural antihistamine and is a faultless answer for treating a stuffy nose and other symptoms of allergies brought on by irritation.

It is a true superfood and is a particularly rich source of the flavonoid kaempferol, which is why it is such a strong anti-inflammatory.

Investigation has exposed that eating a lot of cruciferous vegetables is linked with a reduced risk of heart disease and cancer. This might be connected to the anti-inflammatory effects of the antioxidants they contain.

Broccoli is rich in sulforaphane, an antioxidant that fights inflammation by dropping your levels of cytokines and NF-kB, which drive swelling.

Broccoli is one of the finest sources of sulforaphane, an antioxidant with anti-inflammatory, anticancer, antimicrobial, anti-diabetic properties and helps promote liver detoxification.

Try our Broccoli and Coconut Soup recipe here…

7. Peach

Peaches are a seasonal fruit, that is sugary and juicy. A study found that they repressed mast cell derivative allergic irritation. Ending the histamine response in cells is the first line of defence in ending irritation in the body.

Besides being full of fibre and water, peaches are also very high in beta-carotene.

One of the utmost qualities in peach nutrition is the high number of antioxidants found in these delightful fruits.

When free radicals can bounce around in your many body systems, they can cause all kinds of injury, known as oxidative stress, and contribute to illness and cell breakdown on many levels.

Looking for a yummy way to include more Peaches in your diet?

8. Turmeric

Turmeric is the spice that gives curry its shade, and on its own, it has a pungent, cheddar-like sense of taste. The fresh rhizomes are obtainable and can be frozen and grated over most salty dishes as a condiment.

Turmeric has influential anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties. A study found that it repressed mast cell activation. It also acts as an anti-inflammatory, calming the reddened air route of the oesophagus following an allergic response.

Turmeric contains a compound known as curcumin. This acts as a decongestant and this action in turn aids in reducing the many symptoms that come with allergies. This spice acts as a natural antihistamine. This means that it can decrease the release of histamines in your body, or stop mass cell degranulation. It is also a powerful detoxifier.

9. Fennel

Fennel is anti-inflammatory, antihistamine, painkilling and antioxidant. Fennel is a natural relief for skin care. Fennel seeds, stems, bulbs, and greeneries are all crammed with nutrition and are an outstanding source of B vitamins.

These vitamins, with vitamin C, are vital for upholding good skin health and even promote collagen synthesis to keep the skin strong and body-hugging. Fennel extracts are valued as an anti-aging element in many supplementary skin care goods. Fennel contains many nutrients that play a dynamic part in shielding you from melanoma.

The herb contains an anti-inflammatory phytonutrient called anethole, which occurs in fennel, recognised to have anti-cancer effects by stopping breast cancer cells from growing.

Colicky babies cry hard at around the same time each day for at least three days a week. Breastfeeding mothers can sip on fennel tea to help relieve their baby’s discomfort. This will cool the digestive tract and help release gas and indications of indigestion.

Fennel seed oil can decrease duodenal contractions and upsurge motility of the small intestine. It eases stomach discomfort and uneasiness linked with dyspepsia, stomach swelling, biliousness, burping, and flatulence.

Fennel and celery with a sprinkle of slithered almonds make a delicious and refreshing salad.

10. Pomegranate

Pomegranates have a sugary but acerbic sense of taste and are used in both salty and sugary foods. They contain polyphenols, such as tannins and anthocyanins, and are higher in antioxidants than green tea. A study displayed that they act as mast cell stabilisers.

Pomegranates are of great therapeutic use for the body. Pomegranate is delicious in its natural form, juice or herbal tea. In vivo studies done on the whole fruit or extract, skin, and florae reveal antiulcer effect in a diversity of animal models.

Ellagic acid was the chief accountable for this effect, though other separate ellagitannins might contribute to the biotic activity of the mixture. Diverse preparations of pomegranate, including cuttings from skins, florae, kernels, and juice, display a noteworthy anti-inflammatory activity in the gut.

11. Ginger

Ginger is a rhizome that constrains allergic responses. It has been used as an H2 inhibitor, but then again, a 2009 study displays that it also acts as a mast cell stabiliser. Investigation has exposed that ginger has many health benefits including antioxidant, anti-viral, anti-inflammation, and anti-tumour effects.

So, it can help treat many commonplace problems such as peptic illnesses, biliousness, motion sickness, abdominal spasms, temperatures, and chills as well as major diseases such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and even malignant tumours.

Ginger acts as an anti-histamine and can help in the handling of allergies. Ginger is a natural anti-viral and anti-histamine. It can help promote healthy perspiring, which is often accommodating when suffering from a cold or temperature.

12. Holy Basil

Holy basil’s activity as a natural anti-histamine has been found to affect histamine’s H2 receptor, great news for those with histamine intolerance/histaminosis/mastocytosis/mast cell activation disorders with stomach grievances. Holy Basil is also known as Tulsi, one of my favourite herbal supplements and teas.

Its anti-inflammatory effects are in part owing to its high vitamin K content. Holy basil is a herb in the basil family. It has a delicate taste that is minty, and flowery, with a natural sugariness. It is an adaptogen to help reduce feelings of stress, as well as anti-anaphylactic, antihistamine, and mast cell stabilising properties.

13. Sweet Potato

This delicious, nourishing food is one of the highest antihistamine type foods. The root vegetable contains a diverse range of vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients, and antioxidants that stop the histamine response in cells.

A key source of complex carbs, fibre, beta-carotene, manganese and vitamin B6 and C, these potatoes help rectify inflammation in the body. Beta-carotene is the nutrient accountable for giving sweet potatoes that typical attractive carroty hue. It’s also helpful in exfoliating your skin.

Cyanidin is one more antioxidant extra of sweet potatoes. Found in the flesh of purple sweet potatoes, this phytonutrient compound has been related to shielding us from pollutants in the digestive system.

It helps the body decrease inflammation that contributes to long-term chronic disease including diabetes, arthritis and asthma.

14. Amaranth

Amaranth greeneries are delicious. The greeneries are crammed with anti-inflammatory vitamin K and they have such robust natural antihistamine action that they’ve been exposed to stop anaphylactic shock. The kernels are not grains, like wheat or rice. It contains a higher protein concentration than any other grain on the market.

Furthermore, even the greeneries of the amaranth contain helpful proteins. The proteins are particularly of high nutritional value owing to the outstanding balance of vital amino acids.

Still, further investigation proposes that extra nutrients such as phytochemicals of amaranth might also have possible health beneficial effects.

The emollients and phytosterols in amaranth help lower cholesterol levels, including LDL and triglycerides. The anti-inflammatory properties of peptides and emollients in amaranth can ease pain and decrease irritation.

This is particularly significant for chronic conditions where inflammation corrodes your health, such as diabetes, heart disease, and stroke.

Did you enjoy finding out which of your favourite natural antihistamine foods are also helping your allergies?

As a Naturopath, I focus on two features: prevention and addressing the root cause of disease. I practise a holistic, evidence-based approach to care. I use the best of natural and conservative treatment – which includes diet!

Over to you…

Do you think you can integrate some of these antihistamine foods into your diet?

Challenge yourself to make the first step. If you would like help, I’m here to support you. I can help you integrate these antihistamine foods into your diet.

Amaranth greeneries are delicious. The greeneries are crammed with anti-inflammatory vitamin K and they have such robust natural antihistamine action that they’ve been exposed to stop anaphylactic shock. The kernels are not grains, like wheat or rice. It contains a higher protein concentration than any other grain on the market.

Furthermore, even the greeneries of the amaranth contain helpful proteins. The proteins are particularly of high nutritional value owing to the outstanding balance of vital amino acids.

Still, further investigation proposes that extra nutrients such as phytochemicals of amaranth might also have possible health beneficial effects.

The emollients and phytosterols in amaranth help lower cholesterol levels, including LDL and triglycerides. The anti-inflammatory properties of peptides and emollients in amaranth can ease pain and decrease irritation.

This is particularly significant for chronic conditions where inflammation corrodes your health, such as diabetes, heart disease, and stroke.

Did you enjoy finding out which of your favourite natural antihistamine foods are also helping your allergies?

As a Naturopath, I focus on two features: prevention and addressing the root cause of disease. I practise a holistic, evidence-based approach to care. I use the best of natural and conservative treatment – which includes diet!

Over to you…

Do you think you can integrate some of these antihistamine foods into your diet?

Challenge yourself to make the first step. If you would like help, I’m here to support you. I can help you integrate these antihistamine foods into your diet.

Find his website HERE

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JANETS COMMENTS

I must say I do find the work of this Naturopath remarkable. Many people click on this Article. The Site Activity Report shows a significant Number each month (No URLs) for each Post in my Blog, and I am glad that so many people are being potentially helped with this Article. Especially if they have Gut Issues like "Leaky Gut" that is Closely related to Allergies and Food Intolerances and Sensitivities many people have. I would say that a good Quercetin supplement would be a good idea to try in addition to a few of these Foods. Try not to rely on Supplements alone for addressing Health Issues - that's sometimes the problem with people not getting the help they "Expect" from a Supplement because Diet Issues are not being addressed aka how do the Foods you Eat Help or Hinder You? This Naturopath is telling you that you may need to build up the Integrity of your Gut Biota (Microbiome) that has a Lot to do with Everyone's Health - more than most of us realise. Especially when Allergies are involved. Quite often people with Histamine related Allergies can't handle some of the very Foods that Benefit Gut Health, so this Naturopath gives you a Safe-Zone List of Beneficial Foods your Body should be able to handle that have Anti-histamine Effects, varying with the Individual. Give them a try! I wish everyone well.