Low Histamine AND Low Oxalate FOOD LIST with Printable (2023)

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This post provides a combined Low Histamine AND Low Oxalate food list, with a printable — for easy cooking and grocery shopping.

I created this list in part for myself, because it makes recipe creating so much easier — to have low histamine AND low oxalate foods listed in the same place.

Additionally, I have used the (L) sign to indicate which foods may be high in lectins.

Whether you use this list to cook or grocery shop, find the printable for your reference here. Or pin the image below.

You can find a Low-Histamine and Lectin-free Combined Food List and printable here.

The role of Vitamin B1

Certain dietary deficiencies likely cause or contribute to histamine intolerance and oxalate sensitivity. It may be that the Western diet, high in white flour and white rice-based carbohydrates, causes a thiamine (B1) deficiency. (source)

If problems with histamines and oxalates are a warning sign of a nutrient-deficient diet (or impaired digestion of nutrients), it’s helpful in our conversation to include information about:

1. foods that further deplete B1
2. and foods that are high in B1.

So, below in our food lists, I’ve added notes about B1. Please consider eating foods high in B1, talk to your doctor about supplementing and avoid foods that deplete B1.

Ironically, sulfur-rich foods have also been implicated in depleting B1. So while a nutrient-dense diet usually espouses many sulfuric foods (like cruciferous vegetables), I personally believe these vegetables can impede detox pathways. It may be best to avoid them while trying to heal from oxalate and histamine issues. (source and source)

Many sulphur-rich supplements also deplete the body of B1.

Polyphenols in plants can also deplete dietary B1. You can eat sources of B1 and polyphenols in separate meals to avoid this. (source)

Low Histamine AND Low Oxalate Gluten-free Grains

• Rice, white (L) (Avoid white rice products unless conscientious of thiamine deficiency. I.e. can supplement with B1, eat allowed beans, sunflower seeds in moderation etc.)
• Sorghum, Popped only – (A very small amount may be fine for lower oxalate, about 1/2 cup.)

Low Histamine AND Low Oxalate Vegetables

• Arugula (sulfuric: may deplete B1)
• Asparagus (possibly medium oxalate; B1 source)
• Basil
• Bok choy (sulfuric: may deplete B1)
• Broccoli (possibly medium oxalate, sulfuric: may deplete B1)
• Brussels sprouts (possibly medium oxalate, sulfuric: may deplete B1)
• Butter lettuce
• Butternut squash (L)
• Carrots (possibly medium oxalate; B1 source)
• Cauliflower (sulfuric: may deplete B1)
• Celery
• Chinese cabbage(sulfuric: may deplete B1)
• Chives
• Cilantro
• Collards(sulfuric: may deplete B1)
• Cucumber (L, peel and de-seed to reduce) (B1 source)
• Daikon radishes (sulfuric: may deplete B1)
• Dandelion greens
• Endive (possibly medium oxalate)
• Escarole
• Fennel (possibly medium oxalate)
• Garlic(sulfuric: may deplete B1)
• Green and Red cabbage(sulfuric: may deplete B1)
• Kale– Lacinato or Dinosaur(sulfuric: may deplete B1)
• Kohlrabi (sulfuric: may deplete B1)
• Leafy greens (some are sulfuric: may deplete B1; does not include spinach or Swiss chard which are very high oxalate)
• Leeks (possibly medium oxalate)
• Mesclun
• Mint
• Mizuna
• Mustardgreens(sulfuric: may deplete B1)
• Napa cabbage(sulfuric: may deplete B1)
• Onions (red onions possibly medium oxalate; sulfuric: may deplete B1)
• Parsley, flat
• Parsley Root
• Peppers (L) (possibly medium oxalate)
• Radishes (sulfuric: may deplete B1)
• Red and green leaf lettuce
• Romaine
• Rutabaga (sulfuric: may deplete B1)
• Scallions
• Squash, Winter
• Summer Squash (L, peel and de-seed to reduce) (B1 source)
• Turnip (sulfuric: may deplete B1)
• Watercress (sulfuric: may deplete B1)

Low Histamine AND Low Oxalate Fruits

Most fruits contain lectins. So if you’re also avoiding lectins, you may wish to avoid all fruit to start and then gradually increase the fruits below that don’t have the (L) sign. Out of season fruits and high-sugar tropical fruits are also best to avoid.

• Apple (Braeburn and Macintosh possibly medium oxalate.) (Peeled for low-lectin)
• Apricot – fresh (L)
• Blueberry
• Cherry (L) (possibly medium oxalate when dried)
• Coconut
• Cranberries (L)
• Currant, fresh (L)
• Cantaloupe (L) (possibly medium oxalate)
• Dates (possibly medium oxalate, plus very high in sugar, so limit these)
• Figs (possibly medium oxalate)
• Honeydew (L)
• Lemon – (limit quantities, not always tolerated during elimination)
• Lime – (limit quantities, not always tolerated during elimination)
• Mango (L)
• Nectarine (L)
• Peach (L)
  
• Pear (L)
• Watermelon (L) (sulfuric: may deplete B1)

Low Histamine AND Low Oxalate Meat & Eggs

If you’re also avoiding lectins, be extra sure to choose pasture-raised meats.

• Chicken
• Duck
• Eggs (avoid raw egg white)
• Goose
• Lamb
• Ostrich
• Pork
• Quail
• Rabbit
• Salmon, only if very fresh
• Turkey

Note: Beef and Buffalo are usually high histamine foods because the meat is aged before butchering. If you can access un-aged beef or bison that are slaughtered, butchered and frozen quickly, the meat is low histamine.

Low Histamine AND Low Oxalate Beans/Legumes

Because beans are an excellent source of B1 and fiber, I think it’s ideal to introduce them as soon as they’re tolerated. Beans absorb toxins and may produce detox symptoms when you first introduce them to your diet.

• Garbanzo/Chickpeas (L) (medium oxalate; great source of B1)
• Mung beans (L) (medium oxalate; great source of B1) and Mung bean sprouts

All other beans are high oxalate, but most are low histamine if freshly pressure cooked, with the exception of lentils and peanuts.

This chart helped me to determine which beans I digest best.

Low Histamine AND Low Oxalate Seeds

• Flax
• Pumpkin (L) (sprouted is ideal)
• Sunflower (L) (sprouted is ideal) (B1 source, but can change hormone levels, so observe and don’t overdo)

Note: Most nuts are high oxalate. Macadamias, pecans and pistachios are medium oxalate, (but pistachios usually have major mold issues. I avoid them).

Low Histamine AND Low Oxalate Fats and Oils

• Avocado Oil – Cold Pressed (Avoid if DAO levels are very low.)
• Butter – grass-fed
• Cocoa Butter
• Coconut Oil
• Flax Oil – expeller-pressed
• Ghee — grass-fed
• Olive Oil (Avoid if DAO levels are very low.)
• Palm Oil — unrefined, organic, sustainably-sourced
• Macadamia Oil
• Meat drippings – freshly rendered
• MCT Oil
• Sesame oil

Low Histamine AND Low Oxalate Herbs and Spices

• Basil
• Chives
• Cardamom
• Caraway
• Cilantro
• Curcumin powder (a good substitute for turmeric, which is high oxalate)
• Dill (possibly medium oxalate)
• Garlic
• Ginger
• Lemongrass
• Oregano
• Peppermint
• Rosemary
• Sage
• Saffron
• Sea Salt

Low Histamine AND Low Oxalate Sweeteners

It’s important to reduce sweets when managing histamine issues: any foods that increase blood sugar levels also increase histamine levels.

However, most fruits are safe to eat, so you can sometimes approach treats by either just enjoying fruit or using it as a sweetener.

I think it is best to avoid all of these, but for reference, sweeteners that do not affect blood sugar levels are:

• Inulin (May cause bloating and not ideal for SIBO or Low-FODMAP.)
• Monk fruit
• Stevia

Although not recommended during elimination, very small amounts of Coconut Sugar may also be tolerated.

Low Histamine AND Low Oxalate Baking Ingredients

• baking soda
• baking powder
• cream of tartar

Low Histamine AND Low Oxalate Beverages

• Coconut Water – Fresh
• Coffee – Best to avoid, but see below*. (sulfuric: may deplete B1)
• Herbal teas — That correspond to the allowed herbs listed above (like peppermint)
• Juice – Only small amounts from the allowed fruits, to protect blood sugar levels (and thus histamine levels)
• Mineral Water – Plain or carbonated
• Water — Filtered

*If you feel you need coffee, look for mold-free brands like Clean Coffee.

Low Histamine AND Low Oxalate Dairy

I avoid most dairy that’s not A2A2. The exception is butter from companies like Kerrygold that have part A2 herds and good husbandry principles. While my body is very sensitive to A1 dairy, I do well with Kerrygold. I also do fine with any dairy out of France.

If you’re avoiding lectins, most dairy should be avoided. Fresh, raw A2A2 milk and butter are the exceptions.

• A2 milk — Raw and very fresh (For me, within 3 days of milking, but this will vary person to person.)
• Cream — Grass-fed
• Ghee — Look for “pasture-raised”
• Goat milk — Grass-fed (Try to connect with a local farm for the best quality, and ask questions about the extent to which they’re pasture-raised. Not all goat milk is healthy.)
• Grass-fed butter — Preferably Kerrygold, from France or homemade
• Ricotta cheese — Grass-fed
• Sheep’s milk

Low Histamine AND Low Oxalate Resistant Starch Foods

The ingestion of prebiotic foods (resistant starch containing foods that are consumed by our good gut flora) may help protect the body against oxalate damage. Including RS foods in one’s diet may be one step toward achieving balance in the body.

If you have SIBO, undiagnosed bloating or are on a low-FODMAP diet, avoid foods that contain resistant starch.

• Garbanzo beans (Show caution: medium oxalate levels; B1 source.)
• Miracle Noodles
• Miracle Rice
• Mung beans (Show caution: medium oxalate levels; B1 source.)
• Mung bean starch
• Sweet Potato Starch and Sweet Potato Starch Noodles (Sweet potato starch is low oxalate, but avoid sweet potato flour, which is high oxalate.)
• Rutabagas (sulfuric: may deplete B1)
• Turnips (sulfuric: may deplete B1)
• White rice (Avoid white rice products unless conscientious of thiamine deficiency. I.e. can supplement with B1, eat allowed beans etc.)
• White rice noodles (Avoid white rice products unless conscientious of thiamine deficiency. I.e. can supplement with B1, eat allowed beans etc.)

The role of Vitamin A

Personally, I found healing from MCAS and lectin sensitivity by reducing my consumption of vitamin A, which is controversial, but nonetheless, has been life-changing for me. You can read more about my recovery here.

You can PIN the chart below or print it. 🙂

SOURCES
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12