How Histamine In Chocolate Affects Your Body?

Chocolate is a favorite treat for many people. Whether you enjoy it with your morning coffee or as a reward after a long day, chocolate is always delicious and satisfying but histamine in chocolate is a curse to your satisfaction. 

But is it healthy? Chocolate contains histamine-a chemical released by the body in response to an allergic reaction. 

This can cause skin rashes, asthma attacks, and other uncomfortable symptoms that are easily avoided by eating low-histamine chocolate. 

In this article, we will discuss how much histamine is in chocolate, what kind of chocolates have high levels of histamines so you know which ones to avoid, and how to find low-histamine chocolate in the market!

What is Histamine?

Histamines are chemicals that the body releases in response to an allergen. This can be due to a reaction from food, medicine, or environmental triggers such as pollen and dust mites.

The release of histamines is what causes allergy symptoms like runny nose and watery eyes-symptoms you may experience when chocolate is consumed.

Chocolate is high in histamine because it is processed using nuts (particularly peanuts) which contain higher levels than most other foods.

For many people who have too much histamine in their system already, eating these products can cause unpleasant reactions including headaches, rashes, asthma attacks among others.

Why do we care about histamine?

If you are like most people, your first thought is probably “why should I care about histamine in chocolate?”

Histamines play an important role in the body. They help fight infections and heal wounds. But when there is too much histamine in the system (called Histaminosis), it can cause uncomfortable symptoms including headaches, rashes, asthma attacks among others.

It is even worse for those with allergies because they have higher levels of sensitivity to these substances than normal individuals-for, experiencing any reactions is almost guaranteed when consuming chocolate that contains high levels of histamines.

Where does chocolate come in?

Chocolate is processed using peanuts which can increase the levels of histamine in chocolate. This is because peanuts contain higher amounts than most other foods and processing them with chocolate increases these levels even more.

A study showed that milk chocolates contained low-medium levels of histamines while dark chocolates had significantly high content compared to white and milk chocolates. 

This means that darker chocolates have a greater chance of having high concentrations of this substance making it dangerous for those who are highly sensitive to histamines.

How can I tell if my chocolate has high levels of histamine?

There is no way to tell if the chocolate or chocolate flavor you are eating is high in histamines without knowing its ingredients.

If you have known allergies, it is best for you to stay away from milk and dark chocolates because they contain high levels of this substance.

This is not true for white chocolate which does not contain any peanuts so there is no chance of having too much histamine when consuming them.

But even with these precautions, be aware that most allergens come mixed together-for example a chocolate bar may include nuts or soy lecithin which both raise the risk of an allergic reaction compared to just one ingredient by itself.

It is therefore always better to err on the safe side and avoid allergenic foods altogether

How to find low Histamine chocolates?

As chocolates have histamine so how can we find the low histamine chocolates to eat?

In order to get low histamine, chocolate is by trying some brands which are offering low-histamine chocolates.

If you have any allergic reaction with milk and dark chocolates then try white chocolate because it is a safe choice for your allergies.

It is even possible that some of the food products, especially fruit jams contain high levels of histamines without knowing about them so before eating anything check properly whether it is high in histamines or not.

Peanuts also contain more levels of Histamine compared to other nuts so avoid consuming peanuts while having any kind of allergy to peanuts as well its substitutes like almond or cashew nut etc.

You can also check the ingredients of the chocolates before buying them.

Some of the low histamine chocolate is mentioned below:

Mars is a good choice for those who are looking to buy low Histamine chocolates as it is providing you with allergen-free food by using cocoa powder instead of peanuts in its manufacturing process.

ChocZero is another company which is making only white chocolate without any kind of allergens so if you are having allergies from anything then this can be your best option to go for because they use only plant-based ingredients and no other kinds of chemicals or additives included.

Happily Coated is also offering similar products like Choczero, which uses nuts substitutes along.

Conclusion

For many people, chocolate is a favorite snack. Whether you eat it with your morning coffee or as a reward after a long day at work, chocolate always satisfies and tastes delicious!  

However, there’s one thing that isn’t so tasty about this sweet treat: histamine-a chemical released by the body in response to an allergic reaction. 

While chocolate can be a delicious indulgence, it’s important to remember that it is high in sugar and calories.

If you’re looking for healthier options, try low-calorie dark chocolate with at least 70% cocoa or one of our free recipes like Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Balls.  Your body will thank you!

We’ve shown you that chocolate is far from the healthy food it’s often made out to be. It may contain sugar, histamine, and many other chemicals which harm your body. 

Eating these foods in moderation can help prevent any negative side effects of eating too much! So remember not to overindulge on chocolates- they’re delicious but they’re bad for your health!