Low Histamine Protein Powders to Fuel Your Day

Boy, it sure is tough living with histamine intolerance! 

Not only are you limited in what you can eat, you’re always being told the most important way to manage your symptoms is to ensure every meal you eat is cooked fresh. On top of that you’re to use as few ingredients as possible that come in a package or are processed in any way. 

In the fast-paced world we live in today, it certainly adds an extra layer of difficulty to your already stressed-out state when it comes to making meals you can eat on the run!

That’s why my research team and I have set out to find you a small  but mighty solution to this dilemma. 

Today we’re going to give you likely one of the most helpful dietary tips you can use when you need a quick but low histamine meal. 

Let’s dive in and talk about your options when it comes to incorporating a low histamine protein in your diet. 

 

You Have a Choice of Two Low Histamine Protein Powders

Fortunately for us histamine intolerant folk, the availability of foods we can eat is ever changing. And because food intolerances in general are a growing problem in our society, we’ve seen a drastic increase in the number of foods available, catering to those with sensitivities. A small handful of those can also be used by those of us living with histamine intolerance; like low histamine protein powders, for example. 

There are two that I personally love to recommend. They’re low histamine vegetarian protein sources, and come in the form of either hemp or pumpkin seeds. 

Both have been shown to have low levels of histamine, and their processing does not compromise their histamine levels (1). Both of these options have also been shown to have negligible effects on the body’s ability to release histamine, which makes them a suitable option when following a low histamine diet. 

They both have a pleasant nutty flavour, and so are quite versatile when it comes to adding them to your meals. The flavours pair well with both sweet and savory options, so you can add the protein powder to a variety of meals to provide a great low histamine protein boost!

If you want to use the protein powder in a variety of these dishes, opt for unflavoured options, otherwise, only select vanilla where possible for use in sweet dishes. 

There are a number of other protein powders made with what may appear to be low histamine vegetarian protein sources, like pea and brown rice, for example. But, are they a good option as a low histamine protein powder, you may ask? 

While you’d be correct in thinking both peas and brown rice can be eaten on a low histamine diet, when it comes to their use in protein powders, there’s a catch!

 

Why Pea and Brown Rice Are Not Suitable Low Histamine Protein Powders for Histamine Intolerance 

I highly encourage you to eat brown rice and peas as tolerated when you’re following a low histamine eating plan. 

The trouble, however, when it comes to whether they’re a good low histamine protein source is, when they’re manufactured, there are two major issues to consider. 

1. Contamination 

2. Fermentation 

During the processing of brown rice and peas into their various protein powders (2), there’s a high risk of contamination of other higher histamine sources such as nuts and soy. The traces of these contaminants may not bother some of you with a higher histamine tolerance, but for those who are extremely sensitive, even minute amounts of these ingredients may mean you don’t tolerate the product well. 

The more common reason they’re not considered suitable as a low histamine protein option is due to the way brown rice and peas are often fermented in the manufacturing process. 

While the fermentation process is helpful in many ways - for example, it makes the protein source highly digestible - it’s a curse for those of us with histamine intolerance. 

As you may very well know, anything fermented has a significantly higher level of biogenic amines, one of them being histamine (3), which is why these types of proteins are a no-no when it comes to following a low histamine diet. 

Luckily for us, hemp and pumpkin seeds offer a great alternative low histamine protein option. 

So, let’s take a look at how you can use them. 

 

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Here Are Three Ways Use Low Histamine Protein Powders in Your Daily Diet 

1. Protein smoothie 

I bet you thought you’d never be able to enjoy a smoothie again because of your histamine intolerance… I have good news for you, you certainly can!

Simply add your favourite low histamine ingredients to a blender along with a scoop of two of your go-to low histamine protein powder such as hemp or pumpkin seed protein and there you have it. 

My favourite recipe is a ginger-apple smoothie!

To a blender add:

• 1 scoop pumpkin seed protein powder 
• 1 red delicious apple (peeled, cored and roughly chopped)
• 1 cup coconut milk
• 1 cup kale leaves (stems removed and roughly shredded)
• ½-1 inch ginger root (peeled and roughly chopped)
• ¼ inch turmeric root (peeled and roughly chopped) 

Simply blend, and enjoy!

Add ice if you want a cold smoothie, or omit the ice and heat in the microwave for 30 seconds after blending if you want a warmer smoothie! 

Helpful hint: If you tolerate banana, and you want a sweeter smoothie with a thicker consistency, feel free to use only ½ the apple and add ½ a banana to the recipe. 

2. Protein pancakes 

Eating a regular pancake will likely send your symptoms of histamine intolerance soaring. 

These protein pancakes certainly won’t! 

Simply mix together 1 scoop of hemp or pumpkin seed protein, 1 egg (or 2 tablespoons of ground flax if you can’t tolerate eggs), add a splash of coconut milk to make a batter and fry into small pancakes. Serve with blueberries and a little coconut yogurt. 

Helpful hint: You can make a larger quantity and freeze the extras for a quick grab-and-go protein-rich snack. 

3. Protein oatmeal 

Some of us living with histamine intolerance don’t find they tolerate oatmeal very well. Often, it can be because the meal will usually only consist of carbohydrates, and that can mess with your blood sugar. By adding protein, it can help to create a more stable release of the sugar into your blood and so reduce blood sugar spikes and dips. 

Add 1 scoop of hemp or pumpkin seed protein powder to ⅓ cup of gluten-free rolled oats, add a pinch of salt, water to cover and cook until the oats are soft. Add blueberries, apple chunks or any other low histamine ingredients to make this a tasty, satisfying low histamine meal.

Helpful hint: Protein oatmeal doesn’t only have to be a breakfast meal. The ingredients can be quickly put together and made at any time of the day. 

You can also add 1-2 scoops of either of these options to soups and stews, to mashed potatoes, and other low histamine vegetable sauces to boost the protein content of these savoury meals!

There you have it. Not only are hemp and pumpkin seeds wonderful low histamine protein powder options, you can also use the whole seeds in your daily diet! Add them as snacks on their own, to the recipes above, or as toppers for vegetables. 

 

References:

1. Ciano, Salvatore; Vinci, Giuliana; Rapa, Mattia; Ruggieri, Roberto. Influence of harvesting time on biogenic amines profile in Italian hempseed. EuroFoodChem. 2019: pp. 145-145.

2. Lu X, Hrynets Y, Betti M. Transglutaminase-catalyzed amination of pea protein peptides using the biogenic amines histamine and tyramine. J Sci Food Agric. 2017;97(8):2436-2442. doi:10.1002/jsfa.8057

3. Chung BY, Park SY, Byun YS, et al. Effect of Different Cooking Methods on Histamine Levels in Selected Foods. Ann Dermatol. 2017;29(6):706-714. doi:10.5021/ad.2017.29.6.706