It's time to turn your dinner table into a low histamine Mexican fiesta... in under 20 minutes!
Tacos contain a million and one high histamine ingredients (1)...and, I bet you never thought you could have them again.
Well, think again - because you can enjoy traditional foods when you’re histamine intolerant!
Now, I understand that eating low histamine isn't always easy... in fact, eating a low histamine diet can be SO restrictive. Even putting together a basic salad can seem like a chore! I mean, is it even a salad if it doesn’t contain tomatoes?!
And, you’d think the same when it comes to ground beef tacos, wouldn't you? Juicy tomatoes tie in the flavours of the ground meat, and tomato paste or puree is what gives it that delicious level of sauciness. What about that perfect taco topping made out of freshly chopped tomato and onion - that's a no go too!
At this point, you may be wondering: how are you going to create your Mexican fiesta without all of those essential ingredients?
Well, like with a salad, if you know what you're doing, you can totally skip the tomato, and still bring about loads of flavour in your dishes… and, if you don't know how - that's fine too, because I'm about to tell you.
As of today, you can start enjoying taco night once again - completely tomato-free - without worrying about the havoc it’s going to wreak on your histamine levels and symptoms.
Low Histamine Beef Tacos Recipe: Nutrition Info
Beef is low in histamine when it is cooked from fresh or, frozen from fresh and left to thaw in the refrigerator. That makes beef a low histamine, high protein ingredient that's very versatile and can be used in many different dishes.
Today, you’ll enjoy it stuffed into a corn tortilla, with some other amazing and nutritious toppings to give it that perfect Mexican kick!
Plain beef can taste a bit… beefy. So, you’ll want to add some yummy spices to it to bring out more of the hearty flavour it has. Ground cumin and coriander are low histamine options, as long as they are organic and contain no other enhancers or chemical modifications. Along with minced garlic - which has antimicrobial properties (2) - and a little salt and pepper, you’re set!
If you're not quite sure about whether you tolerate garlic at this time, consider giving raw garlic a quick stir fry in the pan to cook it first, and then add it to the beef to allow it to cook further.
Instead of wheat tortillas, corn tortillas can be a great alternative. Particularly if you're also avoiding gluten, which many people with histamine sesntitivies do already. Small, soft ogranic, non-GMO corn tortillas can be easily filled with your ground beef and other ingredients, and lightly toasted on the grill or in a pan with a little olive oil if you need that extra crunch. If you prefer them soft, that's great, too!
Lastly, you can chop up some other fresh ingredients to add those vibrant colours, which is where red onion, red cabbage, cucumber and cilantro come in. They’ll add that bold flavour and crunch to really give these tacos some deep personality.
As with the garlic, if you find that you're a little more sensitive to raw red onion and red cabbage, it'll be as great a flavour combination if you want to give them a little stir fry, too. While they are a healthy part of the low histamine diet, if your gut is more sensitive, cooking these ingredients may help you to digest them in a more optimal way.
Got other favourite low histamine greens you want to include? Go ahead, toss them into your taco! There really is no limit to the number of ingredients you wish to include!
When you sit down to eat, you’ll hardly believe that this typically greasy, heavy, histamine-filled food can actually be good for you... and that these low histamine tacos can be ready in under 20 minutes!
If you still need a little help when it comes to following a low histamine diet, and want to get the full low histamine foods list and free guide to improving your symptoms, click below! This guide will allow you to pick out all of the low histamine foods you need to make these low histamine tacos a staple for taco Tuesdays!
Low Histamine Beef Tacos Recipe
Makes 4 servings
Calories: 448 (Carbohydrate: 25g; Protein: 36g; Fat: 20g)
Ingredients:
- 1 pound 85% lean ground beef
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 2 cloves garlic, minced (sauteed if needed)
- Salt to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
For serving:
- 8 soft corn tortillas (preferrably organic, non-GMO in origin)
- Fresh cilantro
- Red onion, diced
- Red cabbage, diced
- Cucumber, diced
- Romaine lettuce
Directions:
- In a saucepan over medium heat, brown the ground beef, breaking it apart with a wooden spoon as it cooks.
- While stirring, add the cumin, coriander, minced garlic, salt and pepper, and mix well to combine.
- Remove the beef from the heat and immediately serve it spooned onto the soft tortillas, with a serving each of fresh cilantro leaves, diced red onions, red cabbage, lettuce and cucumber.
Serving
Assemble your tacos how ever you like to eat them.
If you have leftover beef, place it in a freezer-safe dish and freeze immediately. For the next meal, thaw the beef in the fridge rather than the countertop to keep it low histamine.
I can't wait for you to try this recipe. Enjoy!
If you want more low histamine recipes like this check out my nutritionist-approved Low Histamine Cookbook with 110 delicious histamine intolerance recipes!
References:
- Laura Maintz, Natalija Novak, Histamine and histamine intolerance, The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Volume 85, Issue 5, 2007, Pages 1185-1196.
- Harris, J.C., Cottrell, .S., Plummer, .S. et al. Antimicrobial properties of Allium sativum (garlic). Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 57, 282–286 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00253010072
Anita Tee
My name is Anita Tee. I'm a nutritional scientist who specializes in histamine intolerance. I hold a Master of Science in Personalized Nutrition and a Bachelor of Science in Human Biology and Psychology. For the past ten years, I have used my experience in nutritional and medical health sciences to create a scientifically backed, natural approach to healthcare that relies 100% on evidence-based research. As I previously suffered from - and overcame - histamine intolerance, my focus is to increase recognition and expand the available resources and protocols available for resolving this particular disorder. To date, I have helped over 4,000 individuals fully resolve or better manage their histamine intolerance symptoms.
