Aged, Cultured & Fermented Foods (including Leftovers): Any foods with bacteria in them can create high histamine. So anything that is out of date, spoiled, moldy, or not really fresh is higher histamine. This also means leftovers become higher histamine the longer they sit. Look out for these high histamine foods: Fermented alcoholic beverages, like wine, champagne, beer, whiskey, brandy Fermented foods: sauerkraut, vinegar, soy sauce, kefir, yogurt, kombucha, etc. Soured foods: sour cream, sour milk, buttermilk, soured bread, etc. Balsamic Vinegar and Vinegar foods: pickles, mayonnaise, olives, ketchup Cured meats: bacon, salami, pepperoni, luncheon meats and hot dogs Aged cheese including goat cheese Smoked fish, fish not gutted within 30 minutes of catch, anchovies, sardines Minced meat (Increased surface area increases histamines) Beef (aging process increases histamine) Smoked or processed meats: salami, bacon, ham, sausage Dried fruit: apricots, prunes, dates, figs, raisins Uncooked egg whites (histamine liberator) Leftovers (the longer they sit, the higher histamine) Fruits, Vegetables, and Nuts High in Histamines: There are just a few fruits, vegetables, and nuts that are the highest in histamines or release histamines. If you are eating these foods, it would be a good idea to track how they affect you. Some things to look out for as indicators that you have an issue with these foods include, itching skin, headaches, migraines, disturbed sleep, or poor sleep quality.   Examples of high histamine fruits, vegetables, and nuts:         Walnuts         Cashews         Peanuts         Spinach         Mushrooms         Eggplant         Avocado         Pineapple         Strawberries         Most citrus (small amounts of lemons and limes are usually alright) Processed Foods and Additives: Avoid packaged and processed foods as much as possible. Many people with MCAS still eat lots of packaged foods. Canned foods, boxed nut milk, cookies, prepared sauces, and protein bars are higher histamine and inflammatory too. Packaged foods are highly processed to make them shelf-stable. This destroys the nutrients your body so desperately needs. Avoid sugar, additives, colourings & flavouring.   Watch out for these additives that can wreak havoc with mast cells:         Carrageenan         Sodium Benzoate         Potassium Sorbate         Lecithin         MSG         Citric Acid         Sodium Triphosphate         Potassium Triphosphate         Sodium Nitrite         Maltodextrin         Guar Gum         Calcium Chloride         Xanthan Gum         Food colourings         Smoke Flavouring         Yeast Extract