Are almonds high in histamine?
Almonds are low in histamine: none was detected in 7 almond samples tested in Spain, putrescine was low, and only 2 of 10 published low-histamine diets exclude nuts.
- Histamine
- Not detected
- Other amines
- Low
- Liberator
- Claimed, unproven
- DAO blocker
- No evidence
What each source says
| Source | Verdict | What it says, in our words |
|---|---|---|
| Lab measurements, Spain 1 | Measured | No detectable histamine in 7 samples; putrescine averaged 2.47 mg/kg. |
| 10 published low-histamine diets 2 | 2 of 10 exclude nuts as a group. | |
| Review of low-histamine diets, 2020 3 | Places nuts among foods excluded by 20–60% of the diets it compared, and suggests putrescine may explain reactions. | |
| Clinical review, 2024 4 | Lists nuts among foods a low-histamine diet avoids. | |
| Histamine-liberator claim 2 | Nuts are listed among suggested histamine-releasing foods; no human study supports the claim. | |
| SIGHI food list 5 | See source | See SIGHI's own list for its rating. |
Measured histamine
| Food tested | Samples | Histamine | Other amines |
|---|---|---|---|
| Almonds sold in Spain 1 (Table 2) | 7 | not detected | putrescine mean 2.47 mg/kg (nd–4.36); tyramine and cadaverine not detected |
| Nuts sold in Spain (group) 2 (Table 1) | 47 | not detected | putrescine mean 4.40 mg/kg (ND–39.51); spermidine mean 28.64 mg/kg |
| Nuts (group) 3 (Table 1) | 41 | mean 0.45 mg/kg, range nd–11.86 mg/kg | median not detected |
mg/kg = milligrams of histamine per kilogram of food. "Not detected" means below the laboratory's detection limit.
How freshness and processing change it
Almonds are sold dry and keep for months, and the samples tested had no histamine. No study we use followed amines in almonds during storage, so we cannot say whether old stock differs. The paper does not say whether the almonds were raw or roasted; histamine is heat-stable, so roasting would not remove any.
No histamine in 7 samples; the paper does not say whether they were raw or roasted. (measured)
Not measured. Made from almonds alone; check the label for other nuts or added ingredients. (estimate)
Why we rate almonds 0
Almonds are one of the better-measured nuts, and the result is clear. A University of Barcelona team tested seven samples of almonds sold in Spain and found no histamine in any of them. Tyramine and cadaverine, two other amines, were not detected either. The only amine present was putrescine, at an average of 2.47 mg/kg and 4.36 mg/kg in the highest sample. Another study cited in the same review found 4.32 mg/kg of putrescine and 5.57 mg/kg of cadaverine in two almond samples, but did not report histamine. All of these are below the 10 mg/kg average at which our scale starts to count other amines.
For comparison, fresh tomatoes in the same team's survey averaged 2.51 mg/kg of histamine, and nine of ten published diets exclude them. Almonds had none.
So why do some lists leave almonds out? The lists rarely single out almonds; they exclude "nuts". Two of the ten low-histamine diets in the team's 2021 review do, and an earlier comparison by the same group placed nuts among the foods excluded by 20 to 60% of diets. A 2024 clinical review also lists nuts among the foods a low-histamine diet avoids at first. The reasons given are other amines, which are high in some nuts such as pistachios, and the claim that nuts make the body release its own histamine, which no human study supports.
One group figure is worth knowing. A 2020 review from the same group reports 41 nut samples averaging 0.45 mg/kg of histamine, at least half with none and the highest at 11.86 mg/kg. It does not say which nuts those were. The almonds measured on their own had none.
We rate almonds 0, "low". Seven samples is a modest number, so the rating rests on one survey backed by the nut group figures. Ground almonds, almond flour and almond butter were not measured, but they are made from almonds alone, so we give them the same estimate; check jars for other nuts or added ingredients. If you are reintroducing nuts after an elimination phase, almonds are a sensible first nut to discuss with your dietitian. Almond allergy is a separate condition with its own tests.
Questions about almonds and histamine
Are almonds low histamine?
On the evidence we have, yes. Seven almond samples tested in Spain had no detectable histamine and little putrescine, and only 2 of 10 published low-histamine diets exclude nuts.
Is almond butter low in histamine?
It was not measured. It is made from ground almonds, which had no histamine in testing, so we estimate it at 0, the same as whole almonds. Check the label for other nuts or added ingredients.
Evidence behind this page
- Seven almond samples sold in Spain had no detectable histamine, tyramine or cadaverine; putrescine averaged 2.47 mg/kg, with a maximum of 4.36 mg/kg. 1
- Another study cited in the same review found 4.32 mg/kg of putrescine and 5.57 mg/kg of cadaverine in two almond samples; it did not report histamine. 1
- Across 47 nut samples sold in Spain, no histamine was detected; putrescine averaged 4.40 mg/kg. 2
- A 2020 review reports an average of 0.45 mg/kg of histamine in 41 nut samples, with a median of not detected and a maximum of 11.86 mg/kg. 3
- Two of ten published low-histamine diets exclude nuts. 2
- Nuts are among the foods claimed to release the body's own histamine, a claim with no supporting human studies. 2
Sources
- Sánchez-Pérez S, Comas-Basté O, Rabell-González J, Veciana-Nogués MT, Latorre-Moratalla ML, Vidal-Carou MC. Biogenic Amines in Plant-Origin Foods: Are They Frequently Underestimated in Low-Histamine Diets? Foods 7(12):205, 2018. doi:10.3390/foods7120205 (Sánchez-Pérez S et al. 2018)
- Sánchez-Pérez S, Comas-Basté O, Veciana-Nogués MT, Latorre-Moratalla ML, Vidal-Carou MC. Low-Histamine Diets: Is the Exclusion of Foods Justified by Their Histamine Content? Nutrients 13(5):1395, 2021. doi:10.3390/nu13051395 (Sánchez-Pérez S et al. 2021)
- Comas-Basté O, Sánchez-Pérez S, Veciana-Nogués MT, Latorre-Moratalla M, Vidal-Carou MDC. Histamine Intolerance: The Current State of the Art. Biomolecules 10(8):1181, 2020. doi:10.3390/biom10081181 (Comas-Basté O et al. 2020)
- Jochum C. Histamine Intolerance: Symptoms, Diagnosis, and Beyond. Nutrients 16(8):1219, 2024. doi:10.3390/nu16081219 (Jochum C 2024)
- Swiss Interest Group Histamine Intolerance (SIGHI). Food compatibility list for histamine intolerance. histaminintoleranz.ch (accessed November 2026), 2026. Link (Swiss Interest Group Histamine Intolerance (SIGHI) 2026)