What is histamine intolerance (and why it’s not an allergy)

Many people assume they’re allergic to certain foods, but often, it’s something else.

Histamine is a natural chemical in our body. It helps with digestion, immunity, and even brain function.

Problems start only when histamine builds up faster than the body can break it down.

That’s called histamine intolerance.

Unlike food allergies:

• It’s not an immune reaction

• It doesn’t show up in allergy tests

• Reactions depend on quantity, freshness, stress, and timing

• The same food may feel fine one day and not the next

This is why symptoms such as bloating, headaches, fatigue, and flushing feel random, without a clear pattern.

A simple way to think about it is the histamine bucket.

Stress, poor sleep, leftovers, alcohol, and certain foods all add to the bucket. When it overflows, symptoms appear.

For some people, freshly cooked food feels easier to digest — not because other food is “bad”, but because histamine levels rise as food is stored.

Not everyone has histamine intolerance.

But for those who do, freshness matters more than ingredients alone.