homemade bone broth
Condiments & Sauces
Is homemade bone broth high in histamine?
Is homemade bone broth high or low in histamine? See its exact rating, how much counts as a portion, and its FODMAP, salicylate, oxalate and diet compatibility in one place.
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Sensitivity notes
Why histamine food checker matters
Histamine is a compound naturally present in many foods, especially aged, fermented, or preserved items. In sensitive individuals, excess histamine can cause headaches, flushing, hives, digestive issues, and other symptoms. Your body normally breaks down histamine, but some people have reduced capacity to do so.
- Focus on fresh foods - histamine builds up as food ages
- Cook and eat meals fresh; avoid leftovers sitting more than 24 hours
- Be cautious with fermented foods, aged cheeses, and cured meats
- Consider that stress and hormones can affect your histamine tolerance
- Some antihistamines or DAO supplements may help (consult your doctor)
Sensitivities
What homemade bone broth contains
FODMAPs
Histamine & Amines
Plant compounds
Irritants
Additives
Allergens
Diet fit
Where homemade bone broth fits
Therapeutic diets
Lifestyle diets
Religious diets
What to know about homemade bone broth
Bone broth is simultaneously the food most often recommended for gut healing and one of the foods histamine intolerant people react to most reliably, which sounds contradictory until you look at how it is made. It grades strongly anti-inflammatory and clean on gluten, lactose, nickel, sulfites, nitrites and nightshades, but moderate on both histamine and free glutamate. A pot of bones simmered for eighteen to twenty four hours, left to cool slowly on the stove and then kept in the fridge for a week is a very long stretch of time in the temperature range bacteria like, and reducing the liquid concentrates whatever has formed. If bone broth makes you feel worse rather than better, that is the mechanism, and the fix is a shorter, fresher, faster-chilled batch rather than giving it up.
Watch for
- Moderate histamine (graded C), and it tracks time far more than recipe.Heat does not create histamine by itself: bacteria convert the histidine in meat and bones into it, so fresh bones, a short cook, rapid cooling and freezing in portions do more for you than any ingredient substitution
- Moderate free glutamate (C).The deep savoury quality of a long simmer is largely glutamate released from meat and connective tissue, which is why a well-reduced broth tastes like it has been seasoned when it has not. People who react to slow cooked stocks, gravies and added MSG often react to bone broth for exactly this reason
- The traditional splash of apple cider vinegar added to draw minerals from the bones is itself graded moderate on histamine, as is any wine that goes into the pot.On a strict low histamine batch, leave both out
- Onion, garlic, leek and celery make the finished liquid high FODMAP even after you strain the solids out.Fructans are water soluble, so they leach into the broth and stay there, which is the opposite of garlic infused oil where they cannot cross into the fat
- Storage is the part people skip.Reheating the same jar every day for a week keeps extending the window for amines to build. Chill the pot fast, ideally in an ice bath, then freeze in single portions and thaw only what you are about to drink
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Histamine Guide
Everything you need to know about histamine sensitivity and smart food choices.
Histamine is a compound naturally present in many foods, especially aged, fermented, or preserved items. In sensitive individuals, excess histamine can cause headaches, flushing, hives, digestive issues, and other symptoms. Your body normally breaks down histamine, but some people have reduced capacity to do so.
Sensitivity varies widely. What triggers one person may be fine for another. Track your reactions to find your personal threshold.
These foods are generally well-tolerated for Histamine sensitivity:
View all safe options
These foods have moderate levels and may be tolerated in small amounts:
These foods are high in histamine and may trigger symptoms:
View full list
If you're sensitive to Histamine, consider these strategies:
- 1Focus on fresh foods - histamine builds up as food ages
- 2Cook and eat meals fresh; avoid leftovers sitting more than 24 hours
- 3Be cautious with fermented foods, aged cheeses, and cured meats
- 4Consider that stress and hormones can affect your histamine tolerance
- 5Some antihistamines or DAO supplements may help (consult your doctor)
Pro tip: Keep a food diary to track your reactions. The Triggerbites app makes this easy with automatic pattern detection.
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Get the AppFAQ
Is homemade bone broth high in Histamine?
Histamine: moderate signal - portion size matters.
Can I still eat homemade bone broth if I'm sensitive to Histamine?
Try smaller portions and space it out.
What else should I check?
Check Vegan, Vegetarian, and Pescatarian next for a fuller picture.