Are Eggs High in Histamine?

Michael Eisenwasser 4 min read

Eggs are one of the most confusing foods for people figuring out histamine intolerance. Most lists say they're fine. Yet a lot of people find they react to them.

I eat eggs almost every day for breakfast without any issue. This eggs with veggies recipe is basically my default morning meal. But I know that's not everyone's experience, and the reason why comes down to something specific.

The short answer

Eggs are not a high-histamine food in the way aged cheese or fermented meat is. They don't accumulate histamine through fermentation or long aging processes.

But egg whites specifically can trigger reactions in some people, and that's where the confusion comes from. The reaction isn't from histamine in the egg. It's from the egg white itself acting as a trigger, sometimes causing the body to release its own histamine.

Egg yolks, on the other hand, are generally well tolerated. They appear on the "permitted" side of most low-histamine food lists.

So eggs aren't simply high or low histamine. The yolk and the white can be very different experiences for the same person.

Why egg whites are the tricky part

Raw egg whites appear on many low-histamine food lists as a histamine liberator. The idea is that certain proteins in egg white can prompt the body to release stored histamine, even though the egg white itself doesn't contain much histamine. Not every list classifies eggs this way, which is part of why you see conflicting guidance depending on where you look.

Cooking changes things somewhat. Heat denatures the proteins in egg white that are associated with triggering reactions, so fully cooked egg whites tend to be better tolerated than raw or soft-cooked. But not everyone finds this resolves the issue entirely.

The egg yolk

Egg yolks are a different story. They're generally considered one of the safer protein sources on a low-histamine diet. Most lists place them firmly in the tolerated column.

If you've been avoiding all eggs and feel like you're missing an easy protein source, it's worth testing whether yolks on their own are a problem for you.

Freshness still matters

Eggs are more shelf-stable than most animal proteins, but they're not completely immune to change. Histamine can build up in eggs that are old or haven't been stored properly.

This is a much smaller concern than it is with fish or leftover meat. But it's still worth buying fresh eggs and using them within a reasonable timeframe. The freshness principle that applies to all proteins applies here too.

Keep eggs refrigerated. Use them before they get old. Don't leave them sitting out.

Why people get confused

Part of the confusion with eggs is that different food lists classify them differently. Some say eggs are fine. Some say avoid them entirely. Some say avoid whites but not yolks.

All of this reflects the same thing: individual tolerance with eggs varies a lot. You can't reliably borrow someone else's experience with eggs and apply it to yourself. You need to find out where you land.

How to test your tolerance

1. Start during an elimination phase. Testing eggs when your histamine load is already elevated won't tell you much.
2. Try egg yolk first, separately. Cook a yolk thoroughly and eat it on its own. No whites, no mixed dishes.
3. Then try whole cooked eggs. If yolks are fine, test fully cooked whole eggs (not runny yolks, not raw-egg-containing dishes).
4. Keep portions modest. One or two eggs, not a four-egg omelet on your first test.
5. Wait 24-48 hours. Some reactions are delayed, so give it time before drawing conclusions.
6. Track what you notice. The variability here makes it genuinely hard to figure out without keeping notes.

If you've been tolerating eggs fine and aren't reacting, there's no reason to cut them out. They're a good source of protein and one of the easier foods to work with on a restricted diet. For meal ideas, see our low histamine recipes.

Finding your limit

Some people with histamine intolerance find that well-cooked whole eggs work fine in their daily diet. Others find even small amounts of egg white reliably cause symptoms. A smaller group reacts to eggs in any form and avoids them entirely.

How eggs land for you may also depend on what else you've eaten. Eggs as part of an otherwise low-histamine day is different from eggs stacked on top of other triggers.

Tracking your food and symptoms helps you find your actual personal limit with eggs, rather than relying on a blanket rule that may not apply to you.

Track your symptoms and discover patterns with Histamine Tracker. Includes a database of 1,000+ foods with histamine ratings.