Broccoli Slaw

Broccoli slaw is high in histamine, and the reason is the vinegar in its dressing. Most vinegar is fermented, and when a label just says vinegar without naming a type, it gets the cautious high rating.

Why broccoli slaw is rated high

Broccoli slaw itself starts as shredded raw broccoli stems and carrot, which are fresh vegetables most people tolerate well. What changes the picture is the dressing: it is built on vinegar and mayonnaise, and most vinegar comes from fermenting wine, cider, or malt, which is exactly the kind of process that builds histamine. When the label does not name a specific type of vinegar, the safest reading is that it could be one of the fermented kinds, so the dish is rated high rather than moderate. The mayonnaise adds a smaller moderate load on top of that.

What changes your risk

• The dressing: the vinegar is what carries this slaw to high, and a dressing built on fresh oil instead would sit much lower.
• The mayonnaise: it runs moderate on its own and adds to the vinegar rather than driving the rating by itself.
• Freshness of the shred: freshly shredded vegetables eaten the same day are gentler than bagged slaw that has sat for a week, though this does not change the vinegar in the dressing.
• Add ins: dried fruit, seeds, or any cheese or bacon toppings add their own load on top of an already high dressing.
• Portion: a small side of dressed slaw brings less of the vinegar to your plate than a large, heavily dressed bowl.

Lower-histamine alternatives

If you want a similar crunch without the vinegar, dress freshly shredded broccoli stems and carrot with olive oil and fresh herbs instead of a bottled or mayonnaise-vinegar dressing. Thin sliced red or green cabbage and a little fresh apple make good low-histamine crunch to build a similar salad. Skip dried cranberries, nuts, and any bacon or cheese toppings.

How to lower the risk

Shred it fresh and dress it the day you eat it. Use an olive-oil-based dressing rather than one built on vinegar or mayonnaise, keep add-ins simple, and refrigerate any leftovers promptly rather than letting a dressed bowl sit for days.

Common questions

Why is broccoli slaw high when it used to be listed as moderate?

The rating changed because of how vinegar is treated, not the slaw itself. When a label just says vinegar without naming a type, most vinegar is fermented, so it now gets the cautious high rating instead of moderate.

Is bagged broccoli slaw okay?

The vegetables themselves are fairly gentle, but the dressing is what matters here. A slaw dressed with vinegar or a vinegar-mayonnaise blend is high regardless of how fresh the shred is.

Does a lighter dressing bring the rating down?

A dressing built on olive oil and fresh herbs instead of vinegar and mayonnaise would sit in a much lower range, since the vinegar is the main reason this dish is rated high.