IHOP Watermelon Syrup

IHOP Watermelon Syrup is low in histamine. It is a sweetened flavor syrup built on pure cane sugar with citric acid and red coloring, and none of those is a histamine driver.

Why ihop watermelon syrup is rated low

There is very little in this syrup for histamine to come from. Histamine forms when certain bacteria work on protein, chiefly during fermenting, curing, aging, or poor storage, and a cane sugar syrup has essentially no protein to work with. It is also not a fruit product despite the name: the published statement is pure cane sugar, citric acid, and FD&C Red #40. The citric acid is a manufactured souring ingredient rather than actual citrus fruit, so it does not carry the liberator concern people associate with lemons and oranges. That leaves a sweet topping that sits comfortably in the low band.

What changes your risk

• There is no protein to work with — this is a sugar syrup, so the usual histamine mechanism has nothing to act on, whether the bottle is fresh or has been on the table a while.
• Citric acid is not citrus fruit — it is an added sour ingredient, not squeezed lemon or orange, so it does not bring the liberator issue that whole citrus does.
• The red dye is a separate question — FD&C Red #40 is not a histamine driver, but some people notice they react to added colors for their own reasons. Worth knowing about yourself, and it does not change the histamine rating.
• What you pour it on matters more — the syrup is the low part of the plate. Whatever it lands on is usually what decides how the meal sits with you.
• It is sugar, and a lot of it — being low in histamine does not make it a health food, and a heavy pour is still a heavy pour.

What else is safe

Several of IHOP's other sweet toppings are also rated low, so if watermelon is not your thing you have real options: Blueberry Syrup, Blueberry Topping, Butter Pecan Syrup, Caramel Syrup, Cupcake Syrup, and Blue Raspberry Sauce all sit in the same low band. Bar and Grill Seasoning, Corn Tortilla, Grits, and Black Angus Burger Patty are the other low rated items on this menu if you are building a whole order around them.

How to enjoy it

Order it freely and think about the base rather than the topping. Pouring it over something plain keeps the whole plate low, while pouring it over a moderate or high item does not pull that item down. If you are ordering for the table, note that this syrup is a bright red dye product, so it stains and it transfers easily between shared plates, which matters if someone else at the table is avoiding colors. If the name is what drew you in, be aware it is a watermelon flavored syrup rather than anything made from the fruit.

Common questions

Does IHOP Watermelon Syrup contain real watermelon?

No. The published ingredient statement is pure cane sugar, citric acid, and FD&C Red #40, so it is a flavored and colored sugar syrup rather than a fruit product.

Is the citric acid in it a histamine problem?

Citric acid is an added souring ingredient, not citrus fruit, so it does not carry the liberator concern that whole lemons, limes, and oranges do.

Is sugar syrup safe on a low histamine diet?

From a histamine standpoint, yes. Sugar has no protein for histamine forming bacteria to act on, which is why a plain cane sugar syrup lands low.

Could the red dye cause a reaction?

FD&C Red #40 is not a histamine driver, but some people do find added colors bother them for unrelated reasons. That is an individual thing rather than something that changes this item's rating.