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Raisins

High histamine

Raisins concentrate grapes' natural compounds significantly, and commercial versions often add sulfites on top of that.

Fresh grapes are generally considered low-to-moderate in histamine and appear on some histamine liberator lists — drying them into raisins amplifies the concern considerably.

  • Concentration effect — a small handful of raisins represents a lot of grapes in a tiny volume, so whatever histamine or liberating compounds are present become meaningfully more concentrated than in fresh grapes

  • Sulfites are nearly universal in commercial raisins — sulfites help preserve color and shelf life, and they're one of the more reliably problematic additives for people with histamine sensitivity

Unsulfured raisins exist but are less common — fresh grapes tend to be a more manageable option if you want that flavor.

Track your reactions to raisins in Histamine Tracker. Log meals and symptoms to spot the patterns that matter for your body.

For educational purposes only. Not medical advice. Consult a healthcare professional for personal guidance.

References

  1. SIGHI Food Compatibility List — SIGHI (2026)
  2. Histamine and histamine intolerance — Maintz & Novak (2007)
  3. Histamine Intolerance: The Current State of the Art — Comas-Basté et al. (2020)
  4. Low-Histamine Diets: Is the Exclusion of Foods Justified by Their Histamine Content? — Sánchez-Pérez et al. (2021)
  5. Histamine Intolerance: Symptoms, Diagnosis, and Beyond — Jochum (2024)
  6. Guideline on management of suspected adverse reactions to ingested histamine — Reese et al. (2021)