Tonic water

Tonic water is often flagged in histamine intolerance circles largely because of quinine, its signature bitter compound.

• Quinine — many people with histamine intolerance report difficulty with quinine-containing drinks, though the exact mechanism isn't fully established

• Mixer risk — tonic is rarely drunk alone; mixed with alcohol (which blocks the enzyme that breaks down histamine), the combination may be harder to tolerate than either on its own

Plain sparkling water is a common swap that sidesteps both quinine and alcohol.