Avoid Eating Bananas If You Have This Little-Known Food Intolerance – Health Digest

Tropical fruits, such as papaya, pineapple — and yes, bananas — are known as histamine liberators, as outlined in 2021 research published in the scientific journal Nutrients. These foods prompt the release of histamine from our mast cells, which are white blood cells containing histamine and other chemicals that become activated during an immune system allergic reaction (via the National Cancer Institute). While histamine isn’t always found in histamine liberators, consumption of these foods can cause levels of the chemical to rise in the body by prompting an allergic response.

Histamine intolerance has been linked with lower levels of diamine oxidase (DAO) in the body, an enzyme that helps prevent the histamine that we get through our diet from getting reabsorbed into the bloodstream (via Allergologie Select). Without sufficient levels of DAO, the body struggles to break down the chemical. While the cause of histamine intolerance isn’t entirely known, people with gene abnormalities, certain gastrointestinal conditions, or kidney or liver diseases may be more susceptible to this little-known food intolerance, reports the Cleveland Clinic. However, logging your meals is one way to help determine whether or not you may have the condition.