Tortilla Chips Histamine Information

Tortilla chips, a staple snack item, are made primarily from corn, water, oil, and salt. None of these ingredients appear on lists of foods that have a high histamine content or delay histamine breakdown. Additionally, these ingredients are not known to be histamine liberators, which promote the release of histamine in the body. Corn, the main ingredient in tortilla chips, appears to be low in histamine. According to the American Osteopathic Association's College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, corn is safe for most individuals, even those with histamine intolerance. Furthermore, both salt and kinds of oil typically used in tortilla chips (sunflower, canola, etc.) are not associated with any significant impacts on histamine levels. On the other hand, these ingredients are also not documented in lists of foods known to help lower histamine levels. Thus, tortilla chips, while not contributing to high histamine levels, don't play a part in reducing them either. However, tortilla chips may be flavored or coated with other ingredients, such as cheese or spices, which could potentially influence histamine levels depending on the substances used. Cheeses, especially aged cheeses, can be high in histamine, and so can certain spices like chilli, for instance. Therefore, it's important to consider such additions to the tortilla chips as they could affect histamine levels. In conclusion, basic tortilla chips, considering their primary ingredients, do not appear to seriously impact histamine levels. But added flavors and ingredients used in certain varieties of tortilla chips, like spicy or cheese-flavored, might contribute different effects and should be considered individually. It's important to note that these results are derived from current studies and may require further research to fully ascertain the impact of tortilla chips on histamine levels. References: 1. Maintz L, Novak N. Histamine and histamine intolerance. Am J Clin Nutr. 2007;85(5):1185-1196. DOI: 10.1093/ajcn/85.5.1185. 2. Schnedl WJ, Lackner S, Enko D, et al. Evaluation of symptoms and symptom combinations in histamine intolerance. Intest Res. 2019;17(3):427-433. DOI: 10.5217/ir.2018.00152. 3. Jaeger S, et al. Assessment of the Histamine Content in Herbal Teas of Different Plant Species. J Food Nutr Res. 2017;5(3):215-220. DOI: 10.12691/jfnr-5-3-10. 4. Histamine Intolerance, American Osteopathic Association's College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, 2019.