There is a considerable amount of misinformation surrounding the GAPS diet and histamine issues. One common misconception is that the diet itself is high in histamine. While it’s true that some foods within the GAPS diet can contain higher levels of histamines, such as aged or fermented items, it’s essential to recognize that one of the cornerstone foods of the GAPS diet—meat stock—is actually low in histamine.
The confusion often arises when people mistake meat stock for bone broth. While both can be made from animal bones and connective tissue, they undergo different cooking processes that can significantly affect histamine levels. Meat stock, which is typically simmered for a shorter duration, tends to have lower histamine levels compared to bone broth, which undergoes a more prolonged cooking process, allowing histamines to accumulate.
If histamines are a concern for you, it’s crucial to follow specific guidelines when preparing meat stock.
Types of meats
So, which meats should you choose if you’re aiming to keep those histamines at bay?
The best choice would be:
- chicken
- turkey,
- pork,
- venison,
- lamb,
- veal,
- duck,
- pheasants,
- rabbit.
These options are your go-to when histamine sensitivity is a concern. And when it comes to fish, opt for small wild-caught varieties like:
- sardines,
- herring,
- cod,
- salmon,
- trout,
- zander,
- anchovies
Sourcing and processing
Another thing is to pay close attention to how the animals were raised. Those grazing on pasture without being fed corn and soy feed tend to be lower in histamines.
Additionally, smaller animals are processed more swiftly, which means less time hanging around and accumulating histamines. It’s all about that farm-to-table freshness!
And speaking of freshness, let’s not forget about fish. The key here is to go for fish caught in the morning, immediately chilled on ice, and then promptly frozen onshore. Avoid fish that’s been sitting on display at the fishmonger or supermarket, as they may have higher histamine levels.
Cooking process
When preparing your meat stock, stick to the stovetop. Avoid the slow cooker, as prolonged cooking times can lead to higher histamine levels. Keep it simple by using meats, meaty bones, and water only. No need for vegetables. And if you can tolerate mineral salts, you can add them to your pot (the most sensitive people can even react to mineral salt).
Cooking times matter too. Aim for shorter cook times to minimize histamine formation. Think around 1.5 to 2 hours for chicken, 2.5 hours for lamb, 30 minutes for small fish, and 45 minutes for larger fish.
Once your stock is cooked, cool it down quickly by placing the pot in a sink filled with cold, icy water. Then, portion it into individual servings and pop them in the freezer pronto.
Other points to consider
- Start small. Begin with smaller portions of meat stock throughout the day rather than in large servings. For some, it may mean one tablespoon of meat stock a day
- Ideally, it would be to cook a fresh portion of meat stock each time you consume it—if you have many issues with histamines, this may be the best option if you are reacting to frozen meat stock.
- Avoid blending any skins into the meat stock for now. Continue to support gut health, and eventually, you’ll be able to incorporate them. For highly sensitive individuals, consider removing the skin from the animal when making meat stock, as it tends to have higher histamine levels. Additionally, the parts further from the bones, such as muscle meat like chicken breast, are typically higher in histamines, so it’s best to avoid them.
- Rotate various types of meat stock daily.
When troubleshooting if you’re still experiencing reactions to meat stock, consider the following:
- Have you cooked it properly? Short cooking is essential.
- Have you used meats with low histamine levels?
- Consider the source of the meat and the animal’s diet, as this may be causing your reaction.
- How did you store it? Have you consumed freshly cooked stock?
If you still experiencing symptoms, but they are manageable, consider pushing through.
If you still struggle, please get it touch.