Guacamole gives me stomach aches

Every time I have guacamole, I end up with a stomach ache. What could be the problem? I really like guacamole, so would love a solution. A

This is probably the first time you’ve heard me say this – for some of us, avocado could be a problem! At my clinic, I’ve noticed how some of my clients with gut issues are just very different from the others. Most people who have a sensitive gut respond well once triggers such as gluten, dairy and soy are out of the diet. There are a few, though, who don’t get better even if these triggers are eliminated; they are slightly more sensitive than normal. The issue here could be histamines.

From your letter, I am led to believe that your problem could be histamine intolerance. Histamines are chemicals our body produces naturally for a lot of functions. They cause stomach acids to release and a healthy inflammation response when our body is trying to heal. But when we produce too much, we have allergy symptoms like itching, hives and asthma.

Those who experience digestive tract issues without any recognisable triggers can consider following the tips suggested below for a couple of days to check if their problems are related to histamine intolerance:

Avoid avocados, spinach, tomato, soy, eggplant and red kidney beans as they are all high in histamines.

Avoid fermented foods like kimchi, yoghurt, kefir, tofu, soy sauce, sauerkraut. Keep off pickles and olives and lime juice. This should make you feel a lot better over time.

You can also get a simple blood test done to see what your current histamine levels are.