Low Histamine Nut and Seed Muesli

Finding muesli or granola that is suitable for a low histamine diet can be a bit challenging when it comes to store-bought. If you would like to make your own, then my chia seed granola and ginger brazil nut granola are both easy to make and so tasty!

Muesli is a real breakfast staple, but the vast majority of brands include dried fruit such as raisins, dried apricots and dates. I wanted to come up with a version of muesli without dried fruit that was suitable for a low histamine diet but that still had a good crunch and different ingredients for flavour.

Have a peek at my low histamine breakfast recipes page for more ideas!

🌰 Ingredients

• Oats - use rolled oats rather than the very fine quick-cook oats that are more of a powder texture.
• Pumpkin seeds - very nutritious and a source of protein and fibre, and they give a good crunch! (Healthline). The Terrasoul organic pumpkin seeds are good.
• Flaked almonds - a really nice creamy taste, but swap out if you aren't able to tolerate as they score slightly higher as a '1' on the SIGHI list.
• Brazil nuts - a low histamine nut on the SIGHI list, and a good source of selenium and other nutrients (Healthline). The Terrasoul organic brazil nuts are a good brand.

🔪 Step by step instructions

Just a few steps to make this granola:

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 170C / 340F and line two baking trays with parchment paper.

Add the oats to one tray and sprinkle on the cinnamon (if using) and salt. Add the nuts and seeds to the other tray. Bake for 12 minutes, watching for any signs of burning after 10 minutes. Have the oats at the top of the oven, and the tray with nuts and seeds towards the bottom.

Step 2

Remove the tray with nuts and seeds from the oven and set aside. Remove the tray with oats and stir. Return to the oven and bake for a further 4-5 minutes or until they are very slightly golden brown but not burning(!).

Once the oats and nuts and seeds have cooled, mix together to combine.

🌰 Low histamine nuts and seeds

I want to say from the outset that you should always follow the advice of your doctor or dietician in relation to nuts. Some low histamine lists say that you should restrict all nuts.

The SIGHI list gives 'scores' for histamine for different nuts and seeds, and this recipe uses those that score 0 on the list other than almonds, which score 1. My low histamine nuts and seeds post gives an overview of those SIGHI describe as lower histamine. You can easily swap nuts and seeds in and out for those you best tolerate or prefer.

Examples of higher histamine seeds are sunflower seeds (which are also a liberator), and higher histamine nuts include peanuts and walnuts (SIGHI).

🍯 Cinnamon

Cinnamon is a controversial ingredient in terms of histamine. Some lists such as the SIGHI food compatibility list rate cinnamon as low histamine, whereas others say it is high. It's one of many foods where there isn't an agreement.

This low histamine nut and seed muesli has cinnamon as an optional ingredient, so I would suggest only using it if you know you can tolerate it.

🥣 Gluten-free oats

If you are coeliac or have a gluten sensitivity then be sure to use appropriate oats that are certified gluten-free, such as the Bob's Red Mill organic gluten free rolled oats.

And definitely use rolled oats when you make muesli rather than very fine quick-cook oats!

🍽 How to serve

Muesli is great on its own with fruit and a splash of non-dairy milk, but is even better when sprinkled onto a smoothie bowl. You may like to try out my blueberry smoothie bowl for a tasty option!