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Histidine: Benefits and Foods High in Histidine

Discover Histidine benefits, top sources for vegans and carnivores and their Histidine content per 100g.

Luke Gartland avatar
Written by Luke Gartland
Updated over 10 months ago

What is Histidine?

Histidine is an essential amino acid that is crucial for growth, tissue repair, and the production of histamine, a neurotransmitter involved in immune response, digestion, and sleep-wake cycles. Because the body cannot produce histidine, it must be obtained through the diet.

Benefits of Histidine

  • Protein Synthesis: Vital for the production and maintenance of proteins in the body.

  • Histamine Production: Essential for producing histamine, which is important for immune response, gastric acid secretion, and neurotransmission.

  • Hemoglobin Formation: Plays a role in forming hemoglobin, the protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen throughout the body.

  • Tissue Repair: Important for the growth and repair of tissues.

  • Joint Health: Helps maintain the myelin sheaths that protect nerve cells and is involved in the production of collagen, which is necessary for healthy joints and skin.

Daily Recommended Value (DRV) for Histidine

The DRV for Histidine is approximately 14 mg per kilogram of body weight per day. For an average adult weighing 70 kg, the daily requirement would be:

  • 14 mg x 70 kg = 980 mg per day

Foods High in Histidine

Here are some foods rich in Histidine along with their approximate Histidine content per 100 grams and the percentage of the daily recommended value (DRV) for a 70 kg individual (980 mg per day).

Top Sources of Histidine for Carnivores

  1. Chicken Breast

    • Histidine content: 1,487 mg per 100g

    • % of Daily Need: 152%

  2. Beef

    • Histidine content: 1,340 mg per 100g

    • % of Daily Need: 137%

  3. Pork

    • Histidine content: 1,260 mg per 100g

    • % of Daily Need: 129%

  4. Tuna

    • Histidine content: 1,190 mg per 100g

    • % of Daily Need: 121%

  5. Salmon

    • Histidine content: 1,090 mg per 100g

    • % of Daily Need: 111%

Top Sources of Histidine for Vegans

  1. Soybeans

    • Histidine content: 780 mg per 100g

    • % of Daily Need: 80%

  2. Pumpkin Seeds

    • Histidine content: 720 mg per 100g

    • % of Daily Need: 73%

  3. Chickpeas

    • Histidine content: 640 mg per 100g

    • % of Daily Need: 65%

  4. Lentils

    • Histidine content: 630 mg per 100g

    • % of Daily Need: 64%

  5. Quinoa

    • Histidine content: 410 mg per 100g

    • % of Daily Need: 42%

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