For most of us, morning coffee is a must to wake up a get going. But if you have histamine intolerance or Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS), your favorite brew might cause various issues.

Luckily, not everyone with these conditions has to stop drinking coffee completely. Some can handle the right kind of coffee at the right amounts. 

Do you love your coffee too much to give it up? No worries! There are low histamine coffee brands out there, so you can have your daily brew without hesitation.

What is Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS)?

Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS) is a condition where people experience severe allergy-like symptoms from excessive chemical release from mast cells, seemingly without contact with a clear allergen. Symptoms include:

• Hives/Rash
• Swelling
• Trouble Breathing
• Itching
• Throat Swelling
• Increased Heart Rate
• Diahrea 
• Confusion

What is Histamine?

If you’ve had allergic reactions, you probably know about antihistamines—those handy meds that calm allergy symptoms.

Histamine is made by your cells, which helps your immune system react to allergens. Your body needs it to fight allergies, but it also plays an important role in your gut, brain, and overall immune response. Some foods have higher levels of naturally occurring histamines, and some foods just cause your body to create more histamines.

You have histamine all over your body, but it’s most concentrated in your lungs (to fend off allergens), basophils (a type of white blood cell that fights inflammation), and mast cells (immune cells in your tissues that handle inflammation).

What is Histamine Intolerance?

Normally, enzymes like diamine oxidase (DAO) and histamine-N-methyltransferase (HNMT) break down the histamine you eat. But sometimes, other factors can mess with how these enzymes work.

If your body can’t break down histamine properly, it can leak through your intestinal lining and enter your bloodstream, triggering an immune response. Histamine intolerance means you have too much histamine in your body because it can’t be broken down effectively. This can affect many different systems in your body.

Healthcare professionals often find it difficult to define and diagnose histamine intolerance because the symptoms can resemble those of other, more common conditions. 

Symptoms of histamine intolerance include:

• diarrhea
• headaches
• bloating
• stomach pain
• nausea
• flushing
• runny or itchy nose
• red or itchy eyes

If you’re dealing with symptoms of histamine intolerance, talk to your doctor. They might suggest keeping a food diary, where you write down what you eat and any symptoms each day. This can help spot patterns and find out which foods might be causing issues. Your doctor might also recommend allergy testing, blood testing, histamine testing, or a colonoscopy. 

What is the Difference Between MCAS and Histamine-Intolerance?

The two often go hand in hand, as histamine intolerance can be part of the larger umbrella of MCAS in many cases—but not all. The difference is that with MCAS, the body releases various allergy-inducing mediators, of which histamine is just one. In the case of histamine intolerance, the sufferer may only be sensitive to hyperactive histamine secretions and not other mast cell mediators that cause more severe symptoms.  

Foods High in Histamine and Why Some People Should Avoid Them

For those with MCAS or histamine intolerance, certain foods can trigger an allergic reaction. There are foods that naturally have high histamine levels. Some foods are not high in histamine food themselves but can trigger your white blood cells to produce more of it.

Some people are extra sensitive to these:

• Fermented food (yogurt, kimchi, miso, sourdough bread)
• Alcohol (wine, beer, whiskey, hard cider)
• Processed meat (canned meat, hotdogs, beef jerky)
• Fish (tuna, mackerel, anchovy, marlin)
• Aged cheeses (parmesan, cheddar, blue cheese)
• Dried fruit (raisins, cherries, apricots, mangoes, pineapples)
• Some vegetables and fruits (eggplant, avocado, oranges)

How Much Histamine is in Coffee?

Though coffee isn’t super high in histamine, it’s not histamine-free either. For sensitive people, even a small amount of coffee can cause a reaction. The histamine level in coffee depends a lot on how it’s grown and processed. If your coffee has mold, natural or artificial sweeteners, or has been fermented, it could trigger a histamine reaction.

While roasting might remove some histamine, most coffee still contains a bit. The amount varies by coffee and manufacturer, but histamine isn’t the only issue. A person can also have a high level of histamine in the body, otherwise known as histamine intolerance. 

Coffee Alternatives

If you’re looking for a pick-me-up but traditional coffee makes you jittery, here are some coffee alternatives that can give you that warm, delicious feeling without the histamine issues.

• Decaffeinated coffee is a safer bet for those with histamine intolerance, though watch out for chemical solvents used in some processing methods. Organic coffee is recommended for high-quality decaf coffee. 
• Dandelion coffee can be a pleasant choice for some with histamine issues. Made by roasting dandelion roots, it has a sweet, malty flavor. 
• Grain coffee is another caffeine-free option that’s gentler on the stomach, allowing you to enjoy more than a couple of cups a day. But there are exceptions. Barley, malt, or rye versions can be high in histamine. 

Which Low Histamine Coffee Brands Are Good For MCAS?

High-quality coffee might have little to no histamine, but even small amounts can trigger reactions in sensitive people.

Switching to healthier coffee is an easy way to boost your wellness and longevity. Plus, life’s too short for bad coffee! Here are some coffee brands for a low-histamine diet. 

1. Purity Coffee

If there’s one coffee brand that ticks most of the boxes for low histamine coffee, it’s Purity Coffee. Purity Coffee is on a global mission to improve people’s health through coffee. They eliminate the bad stuff just as hard as they optimize the good stuff. 

Purity Coffee features:

• Top-quality, certified organic, hand-picked, ripened fruits to avoid under-ripe or problematic beans. Their green coffee beans are tested for antioxidants and nutrients, and those with high levels are chosen. The roasting process is carefully controlled to retain maximum antioxidant capacity. Strict food safety measures and Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMPs) are employed.
• Purity Coffee also lab tests for pesticides, mold, mycotoxins, heavy metals, and other bacteria and contaminants, selecting only the cleanest and purest beans. Their coffees are grown on regenerative organic farms that meet the highest possible standards for soil health. While they can’t directly link their farming practices to lower histamine levels in coffee, they believe what’s good for the environment is good for us, too.

2. Bulletproof Coffee

Bulletproof foods are low in histamine, so their products won’t leave you foggy or tired. Bulletproof Coffee beans are designed to have the lowest histamine load.

Bulletproof Coffee features:

• Low-toxin, low-mold organic beans grown by reputable farmers. Each bean is expertly hand-picked for quality and flavor integrity. With whole beans, you can definitely adjust the grind to your preference.
• Their medium roast coffee offers flavors of cinnamon, plum, as well as orange with a cocoa hazelnut finish. 
• The coffee is tested for impurities and toxins to ensure it’s pure and clean. 

3. Lifeboost Coffee

Founded by Dr. Charles Livingston, Lifeboost Coffee is the only doctor-crafted coffee company supported by over 100 doctors and medical professionals who vouch for its health benefits. Coffee enthusiasts will surely be interested. 

Lifeboost Coffee features:

• TrustPure™ process, a unique 15-step method ensuring the healthiest coffee possible. Beans are planted in the shade at high elevations to maximize flavor and antioxidants while reducing acidity and mold toxins.
• Lifeboost coffee is clean and low-acid, with beans grown and roasted to lower acidity for minimal digestive discomfort.
• Want low-toxin coffees? Their coffee is third-party tested for mycotoxins, heavy metals, and over 400 toxins. It’s mold-free, chemical-free, non-GMO, shade-grown, fairly traded, and single-origin, aiming to give people better options without compromising coffee consumption.

4. Natural Force Clean Coffee

What happens when two people get fed up with supplements full of bad stuff? Natural Force happens! Founded in 2009 by Justin Quinn and Joe Rakoski, Natural Force was born out of frustration with low-quality supplements. They ditched fillers, synthetic colors, and anything artificial, focusing instead on herbs and superfoods backed by science and ancient health traditions.

Natural Force Clean Coffee features: 

• Organic Medium Roast Whole Bean Clean Coffee, crafted to be toxin-free from source to sip. No need to worry about the fact that 70% of all coffee is contaminated with mold and other toxins, causing brain fog, stomach issues, and other health problems! 
• Third-party tests for mold, mycotoxins, gluten, and more. They share the results openly because they have nothing to hide.
• Low-acid coffee, which is gentle on sensitive stomachs and packed with antioxidants—more than blueberries and dark chocolate! It even outperformed brands like Bulletproof, Starbucks, and Trader Joe’s in antioxidant content.
• USDA Organic, Keto, Paleo, and Vegan certified by top organizations like The Paleo Foundation and Vegan Action.

5. Larry’s Decaf Coffee

Decaffeinated coffee has almost no caffeine, so it shouldn’t affect histamine levels like regular coffee does. However, the decaf process often uses chemical solvents that aren’t healthy. For a low-histamine diet, some favor high-quality, organic decaf coffee. Many people recommend Larry’s Coffee for its great taste and minimal mast cell reactions.

Larry’s Beans, Coffee Twilight Decaffeinated Organic features:

A decaf blend crafted to satisfy all coffee lovers, not just those avoiding caffeine.

• Rich, full-bodied flavors with balanced acidity, hints of chocolate and nuts, and a touch of earthy spiciness. 
• The dark roast adds layers of sugary sweetness without losing the unique flavors of the blend components, making it a popular choice for decaf drinkers.

6. Naturata Chicory Coffee Alternative

Many people prefer finding coffee alternatives to avoid any risk altogether. Chicory coffee is a great option—naturally low in histamines and offering a coffee-like flavor and experience with a unique, slightly woody taste. Made from chicory root, this coffee substitute involves grating, drying, and roasting the root. The aroma is similar to coffee, with a slightly caramel and slightly bitter taste. 

Naturata Chicory Coffee features:

• Grains that come from German farmers that follow biodynamic principles. Chicory, acorns, and figs are cultivated in Europe and Turkey, and production happens at a family-run business in Switzerland. 
• Careful roasting and gentle extraction create a mild, complex flavor, and a sophisticated spray-drying process produces a delicate crema, giving you a genuine coffee house feel at home.
• Naturally processed, gluten-free, caffeine-free, and produced in Switzerland.
• A wholesome alternative to pure coffee or tea. It’s perfect for hot drinks, iced coffee, desserts, and various dishes. 

7. Teeccino Dandelion Dark Roast Coffee Alternative

Some people with histamine intolerance can tolerate dandelion coffee. Made by roasting dandelion roots, this coffee has a pleasantly malty and sweet taste. Teeccino dandelion dark roast blends dandelion, chicory, and carob for a rich coffee-like flavor.

Teeccino Dandelion Root Coffee features:

• Cut and roasted dandelion root creates a distinctive taste, making it a great caffeine-free alternative to coffee.
• Fat-free, sugar-free, and sodium-free, with a pleasant coffee-like aroma.
• This product is not instant and does not dissolve in water.

More Tips For Drinking Coffee With Histamine Intolerance 

Everyone’s histamine tolerance is different, and while most people can handle high-histamine foods, about 1% of the population suffers from histamine intolerance. If you think you might be one of them, it’s a good idea to work with a functional medicine doctor. They can definitely help you find the root cause of your symptoms and check for other conditions that might be causing similar issues.

No single food works like antihistamine medications, but some natural options might help. Vitamin C and quercetin are nutrients that can help your body manage histamine levels. Consuming these before or with coffee may provide some buffering effect.

• Quercetin: Found in onions, broccoli, tea, berries, and grapes, quercetin is an antioxidant with anti-inflammatory benefits that may help reduce histamine release.
• Vitamin C: This well-known nutrient boosts the immune system and reduces inflammation. It also helps produce enzymes that break down histamine, making it a key antihistamine nutrient.

If you can handle a bit of coffee, start with a small amount and gradually increase it to see how your body reacts. This way, you can find out what works best for you without overwhelming your system.

When managing histamine intolerance, don’t forget about the extras you put in your coffee. It’s a good idea to skip sugar and dairy products, as some sugars and artificial sweeteners can contain histamines or trigger histamine release. Stick to simple additions that won’t upset your balance!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)