Is Coffee High in Histamine?

Michael Eisenwasser 4 min read

Coffee is complicated for people with histamine intolerance. Some people drink it every day with no issues. Others get headaches, racing heart, or flushing from a single cup. What's going on?

Coffee itself isn't high in histamine

Fresh-brewed coffee doesn't contain much histamine. Unlike fermented foods or aged meats, coffee beans aren't inherently histamine-rich.

So if coffee triggers your symptoms, something else is usually happening.

Why coffee still causes problems

Coffee can trigger histamine symptoms through several indirect mechanisms:

It may interfere with histamine tolerance. Some people find that caffeine makes histamine symptoms worse, similar to how alcohol is a common trigger.

It can act like a histamine trigger. For some people, coffee triggers symptoms even when dietary histamine is low, acting like a histamine liberator.

It's acidic and stimulating. Coffee can aggravate reflux or stomach sensitivity for some people, and those symptoms can overlap with histamine reactions. The caffeine itself can trigger anxiety, racing heart, and other symptoms.

Quality and freshness matter. Fresh, high-quality coffee tends to be better tolerated than old or low-quality beans.

Instant coffee is usually worse

A lot of people report reacting more to instant coffee than fresh-brewed, possibly due to differences in processing, storage, or quality. If you react to instant coffee but not fresh coffee, that's a clue.

Decaf isn't necessarily better

Decaf removes the caffeine but not the other compounds that can cause issues. Some people do better with decaf because they're reacting to caffeine specifically. Others find no difference because their reaction is to something else in the coffee.

The decaffeination process itself can also introduce chemicals (depending on the method) that some people react to. Swiss Water Process decaf avoids chemical solvents if you want to experiment.

What about espresso vs drip?

Espresso is more concentrated but uses less total coffee. Drip coffee extracts more compounds over a longer brew time. People react differently to each, and there's no universal rule about which is better. You'll need to test for yourself.

Cold brew is sometimes better tolerated because the cold extraction produces a less acidic drink with a different compound profile. Worth trying if hot coffee causes problems.

Milk can make it worse

If you add regular milk or cream to your coffee, you're adding dairy, which some people with histamine intolerance react to (especially aged or fermented dairy). See is dairy high in histamine for more on that connection.

Almond milk and other alternatives might be better, though some contain additives that cause their own issues.

How to test if coffee is a problem for you

Coffee reactions can be tricky to identify because:

• Symptoms might be delayed
• Your tolerance might depend on what else you've eaten
• The specific coffee matters (origin, roast, freshness, brewing method)

To test properly:

1. Eliminate coffee completely for 1-2 weeks
2. Keep the rest of your diet consistent
3. Reintroduce plain black coffee (no milk, no sugar) with a simple meal
4. Track symptoms for the next 24-48 hours
5. Try different types of coffee if you want to find one that works

If you love coffee but react to it

Some options to explore:

• Switch to high-quality, fresh beans. Single-origin, freshly roasted, and freshly ground makes a difference for some people.
• Try cold brew. Lower acidity might mean fewer symptoms.
• Go half-caff. If caffeine is part of the problem, reducing it might help.
• Try DAO before drinking. Some people find a DAO supplement 15-30 minutes before their coffee helps, especially if you're having coffee with food.
• Drink it with food. An empty stomach makes reactions worse for some people.

Or try alternatives

If coffee just doesn't work for you:

• Stinging nettle tea is a popular choice in the histamine intolerance community. Some people find it helps with symptoms.
• Green tea has less caffeine and different compounds. Some people tolerate it better.
• White tea has even less caffeine.
• Rooibos is caffeine-free and generally well-tolerated.
• Chicory root gives a coffee-like flavor without the caffeine or coffee compounds.

Finding your answer

Coffee tolerance is individual. Some people with histamine intolerance drink it daily with no issues. Others find it's a major trigger. The only way to know is to test it carefully and track your results.

Logging coffee alongside your other food and symptoms helps you see whether coffee is actually causing problems or whether something else is going on. Delayed reactions and variable tolerance make this hard to figure out without data.

Track your symptoms and discover patterns with Histamine Tracker. Includes a database of 1,000+ foods with histamine ratings.