If you’ve ever had an allergic reaction, you may have taken a form of antihistamines. Another way you may be familiar with histamines is if you’re sensitive to coffee. [1] They’re terms you may be familiar with, but could you explain what histamines are?
Histamines are a common, natural bodily reaction, and we’re going to share more about them today. We’re covering what histamines are, what their relationship with coffee is, and what Dandy Blend offers as a plant-based coffee alternative.
*Photo courtesy of freedom_life
What Are Histamines?
You probably recognize histamines from antihistamine allergy medicine. But what are histamines? Histamines are natural inflammatory chemicals that the body produces for specific immune responses. In other words, the body will create histamines when it feels there’s an invader on the body, such as an allergen, that needs to be flushed. [2] Histamines help flush allergens via actions like sneezing and swelling, and act as your body’s defense against “intruders”.
Coffee & Histamines
Coffee contains histamines in low amounts, but for people who are sensitive to them, it contains plenty to get a reaction out of them. While the natural histamine content in coffee is low, some coffee processes can increase histamine levels. [3] One particular process is called the “wet method” which includes a fermentation process. Fermented foods tend to be higher in histamines than non-fermented foods, thus increasing the histamine levels in coffee that goes through this process.
Natural Antihistamines
Avoiding coffee can be helpful for people who have strong reactions to histamines. Finding coffee alternatives can be helpful, such as Dandy Blend. In fact, many plants and herbs contain antihistamines, or anti-allergy properties. Chicoric acid, which is found in chicory, contains antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antiviral, and analgesic properties, with one study finding that it also may have antiallergic-related effects. [4] You can learn more about chicory root here.
*Photo courtesy of wirestock
Other foods that contain antihistamine properties are foods that contain quercetin, such as onions, [5] stinging nettle, [6], butterbur, [7] and astragalus. [8] If you are very sensitive to histamines, it may be best to avoid coffee, rather than attempt to offset your reaction with other foods. There are so many delicious coffee alternatives available, there’s no need to risk it.
If you’ve never tried Dandy Blend, check out our sample sticks here. Shipping is free.
Happy Sipping!
*Disclaimer
Dandy Blend is not a supplement or medicine. Any health related questions or concerns, we always recommend consulting with your primary care physician.
