Do you love low histamine desserts? Have you seen any recipes for low histamine ice cream? 

If not, I’ve got one for you! 

I enjoy a refreshing sweet treat on hot days.  

But commercially prepared ice cream can have mast cell triggering ingredients. 

And unfortunately, with Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS), you may be dealing with various food intolerances, too.  

When choosing dessert, you may be considering: 

• Histamine 
• Oxalates 
• Lectins 
• FODMAPs 
• Salicylates
• And more 

That means no store-bought colorful popsicles or white-chocolate ice cream. 

I’ve felt disappointment in missing out on these treats in the past. 

I remember one summer when my husband and I helped friends move. We were carrying items from a storage unit without A/C. So, there wasn’t even temporary relief from going inside. 

I was only moving lightweight items. But the heat was so intense that day. Just being out in the open began to take a toll on me.  

Did you know that heat is a mast cell trigger? When we left, my feet hurt and had swollen badly. 

Swelling is one of my heat reactions. 

So, we stopped at Whole Foods to get something cold. 

I wanted ice cream. But I know from the many times I’ve read ice cream labels that there isn’t a single option for me. 

I settled on a bottle of sparkling water and a bag of frozen mango. Yes, I ate the frozen mango straight out of the bag. It was a two-hour drive home. And I was hot.  

That frozen mango gave me an idea for this ice cream, though! 

This mango low histamine ice cream recipe is: 

• Low histamine  
• Low oxalate  
• Low lectin  
• Dairy free 
• Gluten free 
• Vegan 

Keep reading to learn how to easily make this fruity, creamy dessert.  

But first, here’s why commercially produced ice creams may not work for you if you have Mast Cell Activation Syndrome and food intolerances. 

Why Low Histamine Ice Cream 

It’s important you know that this blog post is for informational and educational purposes. It’s not meant to treat any health condition or to be prescriptive for anyone. Always be sure to work with your healthcare practitioner. Before you change your diet on your own, please make sure you’re working with a healthcare practitioner who can help you with this.   

I was doing pretty well with my health that summer when my husband and I helped our friends move. 

I’d been eating a low histamine diet to address my Histamine Intolerance. 

And I’d also figured out that I was dealing with Lectin Intolerance and had some severe issues related to oxalates. 

I’d also started taking a diamine oxidase supplement, a histamine-degrading enzyme. It helped with my levels of histamine, too. 

Did you know that the amount of histamine in your body comes from foods AND your body’s own natural production?  

That means even if you are eating foods with low histamine content, you still may need a diamine oxidase (DAO) supplement, especially if you have MCAS. That’s because mast cells release histamine. 

So, all this to say that I knew what I should and shouldn’t be eating.  

And that’s why I knew store-bought ice cream wasn’t going to be worth the reactions I’d get from eating it. 

Like I said, I’d looked thoroughly (and hopefully!) at so many labels.  

That’s why I ended up with fizzy water and frozen mango on that hot summer day we helped friends move!

Here’s the good news, though. You can make tasty, low histamine desserts yourself. 

This low histamine ice cream recipe is easy. It’s almost as convenient as simply picking up a pint at the store.  

You don’t even need an ice cream maker! 

I’ll share how to make it coming up. But first, here are the top reasons you’ll want to make your own low histamine ice cream if you have MCAS, Histamine Intolerance, or other food intolerances or sensitivities.  

Gluten 

You might be thinking about ice cream as a dessert option because pies, cakes, and brownies all have wheat and gluten. That makes them higher histamine. 

You may have ruled these out already. 

But even if you find gluten free baked goods, they most likely have rice flour or almond flour. 

Rice flour is high lectin. 

Almond flour is high oxalate.  

But some ice cream will have gluten, too. It may be because the flavor is one with added cake, cookie dough, or brownies. 

And even some additives, starches, or flavorings have been known to have gluten, too.  

Another ingredient to beware of is dairy.  

Dairy Products 

Dairy causes a problem for many people with Mast Cell Activation Syndrome or Histamine Intolerance, too. 

Some dairy is lower histamine. You do want to be mindful of fermented products like yogurt and buttermilk, though. 

Fermentation causes foods to be higher histamine. This applies to dairy and other foods like sauerkraut, kimchi, or kombucha, too. 

However, with dairy products, you also want to consider lactose intolerance or casein intolerance. 

Lactose (a sugar) and casein (a protein) are in dairy products. I see a lot of clients with Mast Cell Activation Syndrome have sensitivities to dairy, likely due to lactose and casein. 

If you aren’t sure if dairy is an issue for you, you can consider talking with your healthcare provider about getting a Dairy Zoomer test.  

I don’t do well with dairy. 

So, I knew ice cream made with cow’s milk was out of the question for me. I checked out the ingredients in coconut milk ice creams in hopes they might work instead.  

Here’s what I found. 

They had a lot of sugar.  

Sugar and Sugar Substitutes 

Sugar raises histamine levels. It also increases inflammation and is a mast cell trigger.  

But other sweeteners like erythritol may be a problem. Erythritol is a sugar alcohol you’ll see in some low-calorie ice creams, both dairy based and coconut. 

For some people, it can cause a lot of gas and bloating. 

Additionally, studies are showing that erythritol may contribute to an increase in blood clot formation. This can increase the risk of heart attack or stroke. 

Some sugar substitutes like stevia and monk fruit extract powder may be good options for sweeteners if you have MCAS or Histamine Intolerance. 

When I realized I wasn’t going to find an ice cream I could eat, I considered sorbets. 

But like ice cream, they are packed with sugar. 

And nearly all the frozen desserts have additives that can trigger mast cells. 

Related Article: Low Histamine Foods List 

Additives and Preservatives 

Commercially prepared foods often have a lot of preservatives. This helps them last longer in the grocery store. 

And they can also have additives to help make the color more appealing, enhance flavor, or create a desired texture. 

Some of these additives and preservatives can be mast cell triggers. 

Here are some of the top mast cell triggering additives you may find in store-bought ice cream: 

• Artificial colors  
• Artificial flavors 
• “Natural” flavors  
• Carrageenan  
• Citric acid  
• Lecithin  
• Maltodextrin  
• Xanthan gum  

You also need to be aware of additives and preservatives when you are making your own ice cream. 

Almost every coconut milk I’ve seen has xanthan gum, or another thickener. 

Native Forest Simple Coconut Milk doesn’t. This is the only coconut milk I use now. 

Low Histamine Ice Cream Recipe Tips

Here are a few tricks before you get started so your low histamine ice cream turns out delicious!

Use Frozen Fruit 

Generally speaking, fresh fruit or frozen fruit are your best choices if you have Histamine Intolerance. Typically, dried fruit will be a little higher histamine and it runs the risk of having mold. 

But for this recipe, you must use frozen fruit. It’s what’s going to give this dessert its cool, refreshing quality. 

You might even want to experiment with different fruits for your low histamine ice cream. 

Some low histamine choices are: 

• Nectarines 
• Apricots 
• Blueberries 

If you can’t find these frozen in the stores, you can freeze fresh fruits right after purchase. 

You can also buy packaged mixed fruits. 

But be careful the blend doesn’t have high histamine foods like:

• Papaya 
• Strawberries 
• Bananas 
• Pineapple 

You can find the best fruits for your dietary needs in our food lists: 

• Low Histamine Food List 
• Low Oxalate Food List 
• Low Lectin Food List 
• Low Salicylate Food List

Use a High Speed Blender 

Because you are using frozen fruit, you’ll want to use a high-speed blender.

Don’t use a regular blender. You’ll burn out the motor. 

I used my Blendtec Blender on high.

This would also work with a Vitamix Blender or Ninja Professional. 

Blending the mango in the Blendtec gave me a thick, sorbet texture.  

I also tried blending 1½ cups frozen mango with ½ cup frozen raspberries. This was also good. But it wasn’t as creamy as I wanted. 

That’s when I had the idea to add coconut milk. 

You have to get the mango to coconut milk ratio just right for ice cream.  

If you don’t have enough coconut milk, then the blender will have a hard time turning. 

If you use too much, it will be more like pudding than ice cream. But not to worry, if you make pudding instead of ice cream, it is still delicious! 

It depends on the type of high-speed blender you are using as to how much coconut milk you’ll need. Start with less and slowly add more, as needed. 

Optional Ingredients and Toppings 

I think this ice cream tastes amazing as it is. 

I don’t add any sweetener to this. I really like it with just the two ingredients: mango and coconut milk.

But you might like to make it a little sweeter. In that case, you can add some pure monk fruit extract to taste. 

Or, depending on your taste buds, you can use a few drops of Better Organic Stevia.

If you’re extra sensitive, you may want to use this alcohol free Stevia with glycerite.

If you want to make this low histamine ice cream more decadent, you can whip some Let’s Do Organic Coconut Cream to add on top.  

Think of it like a sundae. You could even add some chopped pecans or macadamias. 

Pecans and macadamia nuts are low lectin and low histamine foods. And they are low oxalate as long as you stick to ¼ cup or less. For a topping for one serving, you’d need less than 1 Tablespoon. 

And you could top it with a fresh cherry! 

Delicious! 

My favorite part of this low histamine recipe is that the basic recipe is only 2 ingredients. How easy is that? 

And even better – both coconut milk and mango have histamine lowering properties! 

I really hope you enjoy this recipe! 

If you own an ice cream maker, check out this Low FODMAP ice cream recipe that’s vanilla flavored.

And now, I’d love to hear from you. What toppings do you like on low histamine ice cream? You can leave your comments below! 

More Low Histamine Dessert Recipes  

• Apple Pie – Low Lectin, with Medium Oxalate and Low Salicylate Options  
• White Chocolate Cookie Dough – Low Lectin and Medium Oxalate 
• Macadamia Nut Butter – Low FODMAP, Low Lectin, and Low Oxalate 
• Pecan Clusters – Low Lectin and Medium Oxalate
• Vanilla Ice Cream – Low FODMAP, Low Lectin, and Low Oxalate 

Some links in this website are affiliate links, which means Mast Cell 360 may make a very small commission if you purchase through the link. It never costs you any more to purchase through the links, and we try to find the best deals we can. We only recommend products that we love and use personally or use in the Mast Cell 360 practice. Any commissions help support the newsletter, website, and ongoing research so Mast Cell 360 can continue to offer you free tips, recipes, and info. Thank you for your support! 

References 

Erythritol and cardiovascular events. (2023, March 28). National Institutes of Health (NIH). https://www.nih.gov/news-events/nih-research-matters/erythritol-cardiovascular-events 

TMS – The Mast Cell Disease Society, Inc. (2022, September 21). Nutrition – TMS – The Mast Cell Disease Society, Inc. TMS – the Mast Cell Disease Society, Inc. https://tmsforacure.org/nutrition/#:~:text 

University of Arizona. (2012). Identifying Gluten in Packaged Foods. In University of Arizona. Retrieved May 31, 2023, from https://health.arizona.edu/sites/default/files/gluten_free_food_labels.pdf