Chicory coffee is gluten-free — chicory is a roasted root vegetable, not a grain.
Yes. Chicory coffee is roasted, ground chicory root blended with (or instead of) coffee. Chicory (Cichorium intybus) is a root vegetable — not a grain — and coffee is naturally gluten-free. Café du Monde Coffee and Chicory (just coffee and chicory) is gluten-free. CRITICAL DISTINCTION: barley-based “coffee substitutes” like Pero, Postum, and Cafix are made from roasted barley and are NOT gluten-free. Pure chicory and coffee+chicory are GF; verify any blend that adds barley/rye/malt.
Chicory coffee is gluten-free — chicory is the roasted root of a vegetable plant, not a cereal grain, and coffee is naturally gluten-free. The single most important thing to understand is the difference between chicory coffee (gluten-free) and barley-based “coffee substitutes” like Pero and Postum (NOT gluten-free). They get lumped together as “coffee alternatives,” but they’re completely different.
Why Chicory Coffee Is Gluten-Free
Per Café du Monde’s coffee and chicory information: Café du Monde Coffee and Chicory is just two ingredients — coffee and chicory. Chicory (Cichorium intybus) is a root vegetable; its taproot is roasted and ground. Per FDA labeling rules, the gluten-containing grains are wheat, barley, rye, and oats — chicory is none of these, and coffee is naturally gluten-free.
Cross-Contamination Risk
Manufacturing
Low
- Coffee + roasted chicory root; no grain.
- Café du Monde / French Market coffee+chicory are gluten-free.
- Verify “grain coffee” blends that add barley/rye/malt.
Cafe
Low
- Brewed coffee + chicory is GF.
- Verify any “herbal/grain coffee” the cafe uses doesn’t contain barley.
- Milk/cream/sugar are GF; verify flavored creamers.
Home
Low
- Sealed can/bag, standard pantry storage.
Chicory Coffee — GF Status
- Café du Monde Coffee and Chicory — gluten-free (coffee + chicory)
- French Market Coffee and Chicory — gluten-free
- Pure roasted chicory root “coffee” — gluten-free
- Chicory root inulin (added fiber in foods) — gluten-free
- Pero / Postum / Cafix (barley-based coffee substitutes) — NOT gluten-free
- “Grain coffee” / “herbal coffee” blends with barley or malt — NOT gluten-free
What to Look For — Or Avoid
- Ingredient list of “coffee, chicory” (or pure chicory) — gluten-free
- Café du Monde / French Market Coffee and Chicory — GF
- Chicory root inulin as added fiber — GF
- Pero, Postum, Cafix — roasted barley, NOT GF
- “Grain coffee”/”herbal coffee” blends listing barley, rye, or malt
- Conflating chicory coffee with all “coffee substitutes” — they differ
Frequently Asked Questions
Is chicory coffee gluten-free?
Yes. Chicory coffee is roasted, ground chicory root blended with (or instead of) coffee. Chicory (Cichorium intybus) is a root vegetable, not a grain, and coffee is naturally gluten-free. Café du Monde Coffee and Chicory (just coffee and chicory) is gluten-free.
Is chicory a grain?
No. Chicory (Cichorium intybus) is a root vegetable — the same plant family as endive and radicchio. Its taproot is roasted and ground for “chicory coffee.” It’s not a cereal grain and contains no gluten. Chicory root is also used as a prebiotic fiber (inulin) in many foods — also gluten-free.
Is Café du Monde coffee gluten-free?
Yes. Café du Monde Coffee and Chicory has just two ingredients — coffee and chicory — both gluten-free. It’s the classic New Orleans-style coffee and chicory blend and is safe for celiacs. Adding milk and sugar (as in café au lait) doesn’t change that.
Is chicory coffee the same as Pero or Postum?
No — and this is the critical distinction. Pero, Postum, and Cafix are barley-based “coffee substitutes” made primarily from roasted barley (a gluten grain) — they are NOT gluten-free. Chicory coffee (pure chicory root or coffee+chicory) is gluten-free. Don’t lump all “coffee alternatives” together; read the ingredients.
Are all chicory-blend coffees gluten-free?
Pure chicory and coffee+chicory blends are gluten-free. But some multi-ingredient “grain coffee” or “herbal coffee” blends combine chicory WITH roasted barley, rye, or malt — those are NOT gluten-free. If a chicory blend lists barley, rye, or malt in the ingredients, avoid it. Café du Monde-style coffee+chicory only is safe.
Is chicory root fiber (inulin) gluten-free?
Yes. Chicory root inulin — a prebiotic fiber added to many bars, yogurts, and “high fiber” products — is extracted from the same gluten-free chicory root. Its presence in an ingredient list is not a gluten concern.