Why does rosé wine give me a headache?
Histamines in wine give you a headache
Histamines which are found in the skins of the grapes, seem to give some people headaches if they are sensitive to histamines.
Red wines have more tannins than white wines. Tannins are found in a variety of foods, including tea, dark chocolate, and some berries and nuts. Tannins are thought to trigger migraines even in people who take preventive treatments.
You can try wines that are naturally lower in tannins, such as white wines in general, as well as red wines from grapes that are typically thinner-skinned and lower in tannins, like Pinot Noir.
Although allergies to wine and other types of alcohol are rare, they're possible. Wine contains a variety of allergens, including grapes, yeast, and ethanol. If you have a wine allergy, you may experience symptoms such as a rash, nasal congestion, wheezing, or a tingling sensation around your mouth and throat.
Sparkling, white and rosé wines all are low histamine wines when compared to reds. And, it's not even a small difference. Red wine can have as much as 20–200% more histamine than white wine (refer to the table below)!
Our study identified vodka, which contains almost no substances other than ethanol and water, as the least frequent migraine-provoking beverage, and red wine as the most frequent provoking beverage.
There are plenty of contributing factors that determine the intensity of your wine headache and how long it will last. The best you can do is pop a couple of painkillers, drink 2-3 cups of coffee, hydrate and try to get some rest!
Drinking alcohol also relaxes your blood vessels, leading to increased blood flow to the brain. This can also cause headaches, including migraines if you're susceptible to them1. These potential migraine triggers can be found in any alcoholic drink.
Although it's unlikely that you'd feel like it, it's best not to drink any alcohol while you're experiencing a migraine attack. Attacks can last for several hours or days after the headache stage eases. This is known as the postdrome stage and can make you feel very fatigued and 'hungover'.
Histamine levels ranged from 3-120 micrograms/l in white wines; 15-670 micrograms/l in champagnes; 60-3800 micrograms/l in red wines; and 21-305 micrograms/l in beers. Histamine is causing wine intolerance.
How do I keep from getting a headache when I drink wine?
- What causes a “wine headache”? ...
- What can you do to prevent it? ...
- Drink water before, or as, you drink wine. ...
- Consider taking an antihistamine before drinking wine, advises Dr. ...
- Drink two cups of strong coffee before you drink wine.
But scientists have found no link between sulfites in wine and headaches. In fact, for people who have this allergy, the typical response is not a headache but hives and difficulty breathing.
Most Rose wines contain comparatively high levels of sulphites. For this reason, we don't list much Rose wine as it's difficult to find ones with low sulphite content.
Rosé wine contains more resveratrol, a well-known anti-inflammatory, than white wine. Resveratrol is a plant compound found in red grape skins. Many of the red wine benefits you hear about most often come from resveratrol. The compound is a polyphenol, a known antioxidant and anti-inflammatory.
Symptoms include flushing, fast heartbeat, wheezing, hives, dizziness, stomach upset and diarrhoea, collapse, tingling or difficulty swallowing. Many of these reactions when fully assessed have been found not to be anaphylaxis, or caused by triggers other than sulfites.
...
Symptoms of histamine intolerance
- headaches or migraine.
- nasal congestion or sinus issues.
- fatigue.
- hives.
- digestive issues.
- irregular menstrual cycle.
- nausea.
- vomiting.
When it comes to spirits, stick to tequila, vodka and gin. They're lower in histamine than other liquors.
A great low sulfite wine option is red wine. Because red wine has more tannins than white wine, it naturally has more antioxidants present. These antioxidants help to preserve the wine, keeping the wine tasty, bright in color, and bacteria-free, with minimal intervention from the winemakers.
Surprisingly, -- because hard liquor is more alcoholic than wine or beer, some people can drink vodka or gin (the crystal clear, light liquors) without developing a headache but cannot drink red wine, beer or the amber-colored hard liquors (rum, and the ever-gentle tequila).
Caffeinated beverages, including coffee, tea and colas. Aspartame and other artificial sweeteners. Nitrate/nitrite-containing meats including hot dogs, sausage, bacon, lunchmeats/deli meats, pepperoni, other cured or processed meats.
What helps migraines go away fast?
- Turn off the lights. Light and sound can make migraine pain worse. Relax in a dark, quiet room. ...
- Try temperature therapy. Apply hot or cold compresses to your head or neck. ...
- Sip a caffeinated drink. In small amounts, caffeine alone can relieve migraine pain in the early stages.
Sources of tannins
White wines and rosés have much lower tannin than reds because they aren't fermented with their grape skins and/or stalks and seeds.
So what explains the headache-free European wine drinking experience? It might be related to alcohol levels – European wines usually have less alcohol than American wines. So enjoy your wine whether you're home or abroad, and rest assured that it's the sulfites that keep your wine happy, healthy and delicious.
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- Facial redness (flushing)
- Red, itchy skin bumps (hives)
- Worsening of pre-existing asthma.
- Runny or stuffy nose.
- Low blood pressure.
- Nausea and vomiting.
- Diarrhea.
Try drinking dry whites like Sauvignon Blanc or sparkling wines like Cava or Prosecco as they are lower in histamines than red wines. If you have a sensitivity to sulfites, you may need to avoid all wine as sulfites are naturally created during fermentation.
Triggers of ocular migraines can include caffeine, chocolate, red wine, blue cheese, nuts, and processed meats. Stress or release of tension, bright lights, and exercise can also be triggers. Treatments are often unnecessary because the visual disturbance only lasts for a short time, and the headaches aren't severe.
Alternate alcohol with food and water.
This dilutes the effect of alcohol in your system and reduces the chance of an alcohol-induced headache or triggering a migraine attack. Some people drink water in between glasses of wine, for example. Never drink alcohol on an empty stomach.
The proportion of added sulphites is generally lower in red wines than in white or rosé wines.
What about sugar content in white wine or rose wine? A dry white wine such as German Riesling has around 1.4g per 175ml glass. Rose wine can have between 35 and 120 grams per glass. Dessert wine has around 7g per serving – the same as a glass of Coke.
How much sulfites in rosé wine?
A natural wine contains an average of 30 mg per litre of sulphites, compared to 100 to 200 mg per litre for other wines, whether red, white or rosé. The level can even rise to 400 mg/L for sweet white wines.
An intolerance to the preservatives found in wine, called sulphites, is not uncommon, causing a host of symptoms such as wheezing, itchy eyes and flushed skin, in about one in 100 people.
- Drink lots of water. Try to have a glass of water between each glass of wine. ...
- Try an antihistamine. ...
- Avoid too much sugar. ...
- Don't drink on an empty stomach. ...
- Test out new wines. ...
- Sip in moderation. ...
- Try alcohol-free wine.