Does Sulfur in Red Wine Give Me a Headache?
There’s a common belief that added sulfur in wine is the culprit for the red-wine-headache blues.
Thing is, it’s a total myth!
There is no evidence that sulfites are to blame. Here are our top reasons why it doesn’t add up.
👉 Sulfites are natural occurring in all wines. Though they are added to wine as a preservative, they are also a byproduct of fermentation. Albeit in small degrees. This is why even wines with no added sulfites still legally have to say “contains sulfites” on the label.
👉 White wine generally has at least twice as many sulfites as red. The tannin in reds help act as a preservative so they don’t need as many of the preservative-acting sulfites.
👉 Headaches are not a symptom of sulfite allergy. About one percent of the population is allergic to sulfites (which is why there are those warnings on wine labels). However, this population will experience asthma-like symptoms, not headaches.
👉 Processed food like jam, french fries and dried fruit contain tons of sulfites! In fact, they contain about 10 times the amount of sulfur as what you might find in wine. If those don’t give you a headache, chances are, it’s not the sulfites.
So what does cause those wine-headaches?
There are a few possibilities. (Keep in mind: We’re not doctors so don’t take this as medical advice!)
👉 Tannins – the bitter, drying polyphenols found in the skins of the grapes can cause migraines. Tannins are found in lower doses in tea, chocolate, cinnamon and walnuts. To test it out, drink a cup of over-steeped black tea to see the effect it has.
👉 Histamines – red wines typically contain higher histamine levels than white or sparkling. Try this: take an antihistamine, like Claritin, before you start drinking and see if you still get a headache.
👉 Sugar and other crap – all sorts of nasties are added to bulk wines, including sugar. Try drinking low-intervention or natural wine, which generally has less, if any additives. Bonus: lots of natural wine also tends to made in a style that is low in tannin, so you can avoid additives and tannin in one breath!
There’s also the alcohol. Be sure you’re drinking water and eating food and monitoring your glasses. I know it’s obvious but we just had to say it cuz YOU NEVER KNOW. 😜
It’s New Year’s Resolutions time! In other words, let’s eat more healthily and drink more thoughtfully and maybe you want to find some of that wine with low, or better yet, no added sugar! Well what if I told you that the idea of low/no sugar wines is a total myth? Ok, so what’s the reaaaaaaal story about sugar in wine? (We think you’ll be very pleasantly surprised 😉