02/07/06 Red wine headaches

Welcome to Vine to Wine this is your host Linda Moran and as I said last week I seem to be on a roll lately with speaking engagements. As a result, I realize that every so often we need to revisit some of the most often asked questions about wine. So - let's talk red wine and headaches. Today we are answering one of the most commonly asked questions about headaches and wine - "Why does my friend say that red wine gives her a headache but white wine does not?" Headaches and their relationship to wine is a shaky topic to begin with. However, let us operate under the assumption that the headache in question, is not resulting from over consumption of wine. Hydration is a consideration in keeping headaches a bay. A good practice is to drink two glasses of water for each glass of wine that you consume. Many people immediately fault sulfites; most likely, they are not the culprits. In the case of a person who claims to get headaches from red wine, and not from white. The simple explanation being that there are usually more sulfites in white wine than in red. So sulfites are not likely the reason for the headache. Some studies implicate histamines in the skins, seeds and stems of grapes. They may be more prevalent in red wines as the juices in longer contact with the skins in order to gain color and other desirable characteristics. People who are sensitive to histamines may experience the expansion or contraction of blood vessels, which causes pressure in the head, and a headache. What difference does it make? If red wine gives your friend a headache and she knows it, then just stick with white wine. Remember to send your wine questions to Linda at vine to wine dot net, and thanks for joining me on today's Vine to Wine.