Wine has become a popular drink in the US, with California producing 90% of all US wine. Vintners have made heroic efforts to produce wines that rival the best wines of France and Italy.
But if you have wine allergies, it won’t matter if the wine you’re drinking is from the US, France, Italy, or anywhere else. Women who drink wine are about twice as likely to be affected as men.
- Headaches
- Stuffy nose
- Shortness of breath/asthma
- Itching
- Flushed skin
- Swelling of lips, mouth, throat
- Low blood pressure
- Burning sensation in lips, palate, neck
- Stomach or intestinal cramps
- Diarrhea
- Vomiting
It is estimated that 8 percent of people worldwide suffer from wine allergies. Only 1 percent of those involve sulfites. Sulfites are sulfur-containing substances that winemakers add to wine to prevent spoilage and that also occur naturally. It had been unclear why the remaining 7 percent suffer allergic reactions. However, scientists have discovered a protein called glycoproteins which may be the other culprit. This discovery may lead to the development of low-allergenic wines. This is great news for wine lovers who suffer from these allergies. What about those who suffer from sulfite allergies? (I believe I am one of them.)
Sulfites are Everywhere
Sulfites are not only added to wines but many foods also contain sulfites:
- Baked goods
- Soup mixes
- Jams
- Canned vegetables
- Pickled foods
- Gravies
- Dried fruit
- Potato chips
- Trail mix
- Beer
- Vegetable juices
- Sparkling grape juice
- Apple cider
- Bottled lemon juice and lime juice
- Tea
- Many condiments
- Molasses
- Fresh or frozen shrimp
- Guacamole
- Maraschino cherries
- Dehydrated, pre-cut or peeled potatoes
There have been times when I felt sick after drinking tea or eating shrimp. This doesn’t occur all the time, but often enough for me to notice that it is a reaction to these foods. I could understand the reaction to shrimp, it being a seafood from the shellfish category where allergic reaction is common, but tea? I had never heard of anyone reacting to tea.
Unfortunately, even if you avoid these foods, you may still be ingesting sulfites unless you read food labels carefully.
Check food labels for sulfite-containing ingredients such as:
- Sulfur dioxide
- Potassium bisulfite or potassium metabisulfite
- Sodium bisulfite, sodium metabisulfite, or sodium sulfite
Organic wines tend to have less sulfites than other wines with the bonus of being pesticide free. Red wines generally have less sulfites than white wines. There are a few California winemakers who now produce no-sulfite wines.
More From Marcella:
3 Reasons Not to Eat 6 Meals a Day for Weight Loss
Calcium Alone Is Not Enough for Good Bone Health
5 Benefits of Drinking Water when Exercising; Water Loss, and Ailments Caused by Lack of Water
