fbpx

Can I Drink Wine With A Histamine Intolerance?

Emily

Emily

< 1 min read

Share

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn

It’s hay fever season and antihistamines are flying about left, right, and centre. However, long grass and blossoming trees aren’t the only things that could be triggering your allergies. If you have a histamine intolerance, certain wines could be an issue for you.

What Is A Histamine Intolerance?

Histamine intolerance is not actually a sensitivity to histamine but an indication that you have developed or produced too much of the chemical.

So, How Does That Relate To Wine?

Histamine is a product of the fermentation and aging process used in making wine. Therefore, wine can cause a histamine release within the body. Red wine has between 20 to 200% more histamine than white wine depending on the wine itself. \

The histamine concentration is significantly higher in red wine because, unlike white wine, it is generally fermented with the seeds or skin on.

What Happens If I Drink Wine With Histamines In?

Normally, the body will break down the histamine when it has done its job and you won’t experience any symptoms, oblivious to the whole process. However, in some cases, the body is not able to break down the histamine effectively or is particularly sensitive to small amounts of histamine. If this is the case, drinking wine may cause symptoms similar to that of an allergic reaction.

But What If I Still Want A Glass Of Vino?

Depending on how severe your intolerance is, wine could still be an option for you! Check out this article for a deep dive into low histamine wines and whether wine can ever be histamine free…

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *