Although not as common as food allergies, people affected by wine
allergies have as severe reactions as with any allergy.
Sometimes
people are even unaware that they may have these allergies, chalking up
symptoms to "something they ate" or even being "hung over". The
symptoms can be hives, severe headaches after just a small consumption
of wine, itchy eyes, skin rashes and this can even trigger an asthma
attack.
What Causes It Even though, the first thought when someone has
this allergy, could it be the alcohol? There are many more ingredients
that are the probable culprit in this type of allergic reaction. The
production of wine is somewhat complicated, using a method to produce
the wine; and then, one to preserve it. In both processes there are
many additives used to complete the entire wine making process. A
common element found naturally in wine is sulphur dioxide. This
compound is found on growing plants, including grapes. It is
additionally added by winemakers because it helps to prevent organisms
from growing in the wine. In addition, it keeps the wine from turning
to vinegar by slowing yeast growth. There are limits to how much
sulphur dioxide can be added to wine. For many, this ingredient may be
the cause of their condition. Sweeter wines contain more sulphur
dioxide; these are more likely to be white wines.
Red wines
contain a larger variety of ingredients, and people allergic to wine
may have more reactions when drinking red wine. Histamines can be found
in red wine, and this could be a trigger for some with wine allergies.
The reaction seen from histamines is usually like a hay fever attack,
with sneezing and itchy eyes. To discover exactly which component
is causing the allergic reaction, a patient can through a skin-prick
test. If there is no skin reaction to any of the ingredients, than the
patient has a wine intolerance, not wine allergies. With diagnoses of
intolerance, further steps can be taken to learn how to eliminate that
ingredient from your diet. Organic wines are becoming more
popular, enabling people with wine allergies to still enjoy a favorite
beverage. There are several organic vineyards that can be located
through internet searches. These vineyards are kept to strict standards
to maintain the integrity of the organic label. Learning what ingredients causes and possible ways to avoid the ingredients can enable people to enjoy a glass of wine.
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