Mr.T
Before we dive into the complex and controversial subject of red wine headaches (RWH) let’s get one thing straight. The vast majority of all headaches associated with wine come from overconsumption so before you play the “mystery headache” card be honest: how many glasses did you actually have last night? If the answer is one or two then you could be among the growing number of people that get “insta-headaches” from red wine. You’re probably wondering what the hell has happened — after all you used to drink a few glasses and feel just fine in the morning but something is messing you up and it only seems to happen with red wine.
The process of making red wine varies from white which leads to some critical differences in the final chemical makeup. White wine grapes are picked and instantly pressed to free the juice while red wine grapes are picked crushed and left to sit on their skins for several days. This extended period of time on the skins allows a complex combination of compounds to enter the juice including anthocyanins (colouring agents) tannins and histamines.
All of these agents are possible offenders for triggering RWH but these compounds have always existed in red wine so it doesn’t explain why this issue has suddenly received so much attention recently. For that we need to take a look at what’s changed.
Today’s wine has more alcohol in it than it did 20 years ago. Vintners are leaving grapes out longer and therefore more sugar is being created in the grapes ergo more alcohol in the finished wine. So you need to be careful because two glasses of red today can feel closer to three in previous years.
But the most important factor of all when it comes to RWH is the fact that large wineries are employing a bag of chemical tricks to make wine softer and more appealing so new additives are showing up in your glass. Artificial tannins dyes and (the most likely culprit) sweeteners are all the rage in industrial winemaking. In the old days a glass of red wine typically contained less than one gram of sugar; today some of the most popular brands are carrying closer to 30 grams of sugar. Think about it this way — every time you suck back a glass of wine you’re also eating a handful of Skittles. So unless you chug a Mountain Dew every night before bed your body probably isn’t used to all that extra sugar.
What’s a red-wine-loving-person to do?
Some doctors and researchers say taking antihistamines ibuprofen or aspirin before you drink is effective in preventing RWH. Also Vitamin B6 may help your body metabolize histamine. But mixing drugs with alcohol can be dangerous so ask your doctor first. Drinking plenty of water when you’re having wine might also help since dehydration can cause headaches too.
However the most critical element to preventing RWH may be your choice of wine so consider avoiding industrial wines with artificial additives and sweeteners. Organic wine is certainly an option but just sticking to naturally made wines may do the trick. Ask someone who knows (like a good wine store clerk) then buy a few different bottles and test the theory. If you’re still getting headaches sadly it’s probably the booze and you need to go see your doctor. But if the headaches are gone then congratulations you’re back to enjoying red wine again. Just remember a whole bottle of organic wine will give you the same headache as non-organic — that’s called a hangover and it’s nature’s way of telling you to take it easy.
