🍷 Histamine in wine
A substance that gives sensitive people headaches and a flushed face.
Histamine is a substance found naturally in many foods, and in wine too. In sensitive people it can cause headache and a flushed face. Most people do not react this way.
Where does it come from? Histamine forms during fermentation and through the work of bacteria. There is more of it in red wines, because they are kept on the skins, and in wines after malolactic fermentation, when malic acid turns into lactic acid. White and sparkling wines usually have less.
Histamine is also found in other foods. Aged cheeses, for example, are rich in it too, so pairing wine with cheese can strengthen the reaction in sensitive people.
This is not the only reason for unpleasant feelings after wine: alcohol itself and other substances play a part. If the reaction is strong or repeated, it is better to see a doctor. The World Health Organization advises limiting alcohol.
How it connects to Wine
🍷 Histamine in wine ← affects ← 🍷 Wine
Links
- What affects it
- 🍷 Wine
- Part of
- 🍷 Alcohol and health
- Similar and different
- 🍷 Malolactic fermentation
- Wine and milk
- 🧀 Cheese
Frequently asked questions
What is histamine in wine?
A substance formed during fermentation and bacterial activity. In sensitive people it can cause headache and a flushed face.
Which wine has more histamine?
More often red wine and wine after malolactic fermentation; white and sparkling wines usually have less.
Is histamine the only cause of headache from wine?
No. Alcohol itself and other substances also affect how you feel. With strong reactions, see a doctor.
Similar
🍷 Calories in wine · 🍷 WHO on alcohol · 🍷 Alcohol dependence · 🍷 Standard drink · 🍷 Low-risk drinking guidelines · 🍷 French paradox