Oh, golly. I think we’re going to have to file this one under the category of every body is different, and one person’s reaction to red wine will be better (or worse) than someone else’s.
What causes wine headaches? What makes red wine healthy? Are these two different topics to tackle? It seems that way, however, they are related if you suffer from wine headaches but are interested in red wine for health.
Talk about divergent information and ideas and study results about what causes headaches from wine drinking… It could make a person need a drink!
Ok. What causes wine headaches? Again, every person is going to be a bit different.
When the wine contains both histamines and tyramines, this can result in headaches. Histamines dilate blood vessels, and tyramines constrict them. Combined? Potential headache. How do you know if tyramines & histamines are an issue? Do you get headaches after eating aged cheeses or smoked/cured meats?
Tannins provide much of the dryness in red wine, and can cause red wine headaches by increasing the release of serotonin in the brain, according to one source. Apparently, very dry red wines will contain lots of tannins, which can turn around and cause lots of headaches.
If the wine contains lots of cogeners, which are chemicals formed during the fermentation process, it might cause more headaches. Red wines contain more of these chemicals than white.
Surprise! It might not be sulfites, or, if you are in the 1% of the population allergic to sulfites, it might. A wine headache after a wine high in sulfite levels may be due to depleted vitamin B levels combined with dehydration.
The region in which a grape is grown may make a difference, and even the container in which the wine is fermented may impact the headache-inducing qualities (or lack thereof).
See what I mean?? Confusing!!
One way to help avoid both a headache and (or) a hangover? Drink water. Staying hydrated is important, and wine, while delicious, doesn’t actually help you do so.
Now, what makes red wine healthy? This, again, is up for debate. Red wine is fermented with the grape skins. Those grape skins contain resveratrol, a polyphenol, which is an antioxidant. Polyphenols such as resveratrol have been linked to heart health. Anthocyanins, the pigments that provide the red color in grapes, may also have antioxidant properties. (Quick reminder: antioxidants may prevent or delay some types of cell damage.) Those antioxidants may help increase levels of HDL cholesterol. That’s the good cholesterol, for those of you following along at home. Resveratrol may help reduce LDL cholesterol. That’s the bad one. It may also not be any of the above, as the studies on humans have, or so it seems, been inconclusive.
It may also be related to diet in general; the Mediterranean diet, for example, features healthier foods, for example, olive oil, poultry, fish, vegetables, fruits, and…red wine.
The wine with the highest levels of polyphenols, specifically resveratrol, is the Sardinian Cannonau wine from the Grenache grape. It is also high in anthocyanins. Malbec, Petite Sirah (Syrah), and Pinot Noir grapes have been found to have the next highest levels.
And as I have noted on several occasions, it is not necessary to start drinking red wine to get the benefits. Purple grape juice provides many of the same benefits, without the potential problems of adding alcohol to your diet. Eating grapes or blueberries? Those are also good options.
So what’s the bottom line? Surprise! There isn’t one. There are multiple factors that can cause red wine headaches, and there are multiple types of red wine that can potentially have health benefits. Drink lots of water when you’re drinking any type of alcohol. Look for the specific grapes I mentioned above, and, if it helps, think about looking for wines sourced from organic or chemical-free grapes. Try small amounts of different types of wine, for example, wines that are fermented in oak barrels have different properties from wines fermented in steel barrels. It may make a difference for you, and it may not. Drink small amounts; a serving is 5 ounces. (If you put it in a small glass, it looks like more!)
Cheers! Here’s to your health!