Allergy season is never fun for anyone, especially if you are someone who reacts to sometimes unavoidable environmental surroundings like pollen, grass and dust. These are two very common things that come to mind when we think of allergies, in addition to pet dander, insect bites, medications and food.  

When something triggers an allergic reaction, chemicals made by the immune system, known as histamines, spring into action to do whatever they can to help rid your body of what they deem as potential threats. Histamines are what causes the sneezing, coughing, watery and itchy eyes, and/or scratchy throat you experience when having an allergy attack.

Histamines in Wine

Histamines are created in the body, but these chemicals can also be found in some food and drinks, specifically aged and fermented foods and alcohol. The fermentation process used to make these things is what creates the histamines, and although they are naturally produced, some people can be very sensitive to these things because of the high histamine level.

Are Histamines and Acetaldehyde Asian Flush the same? 

The Asian culture in particular often feels the effect of high levels of histamine in wine, due to a deficiency in a specific enzyme that breaks down alcohol, resulting in a buildup of a toxin known as acetaldehyde. This is referred to as Asian Flush and is most notably associated with an immediate reddening of the skin or “flush,” as well as nausea, vomiting, headaches, high heart rate and muscle aches.

Alcohol and Wine Allergy - Caused by Histamine Reaction

If drinking wine causes you to become congested or gives you headaches, histamines may be the cause. Lucky for us, Prosecco is a safe choice as it is very low in histamine and can help reduce the symptoms associated with histamine sensitivities. This is just one more added benefit to drinking Mr SYLTBAR Premium Prosecco. We already know that our 100% vegan and naturally produced Mr SYLTBAR is incredibly low in calories (only 49 per 6 ounce glass!), sugar and sulfites, and now we can add histamines to the list as well.

Dry white wines, such as Sauvignon Blanc, are also recommended for those who might be sensitive to histamines. Our fine wine, ‘Silk’ Friulano, is comparable to a Sauvingnon Blanc, so this too is a safe choice. This white wine is also very low in sugar and sulfites, and lower in calories than the average glass of traditional Sauvignon Blanc, 125 compared to an average of about 160.

Red wine, on the other hand, is known to have higher levels of histamine… But SYLTBAR’s red wine might not have the same effect on your as other red wines, and that is because there are no added sulfites — and that is the case for all of our wines!

Histamines and sulfites affect wine drinkers similarly, so there is always the chance that the reason you are reacting to a wine that is higher in histamine is more so due to the level of added sulfites. SYLTBAR ‘Cashmere’ Cabernet Franc is also low in sugar, and is only 115 calories per 6 ounce glass, compared to an average of 180 in other mainstream Cabernet Francs. 

If you find that you react to high levels of histamine, the safest choice for you is Prosecco, specifically one without any added sulfites too! And in this case, of course you know that the only answer is SYLTBAR!

Alcohol and Wine Always in Moderation

No matter what you are drinking, however, the most important thing to remember is to drink in moderation and always rehydrate with adequate amounts of water!

To shop our low histamine, low sulfite wines, shop online at syltbar.com or check our locator to see what retailers near you sell SYLTBAR.