22 May Wines to Drink or Avoid for Allergies, Headaches or Weight Loss
Sips of the Week
This week we are addressing your questions on wine and wellness…what wines to drink if you are watching your weight, have migraines or even seasonal allergies. Find out which wines are the best to consume if you suffer allergies, headaches or just want to drop some pounds!
Migraine Headaches?
Drink: Pinot Gris
White wines like Pinot Gris or low tannin red wines like Pinot Noir. Tannins, also found in chocolate, are known to cause Migraine headaches but number one reason for wine headaches is dehydration.
Tyramine constricts then dilates blood vessels and Sav Blanc and Chard are lowest in this…
Drink more water!
Avoid: Tannic reds like Cabernet, Petite Sirah and Nebbiolo
Wine: Elk Cove Pinot Gris, Oregon $18,
Watching Your Weight?
Drink: Beaujolais
If you are watching your weight choose lower alcohol, dry wines like Riesling for white or Beaujolais for red as these have the lowest calorie content. Most importantly watch your Portion control…Show what 3 and 6 oz looks like in glass. Wine during the meal will slow down eating…show how to make a wine sandwich. Wine is part of the recipe of your meal.
Avoid:
Avoid dessert wines like ice wine or Sauternes that are high in calories or high alcohol red wines
Calculate Calories for Dry Wines: Ounces of wine x alcohol % x 1.6 = calories
15% Zin: 5x15x1.6=120
12% Beaujolais: 5x12x1.6=96 – Saved 24 calories times 365 days that’s 2.5 pounds!!
Wine: Henry Fessy Beaujolais Villages, Burgundy France $15
Allergies?
Drink: Sauvignon Blanc
If drinking wine gives you symptoms like congestion or headaches it might just be histamines are the culprit. Try drinking dry whites like Sauvignon Blanc or sparkling wines like Cava or Prosecco as they are lower in histamines than red wines.
If you have a sensitivity to sulfites, you may need to avoid all wine as sulfites are naturally created during fermentation. People sensitive to sulfites will get hives and/or asthmatic reactions. Depending on the severity of your reaction you can experiment with organic wines that have no added sulfites.
Avoid:
Red wines which are high in histamines that can cause an allergy/Sinus like headache.
If sulfites are a problem then avoid sweet white wines that tend to have higher sulfite content. Sulfites are more prevalent in dried fruits or lunch meats than they are in wine.
Wine: Brancott Estate Flight Song Sauvignon Blanc 2013, 9% alc $12 – good for weight loss too!
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To find these or similar wines shop at our partner retailers Wine World in Abingdon, MD, Hair o’The Dog in Easton, MD or at a fine wine retailer near you…find a retailer here: www.WineSearcher.com
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