Are You Allergic to Love?

A romantic candlelight dinner with wine is not the time to find out you're allergic to alcohol. The sulfites in red wine (and beer) can cause symptoms ranging from mild to severe and include red, itchy eyes, nasal congestion, an upset stomach and difficulty breathing. Reactions may be triggered by a number of ingredients, says Sami Bahna, chief of allergy and immunology at Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center. "Barley, ethanol, grapes, histamine, hops, malt, oats, tryptamine (a naturally occurring chemical compound), wheat, yeast -- even egg whites in a frothy drink -- can all cause an allergic reaction." In any alcoholic drink, allergies to the original native material used to make the alcohol could be an issue, says Dr. Bahna.

 

Expert tip: The best solution is to avoid the allergy-provoking food, says Dr. Bahna. "Or try white wine, which is less likely to cause a reaction."