The Grape Debate: Uncovering the Truth Behind Red Wine Hangovers
Introduction
The grape debate has been settled.
The Culprits Behind Red Wine Hangovers
Two scientists at the University of California, Davis, believe they have discovered why Cabernets, Pinot Noirs, and other types of red wine cause such brutal hangovers. Andrew Waterhouse, an enology professor, and Apramita Devi, a postdoctoral researcher in food science and technology, found that red wines contain a high amount of quercetin, a phenolic compound found in the skins of grapes.
Quercetin: The Key to Red Wine Hangovers
Quercetin is a compound found in the skins of grapes. Since red grape skins are left in longer during the fermentation process, there is more quercetin in red wine than white wine. Waterhouse and Devi measured how quercetin slows down the process of the enzyme ALDH breaking down acetaldehyde, which is produced in the human body when breaking down alcohol. The tests confirmed that quercetin is a strong inhibitor in the process.
The Effects of Quercetin on the Body
Quercetin glucuronide disrupts the body’s metabolism of alcohol and creates extra acetaldehyde to circulate, which causes inflammation and headaches. This extra acetaldehyde causes people to get red, flushed skin, which is accompanied by a headache. The headache is a result of a lagging metabolic step as the body breaks down the alcohol.
Other Culprits of Red Wine Hangovers
The study also addressed whether sulfites, biogenic amines, and tannins are among the causes of red wine hangovers.
- Sulfites: Waterhouse and Devi found that the amount of milligrams of sulfites in wine (20 milligrams in a single glass) are unlikely to be enough to overwhelm the body’s sulfite oxidases.
- Biogenic amines: The scientists found that there is too few of an amount of biogenic amines in wine to cause brutal hangovers.
- Tannins: While tannins are in high amounts in red wines, Waterhouse and Devi noted that there are many other phenolic compounds in grape skins and seeds that are causing the hangovers, making tannin a less likely culprit.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Waterhouse and Devi’s study suggests that grapes exposed to the sun produce more quercetin, which in turn leads to greater hangovers in red wine.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is quercetin?
A: Quercetin is a phenolic compound found in the skins of grapes.
Q: Why is quercetin found in higher amounts in red wine?
A: Red grape skins are left in longer during the fermentation process, resulting in more quercetin in red wine.
Q: What is the main cause of red wine hangovers?
A: According to the study, quercetin is the main cause of red wine hangovers, disrupting the body’s metabolism of alcohol and creating extra acetaldehyde to circulate.
Q: Are sulfites, biogenic amines, and tannins the cause of red wine hangovers?
A: No, according to the study, the amounts of these compounds in wine are unlikely to cause brutal hangovers. Quercetin is the primary culprit.
