Zinfandel Wine Histamine Information

Zinfandel wine, like other red wines, has a high histamine content due to the fermentation process it goes undergoes. A study by Maintz and Novak (2007) revealed that histamine content in red wine ranges from 3.3 to 120 milligrams per liter on average, which can significantly impact the histamine balance in your body. Histamine, an inflammatory chemical, can cause allergy-like symptoms when in excess. In addition to containing histamine, alcohol, including Zinfandel wine, may inhibit histamine breakdown. According to a study by Wantke et al., (1996), alcohol blocks diamine oxidase (DAO), which is the main enzyme responsible for breaking down histamine in the body. This delay in histamine breakdown could elevate histamine levels even further. Though it is not particularly indicated as a histamine liberator, Zinfandel wine, as a type of alcohol, could stimulate the release of histamine from other foods. Since there's not sufficient specific research on Zinfandel wine as a histamine liberator, one should still be cautious when consuming it alongside known histamine liberating foods. On a more positive note, the antioxidants present in Zinfandel wine known as polyphenols could possibly exhibit anti-histamic properties, but the research on this is inconclusive and further studies are needed. In conclusion, Zinfandel wine, like other types of red wines, has a high histamine content and could potentially elevate histamine levels by inhibiting its breakdown and interacting with histamine liberators. The impact of this on individuals would vary depending on inherent histamine intolerance, concurrent consumption of other high histamine or histamine liberating foods and overall dietary habits. References: 1. Maintz, Laura and Natalija Novak. "Histamine and histamine intolerance." (2007). 2. Wantke, F., Focke, M., Hemmer, W., Jäger, S., Götz, M., & Jarisch, R. (1996). “Histamine in wine.”