Are you allergic to wine? Here's how to tell…

Research out of Johannes Gutenberg University of Mainz shows that as many as one in four people suffers from mild to serious wine allergies, reports NBCNews.com.

What’s more surprising is women are twice as likely to suffer from wine allergies then men!

So how do you know if you have a wine allergy?

Well, if you get flushed or itchy skin, a runny nose, diarrhoea or a rapid heartbeat after drinking your favourite vintage, it could be a sign that you have a wine allergy.

But what causes wine allergies?

“Wine contains proteins from grapes, bacteria and yeast, as well as sulphites and other organic compounds. Any one of those components – which are also found in beer and hard liquor – can cause an allergic-like reaction,” explains prevention.com.

In addition, because red wine contains a protein allergen called “LTP”, you’re more likely to experience symptoms from red wine, adds NBCNews.com.

Worried those sniffles are a sign of something more sinister? Take this at-home allergy test…

The “pulse test” is a great way to check if you have a food allergy.

If you think you may be allergic to wine, monitor your pulse after drinking a glass of wine. “A person’s pulse might increase as much as eight to 20 beats or more per minute after certain foods,” explains Dr Jonathan Wright, the natural health specialist behind Nutrition & Healing.

And this could point to the fact that you may have a wine allergy.

Just because you have an allergy doesn’t mean you have to stop drinking wine

If you react to the wine, try the test again with another vintage. If you don’t react to this one look at the list of ingredients to see if you can pinpoint the compound in wine that’s setting off your allergies. Then just keep narrowing it down until you know for sure what ingredient is the culprit.

Once you know that, it’s a simple as avoiding wines that contain this ingredient and indulging in wines that don’t have it.

And remember, as long as the symptoms are mild, you have nothing to worry about. But if drinking wine causes severe breathing problems or you become seriously ill, stop immediately and consult your doctor, recommends Dr Heinz Decker, the head researcher behind the study.