The Skinny on Sulfates

I love me some wine.

And lately you have more than likely heard or read about the benefits of drinking wine in moderation.

(Key word being moderation, for an example of drinking wine in excess, see the above photo of my husband.)

These benefits range from lowering the risks of heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and colon cancer, to actually decreasing the decline of brain function (Above photo possible evidence in that particular study).

First of all, there are many different theories on whether or not people with RA or other autoimmune diseases should be drinking any alcohol, period. For me, it's (again) all about balance.

So, if we're going to be drinking wine, what kind of wine should we be drinking?

Through my expertise (ahem) on wine consumption, I have found that I react to wine containing added sulfites.

Almost all wines contain natural sulfites, however many wine makers add sulfites to stop fermentation, and also to act as a preservative. Although all forms of sulfites can cause reactions, I found that drinking wine with added sulfites raises the chances of having an adverse reaction to the wine.

When picking up a bottle of wine I always look for the organic wines that contain "no added sulfites." Wines bottled after 1987 must provide notice on the label that they contain sulfites.

My favorite wine comes from the Orleans Hill Winery. Not only are they sulfite free, but also vegan, organic, and mighty tasty.

If you're going to get all fancy and pair a wine with a meal, the general rule of thumb is to pair lighter wines with lighter meals such as a Chardonnay with a salad, or a Pinot Grigio with a grilled fish, whereas red wines go with heavier dishes such as pastas and Tater Tot Hotdish...

...Just seeing if you were paying attention...

We all know that Tater Tot Hotdish goes best with Boone's Farm straight out of a paper bag.

But that's an entirely different post.