(no subject)

So, I was in the kitchen doing my reading for class tonight, because... I slacked this week, and after reading an article about the competition between Coca-Cola and PepsiCo's products, the mention of Propel fitness water made me grimace -- the stuff tastes all right, but all of the times I've ever tried it (three, total -- three times too many), I got a migraine. So I stay away from the stuff now. So I got a little curious and popped over to the computer to see if anyone else had this reaction. Apparently I'm alone in my freakishness, but did discover, after a little more digging, that it's sweetened with "sucralose," which is linked to headaches. SO! Going to continue staying away from Propel.

However, this led me to do a little more digging about a few other things. See, I cannot drink Cointreau -- at all. I also cannot drink what I lovingly refer to as "cheerleader beers" (those fruity malt beverages for people who don't like beer). I have allergic reactions to both -- I get flushed, dizzy, lightheaded, and my heart beats really hard and fast. It doesn't last very long, say a half hour at most, and if I drink a lot of water, it passes a little more quickly. I used to think it was limited to liquor, but then I'd had some Ocean Spray ruby-red grapefruit juice and had the same reaction.

Soooooo evidently I'm sensitive to sulfites. I'm not sure just HOW sensitive, since I'm okay with most of the food and drink on various lists online. But apparently my reaction is a fairly rare anaphylactic reaction: "Anaphylactic reactions are much less common
Occasional patients exposed to sulfites, experienced symptoms similar to anaphylaxis with flushing, fast heartbeat, wheezing, hives, dizziness, stomach upset and diarrhoea, collapse, tingling or difficulty swallowing."

AWESOME.

Anyone know anything about the sulfite levels in Cointreau and malt beverages? Because it's something I should probably educate myself on.