Q. I get a headache every time I drink red wine. I've been told it's the result of sulfites in the wine. Is that true?

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Q. A friend of mine says red wine has cancer-fighting compounds. Is he just making an excuse to drink wine?

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• We've known for some time that red wine contains compounds thought to fight certain types of cancer. Recently, USDA researches discovered properties within wine that, in animal tests, have helped lower blood-sugar levels (good news for folks with diabetes). The compound, called pterostilbene, is most abundant in dark-skinned grapes.
• Research in Spain shows that folks who drink a couple of glasses of wine a day are almost 20 percent less likely to catch a cold than nondrinkers. Scientists say that compounds within the grapes are responsible--something other forms of alcohol, such as beer or spirits, can't deliver.