Why Does Wine Make Your Mouth Feel Dry?

Check out our new website!
Thanks to Squarespace for sponsoring this video.
Thanks also to our supporters on


Astringent plant chemicals called tannins bind proteins on mucous membrane and skin, generating a prickly, puckery mouthfeel from foods and letting us “tan” skins into leather.
___________________________________________

If you want to learn more about this topic, start your googling here:
Tannin: a yellow or brownish chemical present in some plant tissues, used in leather production and ink manufacture, and a contributor to the sensation of astringency Astringency: the sensation caused by the contraction of body tissues due to tannins, often called “mouthfeel” Polyphenol: a chemical compound containing more than one phenolic hydroxyl group, of which tannins are a major group Phenolic: a chemical compound with a hydroxyl group (oxygen & hydrogen) linked directly to a benzene ring
___________________________________________

Credits (and Twitter handles):
Script Writer: Alex Reich (@alexhreich)
Script Editor: Kate Yoshida (@KateYoshida)
Video Illustrator: Ever Salazar (@eversalazar)
Video Director: Henry Reich (@MinutePhysics)
Video Narrator: Emily Elert (@eelert)
With Contributions From: Peter Reich, David Goldenberg
Music by: Nathaniel Schroeder:

_________________________________________

Like our videos?
Subscribe to MinuteEarth on YouTube:
Support us on Patreon:

And visit our new website!
Also, say hello on:
Facebook:
Twitter:

And find us on itunes:
___________________________________________

References:

Bajec, M. R., & Pickering, G. J. 2008. Astringency: mechanisms and perception. Critical reviews in food science and nutrition, 48(9), 858-875.
Barbehenn, R. V., & Constabel, C. P. 2011. Tannins in plant–herbivore interactions. Phytochemistry, 72(13), 1551-1565.
Covington, A. D. 1997. Modern tanning chemistry. Chemical Society Reviews, 26(2), 111-126.
Covington, A. D. 2009. Tanning chemistry: the science of leather. Royal Society of Chemistry.
Covington, A., Mar 2017, personal communication.
Gawel, R. 1998. Red wine astringency: a review. Australian Journal of Grape and Wine Research, 4(2), 74-95.
Lesschaeve, I. & A.C. Noble. 2005. Polyphenols: factors influencing their sensory properties and their effects on food and beverage preferences. The American journal of clinical nutrition 81, no. 1: 330S-335S.
Siebert, K., Mar 2017, personal communication.