The Health Benefits Of Wine

Is wine really good for you? It’s true, a glass or two can help your heart, prevent cancer and more. In moderation, and of course, as part of a healthy diet, the short answer is yes!

Because of its alcohol content and the non-alcoholic phytochemicals (naturally occurring plant compounds), wine has been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease, certain cancers and even slow the progression of neurological degenerative disorders like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s Disease.

Of course, the amount of wine you drink matters. A lot. If you drink more than what’s recommended, the health benefits are lost and your health risks rise.

What’s considered safe and effective? Well, for men, no more than two drinks per day. For women, no more than one. “One” drink is defined as a 5-ounce glass of red or white wine.

When it comes to wine and its health benefits, here’s what we know:

It’s been proven that moderate amounts of alcohol can raise your good cholesterol (HDL) and thin your blood. This is thought to be one of the primary cardiovascular benefits from wine (red and white) (as well as hard liquor and beer).

Non-alcoholic phytochemicals in wine, such as flavanoids and resveratrol, act as antioxidants and prevent molecules known as “free radicals” from causing cellular damage in the body. Although some studies that have focused on the health benefits of resveratrol use much greater dosages than you’ll find in an average glass of wine, resveratrol has been shown to prevent blood clotting and plaque formation in arteries by altering lipid profiles and plasma viscosity.

Findings from a recent study suggest that resveratrol can produce potent anti-thrombotic agents that can potentially improve cardiovascular health and lower the risk for coronary heart disease. In animal studies, resveratrol even reduced tumor incidence by affecting one or more stages of cancer development.

Red wine provides much more resveratrol than white wine. That’s because the longer the skin is kept on the grape during the wine making process, the greater the concentration of resveratrol in the wine.

In the case of white wine and its production, the skin is removed before fermentation, giving white wines a lower concentration in resveratrol compared to red wines. Also, wines made in cooler climates have greater amounts of resveratrol too. So, red wines from cool climates have the most resveratrol.