The Top Five Health Benefits of Wine
Whether you relish a full-bodied red wine with dinner or love sipping a light rosé on your front porch, there are countless ways to enjoy a glass of wine.
In addition to the fine flavors, fragrances and artistry that goes into creating a beautiful wine, there are many benefits of wine that can be enjoyed through consuming either red or white white.
When consumed in moderation, red and white wines offer many significant health benefits, and doctors are discovering more all the time!
Without further ado, here are lists of the top five health benefits of wine—red wine and white wine.
THE TOP 5 BENEFITS OF RED WINE
Doctors have long praised the health benefits of drinking wine in moderation. Although research is ongoing, here are the top five benefits of consuming red wine as we understand them thus far.
1. RED WINE’S ANTIOXIDANTS MAY PREVENT CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE
Heart disease remains the leading cause of death for men and women in the developed world. Multiple studies show that antioxidants found in red wine are effective in preventing coronary artery disease.
Some doctors are even experimenting with developing a new stent, or a small medical device inserted into arteries to widen them if they are clogged or damaged. The new stent would release resveratrol and quercetin, two antioxidants found in red wines, into the bloodstream. The hope is that doing so would prevent further blood clotting and reduce inflammation.
Resveratrol comes from the skin of grapes. Red wine is fermented with the grape skins longer than white wine, so red wines contain more resveratrol. Drinking natural grape juice and eating grapes are other ways to get resveratrol without drinking alcohol.
2. RED WINE MAY INCREASE “GOOD” CHOLESTEROL
In addition to warding off artery damage, red wine also helps increase levels of HDL, or “good” cholesterol, and ward off LDL, or “bad” cholesterol. Resveratrol again takes credit for this perk. Doctors suggest that drinking red wine in moderation, along with enjoying a healthy diet and exercise, will go a long way to protect you from a heart attack or stroke.
In addition to resveratrol, another substance in red wines called phenols also appear to help prevent bad cholesterol from causing damage in your arteries by limiting the oxidation of LDLs.
3. RED WINE MAY HAVE CANCER-FIGHTING PROPERTIES
The same phenols that help fight bad cholesterol may slow the growth of breast cancer cells and suppress the growth of prostate cancer cells. In another study, French scientists found that resveratrol may fight liver cancer. Dentists and research scientists are exploring evidence to suggest red wines might help prevent oral cancer.
In addition to phenols and resveratrol, there are a number of other antioxidants in red wines that seem to have cancer-fighting properties. Scientists are still exploring the possible health benefits of these antioxidants on the human body, but the evidence is overwhelming that red wine has many cancer-fighting properties.
4. RED WINE MAY LEAD TO STRONGER BONES
Osteoporosis is when your bones become thin and become weak due to calcium loss. Scientists were shocked to find that people who consumed moderate amounts of wine may have less risk for osteoporosis.
The study showed that women who drank one to three glasses of red wine per day had 12 to 16 percent greater bone density than nondrinkers. They found similar measurements in men who drank one or two glasses of red wine each day.
5. RED WINES REDUCE YOUR RISK OF THE FOODBORNE NOROVIRUS AND THE COLD!
People have used all sorts of alcohol to clean wounds, prevent infection and ward off bacteria in a variety of ways for hundreds of years. New studies show that red wine seems to prevent the foodborne norovirus from multiplying and spreading throughout your digestive system.
The norovirus is a very contagious virus that causes inflammation in the stomach or intestines, resulting in very unpleasant digestive issues.
Other studies indicate wine may help your body fight off the common cold. Consuming moderate amounts of wine can help many people develop immunity to many viruses that cause the common cold. If you are looking for another reason to enjoy a glass of wine, avoiding the cold seems like a good one.
THE TOP 5 BENEFITS OF WHITE WINE
The benefits of wine aren’t limited to reds. While red wines might have a slight edge, white wine is no slouch when it comes to perks! The typically sweeter, lighter white wines have health benefits of their own. Let’s see what they are.
1. WHITE WINE MAY HELP WITH WEIGHT LOSS
White wines are packed with peicatechin, quercetin, and resveratrol, three antioxidants that promote weight loss. This is a double-edged sword, though. Overindulging will have the opposite effect as the calories from wine add up quickly.
2. WHITE WINES MAY ALSO FIGHT CANCER
Flavonoids have antioxidant properties with dozens of health benefits. Studies show that the flavonoids in white wine may protect against bowel cancer. White wine also suppresses the growth of breast cancer cells just as effectively as red wine.
3. WHITE WINE IS GOOD FOR THE BRAIN
As you enjoy your glass of wine at the end of a long day, take comfort in the fact that studies show it may be cleaning your brain as it helps you clear your mind. Low levels of alcohol help reduce inflammation, allowing the brain to clear away toxins. This process may even help reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease!
4. WHITE WINE CONTRIBUTES TO LUNG HEALTH
Drinking moderate amounts of white wine directly correlates with better lung function, according to a study from the State University of New York at Buffalo.
Although red and white wines contain the nutrients that help keep lung tissues healthy, white wine tends to have a better impact because it contains more antioxidants that prevent the development of molecules that damage lung tissue.
5. WHITE WINE REDUCES HANGOVER SYMPTOMS
White wine has fewer “congeners,” a chemical byproduct that helps create the taste, aroma and color in alcoholic beverages. The “congeners” are what cause hangover symptoms, so drinking white wine reduces the likelihood that you will develop a hangover.
