Is Red Wine Good for Health?

Many of us have heard about red wine being good for our health, but do we know why? Here are some reasons which may help you appreciate your glass of wine more, knowing that it is actually doing you some good. It does not mean you can help yourself to a glass of wine every day! It only brings to your notice that Red Wine contains certain phytochemicals which have shown to reduce the risk of heart disease, certain cancers and slow the progression of neurological degenerative disorders like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s Disease. But this is all true, only when you drink it in Moderation! The moment you go over the safe limit, the health benefits are overpowered by the harmful side effects of excessive drinking, leading to deteriorated health. So be educated about what you are drinking, and the next time you have to choose a single glass of alcohol, go for the Red Wine instead of anything else!

A Look at the Positive Side
To benefit from drinking red wine, it must be drunk in moderation. Studies have shown that it helps in the prevention of heart disease. In fact, these studies also show that for middle aged people, one glass of wine for women and two glasses for men will actually lower the risks involved with heart attacks by between 30 and 50 percent. Here are a few health benefits of red wine:

Lowers Blood Cholesterol
It’s been proved that moderate amounts of alcohol can raise your good cholesterol (HDL-cholesterol) and thin your blood. This is true for red Wine too, which means that by drinking in moderation, the body's cholesterol level will be reduced, so reducing the risk of having blood clots due to fatty deposits in the blood vessels.

Source of Antioxidants
Being a good source of antioxidants which cleanses the human system, red wine is indeed beneficial to the body. Other substances found in red wine include Resveratrol, which is a substance know to help increase the levels of HDL or good cholesterol, and various other antioxidant properties that assist in the prevention of blood clot and plaque formation within the arterial walls of the veins and arteries, as shown by medical studies.

Prevent Deafness
I was surprised at this one too! But moderate amounts of red wine protects the delicate hair in the inner ear, according to Dr Jochen Schacht in America. He told New Scientist magazine that experiments found antioxidants in red wine neutralized chemical agents that attack these hair. Red wine has similar protective properties to green tea, which can help prevent deafness upto a certain limit.

A Look at the Negative Side
Wine, however, is not for everyone. Certain medical conditions are worsened by the consumption of wine, so it’s vital you seek the advice of your personal physician before making this a daily habit! Wine, is after all, a type of Alcohol, and comes with its own set of negatives:

High Triglycerides
One downside to wine consumption is that it can elevate triglyceride levels, which is associated with health problems such as diabetes. Those who already have high triglycerides should, therefore, avoid or dramatically limit their wine (and alcohol) consumption.

Breast Cancer Risk
Studies have shown alcohol can increase estrogen levels and raise tumor progression in women with (or at high risk for) estrogen positive breast cancer.

Migraines
Wine is often a big trigger for people who suffer with migraine headaches. Although white wine contains more sulfites than red wine (sulfites are added to white wine to preserve its light color), red wine seems to be a much bigger migraine trigger. That’s probably due to the accumulation of histamines and tannins from prolonged contact with the skin.

Weight Gain
People who drink alcohol also consume empty calories, calories that lack nutrients and can lead to weight gain. One glass of wine is equivalent to 120 calories - so you can imagine how easy it is to load up on calories if you get to drinking at a party!

After all this, people will continue drinking wine as a habit. This article is not to pass a judgment whether Red Wine is good for health or not - rather, it should be treated as an insight into the composition of wine, which makes it beneficial and harmful at the same time. Enjoy a glass within the safety limits, and you'll relax your body and mind; but always know when to stop, even if it's red wine!

Related Articles:
How to Select & Buy Wine
How to Serve Wine to your Guests?
How to Pair Wine with your Food?

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