Red wine, in limited amounts, has often been linked to a healthy heart. Now, while medical professionals don’t recommend you start drinking wine daily, because too much alcohol can harm the body in a number of ways, but if you already enjoy a glass with dinner, there are potentially a number of health benefits in it for you. You don’t have to tell us twice. Let’s take a look.
How Much is Just Enough?
Medical professionals recommend one serving of wine for women, and up to, but not to exceed, two servings of wine for men. A serving is considered 5 ounces, and not a full glass. Drinking more can lead to both short-term and long-term health conditions, so it is important to limit your intake.
Health Benefits
Research is ongoing, but here’s what we know so far.
Rich in Antioxidants
Antioxidants are compounds that prevent cell damage caused by inflammation and stress. Grapes contain high levels of polyphonies, an antioxidant that reduces stress and inflammation. Red wine grapes are higher in these antioxidants than white grapes, which means, you guessed it, red wine is better than white wine due to higher levels of these antioxidants which can decrease the risk of disease.
May Help Fight Infection
Red wine contains compounds that have anti-inflammatory properties. That being said, chronic inflammation can lead to a number of issues down the road, but this type of inflammation can be reduced by diet, exercise, and stress reduction. The compound resveratrol has anti-inflammatory properties that may actually benefit your health.
May Benefit Mental Health
The occasional glass of red wine may reduce the risk of depression, but this can be a slippery slope because consuming too much can have the opposite effect putting you at a higher risk. So the name of the game is controlling yourself, no matter how good it tastes, so you don’t overdo it.
Healthy Gut Bacteria
Recent research shows that red wine may promote the growth of beneficial gut bacteria, which could ultimately improve metabolic syndrome in people who are obese.
May Improve Heart Health
Those who consume a moderate amount of wine tend to have a lower risk of heart disease versus those who enjoy beer or spirits. Now, factors such as lifestyle and genetics also play a major role in the findings. What is it in red wine that may benefit your cardiovascular system? High concentration of polyphenol antioxidants which may reduce your risk of high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and metabolic diseases.
Again, this is still up for much debate, and research is ongoing, but a nice glass of red with dinner isn’t out of the question, so drink (responsibly) and be merry!