Facts on White Wine

1. Choose Your Grape

White wine is made from pressing various types of grapes, such as chardonnay or semillon grapes. Wine makers attain the light color of white wines by separating the dark-colored grape skins from the light-colored grape pulps before pressing the pulps. White wine varieties all have slightly different tastes, depending on the type of grape they come from. Some types of white wine that you may be familiar with are Chardonnay, Riesling, Pinot Gris, Chablis, Sauvignon blanc, Gewurztraminer, Pinot Blanc and Semillon.

2. Breathe Easier With a Little White Wine

In one study, researchers showed that drinking white wine can actually improve lung function. They suggest that the antioxidants present in white wine are responsible for this improvement. Besides helping you to breathe easier, white wine can also help you to relax. Having a glass at the end of a long day with dinner will calm you down and can reduce any tension you may have been feeling.

3. Watch Your Intake

Just as with other types of alcohol, drinking too much white wine can be harmful to your health. It can impair your judgment, upset your stomach and give you a headache. You should avoid drinking white wine if you're taking prescription drugs, as you may experience a bad reaction to the combination of the two substances. If you have ulcers, liver disease, kidney or urinary infections, pancreatitis, epilepsy or prostate problems, you shouldn't drink white wine. Also, if you're a woman with a history of breast cancer in your family, you should avoid drinking white wine and all other types of alcohol as well.

4. White Vs. Red

You've probably heard that red wine, when drunk in moderation throughout your life, can be beneficial to your heart. Well, in 2006, researchers found that white wine may be just as heart healthy as red wine. The evidence showed that the antioxidants present in grape pulps, which are crushed to make white wine, are just as good for your heart as the antioxidants found in the grape skins are used to make red wine.

5. Drink Like the Europeans

The Europeans know how to enjoy their white wine. They drink it regularly throughout their entire lives, but in moderation. They'll order a glass of wine and some water with dinner instead of going for the high-calorie soft drinks that Americans tend to like. So enjoy a glass of white wine with dinner whenever you like. Remember to cut it off after a glass or two, though, so that you can enjoy the great taste and health benefits of white wine without feeling hung over the next day.

Last updated on: Nov 18, 2009

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