High levels of blood cholesterol raise your risk of coronary artery disease, heart attack and stroke. When cholesterol is too high, it may form fatty deposits on the walls of arteries, narrowing them and restricting blood flow. Drinking red wine may help lower your risk for these conditions. Wine contains alcohol and resveratrol, two compounds that have potential benefits for your heart.
Resveratrol and Alcohol
Red wine may benefit the cardiovascular system because of a compound called resveratrol, found in wines and other foods made from red grapes. Resveratrol is contained in the skin of the grape, so red wine, which retains the skin, is rich in the compound. It has a number of possible health benefits, including antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity. The alcohol found in wine may also help reduce levels of blood cholesterol, lowering your risk for heart disease.
Function
The American Heart Association says that drinking wine may help increase blood levels of high density lipoprotein, HDL, also called good cholesterol. This is most likely due to the alcohol content of wine. HDL carries cholesterol to the liver, which removes it, resulting in a drop in total blood cholesterol. In addition, resveratrol in red wine may have other heart healthy benefits, such as inhibiting clot formation and causing relaxation of arteries by increasing levels of nitric acid, a vasodilator.
Other Benefits
Because of its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity, resveratrol in wine may have a positive effect on many of the body's systems. Antioxidants remove free radicals, which are byproducts of digestion that can damage cells throughout the body. Resveratrol may also suppress inflammation, according to the Linus Pauling Institute, inhibiting enzymes involved in the early stages of cardiovascular disease and in other disorders such as arthritis.
Recommendations
A healthy range for total cholesterol is less than 200 mg/dL, and HDL levels should be 60 mg/dL or higher. Although drinking wine may help keep cholesterol low, the American Heart Association recommends consuming it in moderation. Women should drink no more than one glass of wine daily and men no more than two glasses a day. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, avoid drinking wine. Consult your doctor to determine an appropriate regimen for your situation.
References
- Linus Pauling Institute: Resveratrol
- Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center: Reishi Mushroom
- American Heart Association: Alcohol, Wine and Cardiovascular Disease
- National Cholesterol Education Program:High Blood Cholesterol: What You Need To Know
- MayoClinic.com: Red Wine and Reservatrol: Good for Your Heart?
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