Cabernet sauvignon, shiraz, merlot and pinot noir are a few of the varieties of red wine offering a palatable complement to an array of foods. While red wines may be appreciated for their rich flavor, these beverages may also offer health benefits when consumed in moderation. Research on the health effects of red wine spans decades, with evidence leaning toward the high content of resveratrol, polyphenols and antioxidants in wine as the sources of its protective and healing properties.
Contains Antioxidants and Resveratrol
Oxidation is a chemical reaction that transfers electrons from a substance like food to reactive chemicals in your body resulting in the formation of free radicals. Free radicals damage your cells and in abundance cause further damage to your organs. Antioxidants are natural free radical neutralizers that protect you from oxidative damage. Red wine contains two forms of protective antioxidant polyphenols called flavonoids and non-flavonoids. Polyphenols contain a variety of additional substances with resveratrol as the primary ingredient of research focus for its cardioprotective properties, notes the Linus Pauling Institute. Red wine contains higher amounts of resveratrol because the grape skins used to produce the wine are fermented longer than those of white wines.
Protects the Heart
Your heart is subject to injury from consistent consumption of fatty foods that increase blood pressure or cholesterol levels, excess weight, sedentary lifestyle and unhealthy habits like smoking. According to a 2005 review in "Circulation" the publication by the American Heart Association, moderate use of red wine favorably maintains blood vessel health, which is subject to damage from unhealthy lifestyle factors. Specifically, the review indicates red wine in reducing your risk of atherosclerosis, plaque formation in your arteries causing clots and eventual heart attack. Red wine may also increase high-density lipoprotein, the good form of cholesterol that helps remove the bad cholesterol from your bloodstream.
Reduces Cancer Risk
According to the National Cancer Institute, the type of polyphenol in resveratrol called phytoalexin may have anticancer properties in addition to antioxidants. Animal testing indicates resveratrol inhibits cancer growth, reduces inflammation and protects the immune system from metastasis in cancers of the breast, prostate and skin. Harvard Health Publications further notes that research on men ages 40 to 64 that consume red wine in moderation have a significantly lower risk of prostate cancer development compared to men drinking other forms of alcohol beverages. The effect of red wine is because the high amount of antioxidants aids in balancing male androgen hormones, which stimulates prostate enlargement.
Daily Consumption
Daily moderate consumption of red wine protects your health in various ways. However, research is ongoing and red wine has not been proven as an effective treatment for heart conditions, cancer, liver disease or any other healthy condition. Drink red wine in moderation with the consent of your physician. According to MayoClinic.com, women should drink one 4 to 5 oz. glass of red wine a day and men can drink two glasses of the same amount. Do not incorporate red wine into your daily diet if you have a drinking problem, drink excessively or have alcohol related health conditions. Excessive drinking increases your risk of liver damage, high blood pressure and addiction.
References
- MayoClinic.com: Red Wine and Resveratrol; Good for Your Heart?
- Linus Pauling Institute: Resveratrol
- Yale-New Haven Hospital: A Glass of Red Wine a Day Keeps the Doctor Away
- "Circulation"; Red Wine and Your Heart; Paul E. Szmitko, BSc and Subodh Verma, MD; 2005
- "American Journal of Physiology"; Resveratrol Alleviates Alcoholic Fatty Liver in Mice; Joanne M. Ajmo et al; August 2008.
- National Cancer Institute: Red Wine and Cancer Prevention
Member Comments