Reading medical research that points to the health benefits of red wine may be cause for celebration if you're a wine lover. While drinking alcohol does have its risks, red wine, made from dark-colored grapes, may offer some health benefits. If you need or want to avoid alcohol, however, the juice from red and purple grapes also provides many of the same benefits. Consider the benefits of wine and grape juice to see if either have a place in your diet.
Antioxidants
Perhaps the most well-documented benefit of red wine is that it contains antioxidants, which are substances that prevent damage to your body's cells. The types of antioxidants in grapes are called polyphenols. One of these antioxidants, resveratrol, may be beneficial for preventing blood vessel damage. This can reduce your risk of developing blood clots and having high LDL or "bad" cholesterol. Grape juice, particularly from concord grapes, also contains resveratrol, making it an alternative to alcohol-containing wine.
Role of Alcohol
Although grapes are a good source of antioxidants, there's debate on whether the benefits of red wine for the heart are primarily due to those substances or to the alcohol itself. Alcohol can play a role in preventing blood clots, raising HDL cholesterol and reducing artery damage, according to MayoClinic.com. This is significant because, if alcohol is behind the benefits of red wine, then any alcoholic drink could have the same potential effects.
Additional Benefits
While the debate over the benefits of drinking red wine continues, you can take advantage of the known benefits of incorporating purple grape juice into your diet. A study published in 2011 in the Journal of Medicinal Food found that middle-aged participants who drank 100 percent concord grape juice for nine weeks had improved immunity. In addition, a comparison of grape juice and juice from citrus fruits reveals that the grape juice lowers the risk of heart attack, according to a 2000 study in the Journal of Nutrition.
Precautions
Keep in mind that neither wine or grape juice should be considered treatment for any health condition -- and they should not be thought of as guaranteed ways to prevent heart problems. Drinking these beverages every day will likely have little impact if you are still following an unhealthy lifestyle. If you do decide to drink red wine regularly, be sure to talk with your doctor first, and practice moderation -- which means just one five-ounce drink daily for women and two for men.
References
- MayoClinic.com; Red wine and Resveratrol: Good for Your Heart?; March 2011
- MayoClinic.com; Does Grape Juice: Same Heart Benefits as Red Wine?; Martha Grogan; July 2009
- Harvard Health Publications; HEALTHbeat; Walter C. Willett; May 2008
- Journal of Medicinal Food; Regular Consumption of Concord Grape Juice Benefits Human Immunity; CA Rowe, et al.; January-February 2011
- The Journal of Nutrition; Grape Juice, But Not Orange Juice or Grapefruit Juice, Inhibits Human Platelet Aggregation; JG Keevil; Janary 2000
- National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism: FAQs for the General Public
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