Red wine gets high praise when it comes to heart health even though no definitive evidence exists to show red wine is really any better for your heart than white wine, beer or liquor. Physicians frequently recommnend a glass or two of red wine as part of a heart-healthy diet.
Considerations
Drinking a moderate amount of red wine appears to be safe for most adults. Moderate consumption can be be defined as 1 5 oz. glass of red wine a day for women and two a day for men, according to Mayo Clinic. The alcohol and compounds in red wine appear to be good for your heart. Red wine may contain a polyphenol called resveratrol. Polyphenols are potent antioxidants.
Effects
Resveratrol is touted as a wonder substance that might help prevent damage to blood vessels that line the heart, lower LDL or "bad" cholesterol and guard against blood clots,says the Mayo Clinic. It notes that animal research suggests that resveratrol might help keep obesity and diabetes at bay but further studies involving humans are needed, at time of publication.
Cancer
A report published in the June 2007 issue of "Harvard Men's Health Watch" said men who drink four to seven glasses of red wine per week are only about half as likely to be diagnosed with prostate cancer as those who do not drink red wine. Red wine also seems to offer protection against advanced or fast-growing cancer.
Drinking even small amounts of red wine appeared to have protective effects against prostate cancer, noted the Harvard report. Doctors suspect its antioxidant properties may offset androgens or male hormones that stimulate the prostate.
Precautions
One or two glasses of red wine daily are enough to produce its potential health benefits. Drinking too much red wine or other alcoholic beverages can lead to high blood pressure, high cholesterol obesity, liver damage and certain types of cancer. If you don't drink alcohol don't start simply to prevent heart disease, says the Mayo Clinic.
References
- Harvard Health Publications; Attention Men: the Benefits of Red Wine, from the Harvard Men's Health Watch; June 2007
- Harvard University Gazette; Wine Molecules Slow Aging Process; William J. Cromie; 2007
- Mayo Clinic; Red Wine and Resveratrol: Good For Your Heart?; March 2011
- Mayo Clinic; Red Wine: Good For Your Heart?; November 2010
- University of Maryland Medical Center; Green Tea; September 2010
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