Red Wine Health Benefits
Are there Any?
Do
red wine health benefits
really exist? This is a question that many people want answered. As a
daily red wine drinker, I must say that I have always been curious. I
can also say that when reviewing the information given by health
professionals regarding the health benefits red wine imparts, many
differing answers and advise was given.
If you research this topic on the internet, you will undoubtedly hear the terms, antioxidants, resveratrol and flavonoids.
The more you read, the more confusing and complicated the topic of
red wine health benefits can become. I think the best way to approach this
topic is to break it down into what is the proposed health components in
red wine and how much does one really benefit.
It seems like every time you read about something that is healthy for you they refer to it as a "Powerful Antioxidant.
An antioxidant is basically described as an "oxidation robber". In
other words, due to everyday toxic substances such as pollution or
smoking or even poor nutritional choices we make, we develop molecules
called free radicals. These are molecules that are
incomplete in their formation. They are looking to be complete and they
do this by attaching to other healthy cells and steal an oxygen atom, a
process called oxidation. This process can cause healthy cells and
tissues to deteriorate over time and become cancerous or diseased.
Antioxidants come to the rescue by neutralizing free radicals.
Where Do We Find Antioxidants?
Antioxidants are heavily found in fruits and vegetables. Especially those fruits and vegetables with a deep rich color. Yep you guessed it, they are found in high amounts in red grapes. To learn more about red grape skins where antioxidants are found visit the page about tannins.
Flavonoids are found readily in red grapes or red wines
produced from red grapes. Flavonoids are anti-cariogenic or cancer
fighting molecules. They prevent cancer forming agents from reaching
healthy cells and suppress malignant or (deadly) changes from occuring
in our cells.
So if you put two and two together, it
makes sense that if you drink red wine on a regular basis it should
impart some health benefits. So what is the catch? Well many differ on
what the right and healthy amount of wine is that should be consumed for red wine health benefits to kick in. Many believe that 1-2
glasses of red wine
is the maximum for health benefits. Many feel that beyond this amount
one may be risking liver or toxic damage to the system. However for as
many people who stress this philosophy there are equally as many that
say that they attribute a long and healthy life to drinking closer to a
bottle a day. In fact in many areas of
Europe
this is not uncommon.
The bottom line is you need to know
what is right for you. Everyone is different. Alcohol does have
certain health risks and you need to fully weigh out the red wine health
benefits against the risks. Also, you need to remember that red wine
can pack a number of
calories
per glass and this can also be a factor when monitoring your daily consumption.
For
those that would rather have all the red wine health benefits without
the alcohol, they can always drink grape juice (although high in sugar)
or take Resveratrol supplements. Resveratrol is an
antimicrobial found in high concentration in red wine. It has similar
properties as a cancer fighting agent.
If you concerned at all with the effects of red wine on your teeth please visit
red wine teeth stains
to get the updated preventive measures to protect your enamel.
AARP 10 Tips to Better Health:
I thought it may be of interest to report the recommendation from the AARP Bulletin (January-February 2013 Vol. 54 No.1) on 10 healthy resolutions to better health.
1) Throw a party - in other words spend time with family and friends
2) Adopt a pet - studies show that people who own pets have healthier hearts and make fewer visits to the doctor.
3) Choose chocolate - Dark chocolate is rich in plant compounds called
flavonoids that is an antioxidant that can help fight cancer and other
illnesses. It also pairs well with our sweet red wines or any red wine
for that matter. What could be better than to pair red wine health
benefits with a piece of dark chocolate. What a beautiful combination. For a delicious treat try:
4) Savor your coffee - according to new research from the National Institutes of Health, drinking coffee regular or decaf can decrease the risk of dying from chronic illnesses such as diabetes, heart disease and pneumonia in older adults.
5) Raise a glass of Wine or Beer - studies performed and reported in the European Journal of Epidemiology show that both red or white wine as well as beer can be heart healthy. The studies also showed that it can decrease the incident of diabetes and some forms of cancer. The key to red wine health benefits is to drink in moderation. One glass a day is recommended for women and two for men.
6) Have Sex- older adults who are still sexually active were found to have lower levels of depression and better immune systems according to a study reported in the journal of Society and Mental Health.
7) Listen to your favorite music - research performed and reported from the University of Maryland School of Medicine show that listening to your favorite music may be good for your heart. Listening to joyful music stimulates emotions that can cause the inner lining of blood vessels to expand therefore increasing blood flow. This study also showed that patients feel less pain and require less pain medication after surgery if they listen to music while recuperating.
8) Take a nap - research at the University of Berkeley shows that snoozing for 20 minutes improves alertness and performance without leaving you feel groggy.
9) Go au naturel - spend sometime outdoors. Research from the University of Illinois shows that spending sometime outside cut down the recovery time for people following surgeries, improves the immune system and helps diabetics achieve healthier blood glucose levels.
10) Get off your soapbox - stop using high octane soaps and household cleaners according top the University of Michigan. Antibacterial soaps are no more effective than plain soaps in ridding your hands of germs and preventing illness. Washing your hands in warm water and plain soap for 20 seconds will do the job.
