Wine and liquor are made of natural base ingredients. Although they are alcoholic, and are generally considered to do more harm than good, they’re still made of healthy elements like grape, wheat, rye, rice, and potatoes.
It’s only natural that these drinks contain certain health benefits. Let’s focus on the health benefits that come from consuming wine, particularly red wine. It’s been long considered to be beneficial for cardiovascular health.
But there are other additional plusses to drinking wine. The key is not which kind of wine to drink, but how much is consumed. It always bears repeating that alcohol should be consumed in moderation.
That being said, here are some healthy goodness you can reap from drinking the right amount of red wine.
1. Lower risk of heart disease
Red wine helps with heart disease because it first affects cholesterol, which affects blood pressure. Made of red grapes, red wine contains antioxidants which are found in red grape skins.
This works to increase the level of good cholesterol in your bloodstream, also known as High-Density Lipoprotein (HDL). Antioxidants prevent cholesterol from building up in your blood.
Red wine also contains the element resveratrol. Although further studies need to be conducted to evaluate this element’s true benefits, it’s generally accepted that resveratrol reduces the risk of damage to the blood vessels.
It improves the cells that line the vessels and arteries. If antioxidant boosts HDL, resveratrol lowers levels of Low-Density Lipoprotein (LDL), which is considered the “bad” alcohol.
This means that intake of resveratrol can lower your chances of having blood clots and inflammation. Despite this benefit, it’s not recommended to start drinking wine just to cure heart disease.
2. Helps prevent aging
Engaging in wine o’clock every day can also slow down aging, particularly the aging of the brain. We have resveratrol to thank for this, too.
A study by Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute has shown that resveratrol slows down brain cells from breaking down too early. This element has even been credited as a hero of Alzheimer’s prevention.
In addition to aiding brain capacity, resveratrol also acts as anti-aging for the complexion when consumed in moderate amounts. In other words, red wine can actually help make you look younger!
3. Improves gut health
The level of tannins and acidity in some wines may be too harsh for some people’s stomachs. However, wine has been proven to be beneficial for gut health.
A study conducted in 2018 shows that polyphenols found in wine help improve the bacteria found in the gut. Yes, there is bacteria in the stomach! In fact, there are around 1,000 species of bacteria living in the gut. Most of these are healthy for the body.
Wine aides the function of these bacteria to work to our benefit. In relation to this, a 2016 study found that improvement of gut health affects cardiovascular health by extension, reducing the risk of contracting any heart disease.
But how much wine is healthy?
We all know it’s best to drink “in moderation.” But how much is a moderate amount? Experts have warned that too much of any kind of alcohol can actually reverse some of the above health benefits. So how much is enough for us to reap the good things?
Start by building a habit of having one drink of red wine every day. One drink equals to 5 ounces, or 148 milliliters.
Follow this guide to find out how much you should be drinking in a day:
- Men under 65: 1-2 drinks
- Men over 65: 1 drink
- Women: 1 drink
Related article: 6 Myths About the Health Benefits of Wine
Heart-healthy wines
Now that you know the benefits of red wine and how much of it you should be drinking, you may be on the lookout for the healthiest wine out there.
A good rule of thumb is to opt for dryer wines. These wines are less sweet, and often high in tannins, which means they are slightly bitter. Like most things that are healthy for you, this might not be to your liking!
Here are several heart-healthy wines for you to try out.
Merlot
Merlot is high in resveratrol content. It’s good for cholesterol, and by extension heart health too.
Merlot available at minuman.com:
Pinot noir
This is considered to be the healthiest red wine. It’s made of pinot grapes, which are thin-skinned. Although this means there is a lower level of tannins, pinot noir is still high in resveratrol.
Pinot noir available at minuman.com:
Malbec
Malbec is thicker-skinned than pinot grapes. It’s high in tannins and antioxidant.
Malbec available at minuman.com:
Cabernet sauvignon
This type of red wine is high in flavonoids, which can boost cell health, especially those in the blood vessels.
Cabernet sauvignon available at minuman.com:
Looking for your favorite Wine? Minuman.com provides the widest selection of wines. Order now and have your drinks delivered to your doorstep with fast and free delivery.
