Friday, January 25, 2013

Health Benefits of Wine


Tonight Brian and I are taking some friends of ours to our favorite wine tasting place. Since it is Friday, I thought it would be nice to talk about something fun, such as drinking wine and it's possible health benefits.

Brian and I love drinking wine, learning about different wine and their territories and finding great wine and food pairings. So us having this fun hobby, are we gaining any health benefits from it?

Research has shown that wine contains many antioxidants, which is good for your body to help boost immune system and rid your body of toxins. But wine specifically contains Resveratrol, which is found in the skin of the grapes. Resveratrol can reduce blood clotting risks and decrease inflammation and plaque in your arteries which in turn prevents damage on the insides of your arteries. Red wine has more of this than white due to the process of red wine retaining more of the skins. Also red wines produced in cooler climates contain more Resveratrol. Now alcohol of any type in very small doses has been shown to increase your HDL(good cholesterol), prevent some cancers and reduce your risk of dementia and other neurological diseases. So can a glass of wine a day keep the dr away? Probably not, lol, but it can be beneficial IN MODERATION. Meaning for women, 1 5oz glass per day, and men 2 5oz glasses per day.

If you are not a drinker, I am not by any means saying you should start drinking, as alcohol can be empty calories, have a negative effect on your liver, etc. Also if you already have high triglycerides you do not want to drink alcohol.  But if you do enjoy wine like myself here and there and are relatively healthy, it is nice to know you may be helping your heart some. It is thought that you can get this same effect by drinking grape juice or simply eating grapes.

That's all I have today. So the next time you raise a glass of wine, you can remember these little tidbits and let your friends know! ;) Cheers to good health!


Stay Active,
~Mandi
..EXACTLY!.

2 comments:

  1. There are many heart doctors or surgeon who recommend their patient to drink a red wine which will protect them against heart disease.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Yes...as i have stated some of the specefic benefits above. I am actually a cardiac nurse for a large cardilology office. Wine can be a benefit, but in moderation as overdoing it with alcohol can elevate your cholesterol and contribute to weight gain. :)

    ReplyDelete