Wine has been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease, certain cancers and slow the progression of neurological degenerative disorders like Alzheimer?s and Parkinson?s Disease.
However, the amount of wine you drink matters tremendously
Men: No more than two drinks per day.
Women: No more than one drink per day.
It?s been well documented that moderate amounts of alcohol can raise your good cholesterol (HDL-cholesterol) and thin your blood. This is thought to be one of the primary cardiovascular benefits from wine (red and white), as well as hard liquor and beer.
Non-alcoholic phytochemicals in wine, such as flavanoids and resveratrol, act as antioxidants and prevent molecules known as ?free radicals? from causing cellular damage in the body. Although some studies which have focused on the health benefits of resveratrol use much greater dosages than you?ll find in an average glass of wine, resveratrol has been shown to prevent blood clotting and plaque formation in arteries by altering lipid profiles and plasma viscosity. Findings from a recent study suggest that resveratrol can produce potent anti-thrombotic agents that can potentially improve cardiovascular health and lower the risk for coronary heart disease. In animal studies, resveratrol reduced tumor incidence by affecting one or more stages of cancer development.
Red wine provides much more resveratrol compared to white. That?s because the longer the skin is kept on the grape during the wine making process, the greater the concentration of resveratrol in the wine. In the case of white wine production, the skin is removed before fermentation, giving white wines a lower concentration in resveratrol compared to red wines. Also, wines made in cooler climates have greater amounts of resveratrol too. Thus, red wine from cool climates have the most resveratrol.
Other foods that contain some resveratrol include peanuts, blueberries and cranberries. It?s not yet known how beneficial eating grapes or other foods might be compared with drinking red wine when it comes to promoting heart health. The amount of resveratrol in food and red wine can vary widely.
Resveratrol supplements also are available. While researchers haven?t found any harm in taking resveratrol supplements, most of the resveratrol in the supplements can?t be absorbed by your body.
While the news about red wine might sound great if you enjoy a glass of red wine with your evening meal, doctors are wary of encouraging anyone to start drinking alcohol. That?s because too much alcohol can have many harmful effects on your body.
Its thought that alcohol:
Raises high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, the ?good? cholesterol
Reduces the formation of blood clots
Helps prevent artery damage caused by high levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, the ?bad? cholesterol
Produces changes in blood pressure
Beware that drinking too much alcohol increases your risk of high blood pressure, high triglycerides, liver damage, obesity, certain types of cancer, accidents and other problems. In addition, drinking too much alcohol regularly can cause weakened heart muscle (cardiomyopathy), leading to symptoms of heart failure in some people. If you have heart failure or a weak heart, you should avoid alcohol completely. If you take aspirin daily, you should avoid or limit alcoho, depending on your doctor?s advice. You also shouldn?t drink alcohol if you?re pregnant. If you have questions about the benefits and risks of alcohol, talk to your doctor about specific recommendations for you.
If you already drink red wine, do so in moderation. For healthy adults, that means up to one drink a day for women of all ages and men older than age 65, and up to two drinks a day for men age 65 and younger. The limit for men is higher because men generally weigh more and have more of an enzyme that metabolizes alcohol than women do
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