The luscious flow of wine in a shiny glass after a tiresome day at the office is quite revitalizing. But just as you want to pick up that glass, a second thought hits your mind about alcohol and its health risks. Surely you have been trying all you can to maintain a healthy living, including staying on a healthy diet, visiting the gym a couple of times a week, getting yourself tested by a doctor to ensure no cancerous cells are manifesting inside your body. Yes, you have been doing all that, but what about a few sips of your favorite glass of wine?
Brace yourself to be amazed by the various health benefits that wine has besides keeping your heart pumping at a normal rate. The magic lies in resveratrol produced by the grapes and other plants to fight off bacteria and fungi. They also help with the plants to withstand extreme weather conditions like drought. Many health benefits come from resveratrol, which is considered a wonder ingredient in wine. However, if you think of extracting it from wine, it won’t have the same effects since it works with other wine components to protect the body.
If you are ready to learn about the health benefits of wine, come with me as we explore this wonderful beverage that offers more than keeping your heart healthy.
1. Vitamins and Minerals in Wine
In case you didn’t know, red grapes that are used to make red wine contain all kinds of vitamins and minerals. You may also benefit from the micronutrients that come with red wine, but don’t rely entirely on red wine to boost these nutrients in your diet. In each glass of red wine, you are going to get these nutrients: 1% Thiamine, 1% Vitamin K, 2% Niacin, 3% Riboflavin, and 4% Vitamin K. For healthy bones, red wine has trace amounts of some minerals like 1% Zinc, 1% Calcium, 1% Copper, 3% Phosphorus, 4% Iron, 4% Magnesium, 5% Potassium and 10% Manganese, all found in a single glass of red wine.
For white wine, the statistics are the same but produce different results. Carbohydrates in white wines are low, with only 2.6 carbohydrates on average per serving. Nutrients provided by white wine include 3% Vitamin B6, 3% magnesium, 3% Niacin, and 3% Vitamin B2 1% Riboflavin. There are also traces of Iron, Potassium, Calcium, Zinc, and Phosphorus.
2. Source of Antioxidants
You need red wine antioxidants in your daily diet to help prevent cellular damage from inflammation and oxidative stress. Grapefruits used to produce red wine have high levels of polyphenols which contain antioxidants that reduce inflammation and oxidative stress. White wine grapes, on the other hand, have fewer antioxidants than red grape varieties; therefore, to fully benefit from antioxidants, I suggest you indulge yourself with a glass of red wine every day. The higher the level, the better. The risk of getting diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease, which are related to oxidative stress, is significantly reduced with every sip of red wine.
3. Combats Inflammation
Another remarkable health benefit of red wine is that it contains compounds with anti-inflammatory properties. It reduces the risk of chronic inflammation, which causes heart diseases, autoimmune disorders, and cancers. Other ways to reduce chronic inflammation is through maintaining a healthy diet, stress reduction, and exercising a lot. There are plenty of foods that are known to decrease inflammation, and wine is one of them. Research has also revealed that moderate consumption of wine has reduced the risks of inflammatory conditions.
4. Benefits Heart Health
It is one of the apparent health benefits of wine. Individuals who consume wine moderately have fewer chances of getting heart complications. Studies have also shown that blood pressure is also reduced by drinking red wine, which contains a high concentration of polyphenol antioxidants. It is also known to reduce high cholesterol and metabolic diseases. If you drink approximately 150 ml (5 oz) of red wine every day, you reduce the risk of getting heart-related complications and other diseases by 32% compared to those who don’t indulge in wine. Overindulgence in wine will, however significantly increase the risk of getting heart diseases. Middle-aged men should drink 1–3 glasses of red wine per day, 3–4 days per week, to reduce the risk of stroke.
5. Sharpens your Mind
It may seem contradictive, but wine is believed to reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer’s as well as cognitive decline. There is a compound in wine called flavanols, known to protect our body’s cells that support healthy blood vessels. It provides a psychological benefit that increases blood flow to the brain, preventing harmful plaque from developing.
6. Uplifts your Mood
Moderate wine drinking is also known to uplift our moods. It is yet another resveratrol benefit that also stimulates the release of protein PARP-1, which reduces stress. The protein also activates genes meant to repair DNA and extend longevity. If you choose to drink wine moderately, you are less likely to suffer from depression. By moderate wine consumption, I mean drinking between two and seven glasses of wine every week. If you over-consume wine every day, it will backfire, and you will end up getting more depressed.
7. Strengthens your Teeth
Although the consumption of red wine may temporarily turn your tongue and lips purple, this effect is beneficial to your mouth. That is because red wine has polyphenol supplements, which help keep harmful bacteria from attaching to teeth.
8. Slashes Type 2 diabetes
You may reduce the risk of getting Type 2 diabetes by drinking wine. In a study conducted, people who drank three to four days a week reduced the risk of getting diabetes by 30% compared to those who never drunk. So if you choose to drink alcohol, go for a bottle of wine for its numerous health benefits.
9. Increases Omega-3 fatty acid levels
Wine is also beneficial to our health as it also boosts omega-3 fatty acids levels in plasma and red blood cells. This compound is usually found in fish, and it protects the body from heart diseases. Although this applies to all alcoholic drinks, wine is the best of them all due to its other health benefits.
10. Benefits your waistline
It seems to be a big health problem for many who are trying to shed a couple of pounds. If you want to maintain your waistline, I recommend that you drink dry wine moderately. Wine is like any other healthy food with a calorie range of 100 to 175, depending on the alcohol content. So, moderate alcohol drinkers are less likely to be obese. To count your caloric intake in wine, ensure that you use a measuring cup for accuracy.
Make Sure to Drink responsibly
Wine is good for you, but don’t start drinking wine because of its health benefits. If you do that, you take away the fun of drinking wine, and you may also end overindulging yourself. If you have been drinking wine, it is always good to drink responsibly. But before that, you should consult with your doctor first for the right wine dosage.
