The Health Benefits of Wine and Associated Risks
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When it comes to choosing a healthier alcoholic drink, wine has a particularly good reputation. Maybe you’ve poured yourself a glass of wine and justified it by saying it’s good for your health. Or maybe you’ve heard someone say that wine has heart health benefits. But is any of this true? Is wine really good for us — and if so, how much is too much?
In this post, we’ll explore the health benefits of wine as well as the associated risks. We’ll also offer some tips for drinking wine in a healthy manner. Let’s dive in!
First things first: whenever we hear or read something about the health benefits of wine, it usually has to do with red wine. Why? Well, unlike white wine, red wine contains a large amount of resveratrol — a natural antioxidant that comes from the skin of red grapes.
Antioxidants are important because they help our body fight off free radicals — dangerous molecules that attack good molecules in charge of promoting essential body functions. If the level of free radicals in our bodies becomes too high, it can cause damage to our organs and tissues and result in various illnesses, such as diabetes, heart disease, cancer, and even Alzheimer’s.
Since there are antioxidants in red wine, drinking it in small amounts can help protect our brain, heart, and body. In fact, studies have found that drinking red wine in moderation has been linked to reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, atherosclerosis, high blood pressure (hypertension), certain types of cancer (such as basal cell, colon, prostrate, and ovarian), and type 2 diabetes. It’s also been linked to reduced risk of dementia and depression.
Resveratrol in particular has been linked with many health benefits, such as fighting inflammation and blood clotting, as well as reducing the risk of heart disease and cancer. For instance, studies have noted that resveratrol may reduce blood pressure and increase high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol — the “good” type of cholesterol.
Similarly, a recent study reported that drinking red wine is linked with a lower risk of coronary heart disease, which is the leading cause of disease and death in the United States. It may also lower the risk of stroke. Furthermore, one study found that red wine may even contribute to a healthy gut by boosting healthy gut bacteria.
Overall, research indicates that consuming small to moderate amounts of red wine does offer a number of health benefits. The key word here is moderation! Moderation is defined as one 5-ounce glass of wine per day for females and two glasses of wine for males. Overindulging in wine can bring with it a variety of health risks, as we’ll see below!
It’s worth repeating that only small to moderate amounts of red wine may bring health benefits. Drinking any amount of alcohol in excess — including red wine — can have the opposite effect, putting us at greater risk for a variety of health complications. Let’s take a closer look at the side effects of drinking wine every night:
Keep in mind that these are just some of the risks associated with regularly consuming a large amount of wine, or any type of alcohol for that matter. Alcohol truly affects nearly every aspect of our health, which is why it’s important to limit our consumption or quit drinking entirely.
So, now that we have a better understanding of the health benefits and associated risks of wine, let’s get a bit more practical. How much wine is okay to drink, and how much wine is too much?
Generally speaking, the health benefits of wine only apply if we’re consuming it in moderate amounts. This means no more than one 5-ounce glass of wine a day for women and no more than two glasses for men. Keep in mind that this is the total amount of alcohol we should consume in a day. Furthermore, it’s also recommended that we go at least 1-2 days a week without alcohol.
Just because red wine offers several health benefits doesn’t mean we should drink it. It’s not the red wine itself that is beneficial but rather its antioxidant properties, including the natural antioxidant resveratrol. And the good news is that we can get resveratrol in other ways, such as eating berries and grapes — which is better for us anyway!
In general, there are large amounts of antioxidants in fruits, vegetables, nuts, and whole grounds, and smaller amounts of antioxidants in meats, poultry, and fish. Some specific antioxidant powerhouse foods include pomegranates, salmon, grapes, apples, spinach, dark chocolate, blueberries, and beets. An antioxidant called quercetin, which is found in apples, citrus, fruits, onions, parsley, and more, effectively kills abnormal cells while keeping healthy cells intact.
At the end of the day, getting our antioxidants from natural food is more beneficial than getting it from a glass of wine because of the health risks associated with alcohol.
If we do choose to drink wine, there are several things we can do to help us drink in moderation and in a healthy manner. Here are 7 tips:
Remember: the health benefits of wine only apply if we’re drinking wine in small amounts. But even so, our physical and mental health will reap the most benefits by reducing our alcohol consumption or eliminating it entirely.
Drinking red wine in small amounts can offer some health benefits, such as lowering our risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, cancer, and type 2 diabetes. This is largely due to the antioxidant properties found in red wine, which help fight off various diseases. However, regularly consuming a large amount of wine can compromise our health and well-being, putting us at greater risk for a variety of complications — from liver damage and pancreatitis to gout and depression. Wine’s potential health benefits shouldn’t justify our drinking. We would be better off getting our antioxidants from natural food sources rather than indulging in a glass of wine.
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1. Is red wine good for you?
Drinking small to moderate amounts of red wine can offer some health benefits, such as lowering our risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, cancer, and type 2 diabetes. This is because it contains resveratrol — a natural antioxidant that comes from the skin of red grapes.
2. What are antioxidants and why are they important?
Antioxidants are molecules that fight free radicals in our bodies. Free radicals are dangerous molecules that attack good molecules in charge of promoting essential body functions. If the level of free radicals in our bodies becomes too high, it can cause damage to our organs and tissues and result in various illnesses, such as diabetes, heart disease, cancer, and even Alzheimer’s.
3. What are the health risks of drinking wine?
Heavy, long-term consumption of wine (or any other type of alcohol) can lead to a variety of health complications, such as liver damage, pancreatitis, heart problems, diabetes, gastrointestinal issues, gout, cancer, and mental health problems.
4. How much wine is too much?
Generally speaking, the health benefits of wine only apply if we’re consuming it in moderate amounts. This means no more than one 5-ounce glass of wine a day for women and no more than two glasses for men.
5. What are some healthier alternatives to wine?
Getting our antioxidants from natural food is more beneficial than getting it from a glass of wine because of the health risks associated with alcohol. We can find antioxidants in foods like berries, grapes, vegetables, and nuts.
6. What is the best wine for heart health?
Pinot Noir is considered the best wine for heart health. This is because it contains the highest concentration of resveratrol — the natural antioxidant that offers a number of health benefits.
7. What are some tips for drinking wine in moderation?
You can drink wine in a healthy manner by counting your drinks, drinking plenty of water, sipping the wine slowly, not mixing it with other alcohol, and eating or snacking while drinking.
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