What Are The Health Benefits Of Drinking Red Wine?

December 9th, 2008    Subscribe To Our Feed

There is a great deal of conflicting information on the subject of the health benefits of red wine and it’s often hard to know what you should or shouldn’t be eating and drinking to remain healthy. While there is no firm scientific proof, most studies point to health benefits from drinking red wine in moderation.

What Can Red Wine Do?

bottle-glass.JPGWhile red wine isn’t considered a cure all – and certainly not a substitute for a healthy diet – there are some widely agreed upon benefits to drinking red wine. The most promising benefit is that red wine is believed to protect against certain forms of cancer and heart disease. In fact, some studies show up to a 30%–50% reduction in the incidence of heart disease in those who consumed a glass of red wine daily. It also appears to have a positive effect on cholesterol & blood pressure. And finally, drinking red wine has been shown to lower the risk of heart attacks in middle-aged (30–50 years old) adults.

Why Red Wine in Particular?

Experts began studying the benefits of red wine when they started to notice a correlation between populations who drank red wine regularly and lower incidences of disease. This was especially evident in the Mediterranean countries where red wine is commonly drunk on a regular basis. Also studied was the so-called “French Paradox,” where the French have a lower rate of heart disease and obesity even though they consume a higher-fat diet. Most of the benefits of red wine appear come from the antioxidants present in it. Studies show that red wine has a high concentration of antioxidants, which are known to have anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties. The antioxidants have been found to increase HDL cholesterol (the good kind of cholesterol) and help prevent blood clots and plaque from forming in arteries.

How Much Should I Drink to Gain the Health Benefits of Red Wine?

Most experts agree that it takes a small amount of red wine to see the health benefits. Moderation is truly the key – one 4–6 ounce glass of wine per day for women and one or two glasses for men. Keep in mind that most experts believe that the health benefits of red wine are lost if wine is consumed to excess.


The Health Benefits Of Drinking Red Wine

February 13th, 2008    Subscribe To Our Feed

What Are The Health Benefits Of Drinking Red Wine?

With so much conflicting information, it’s hard to know what you should or shouldn’t be eating and drinking these days to remain healthy. The good news is that most studies point to health benefits from drinking red wine in moderation.

What Can Red Wine Do?

While red wine isn’t considered a cure all (and certainly not a substitute for visiting your doctor), there are some widely agreed upon benefits to drinking red wine. The most promising benefit is that red wine is believed to protect against certain forms of heart disease and cancer. In fact, some studies have shown up to a 30 - 50 percent reduction in heart disease in those who regularly consumed a glass of red wine. It also appears to have a positive effect on cholesterol and blood pressure. Additionally, drinking red wine has been shown to lower the risk of heart attacks in middle-aged adults.

Why Drink Red Wine?

Experts began studying the benefits of red wine when they noticed a correlation between populations who drank red wine regularly and a lower incidences of disease. This was especially evident in the Mediterranean region, where red wine is consumed regularly. They also studied the so-called “French Paradox,” where it has been noted that the French have a lower rate of heart disease and obesity even though they consume a higher-fat diet. Most of the benefits of red wine come from the antioxidants contained in it. Studies show that red wine has a high concentration of antioxidants, which are known to have anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties. The antioxidants have been found to increase HDL cholesterol (the good kind of cholesterol) and help prevent blood clots and plaque from forming in arteries.

Red Wine

How Much Should I Drink to See the Health Benefits of Red Wine?

Most experts believe that it takes very little to see the health benefits of red wine. Moderation is truly the key – one glass of wine per day for women and one or two glasses for men. Keep in mind, as well, that a glass of wine is considered to be about four ounces. This should not be taken as justification to drink a bottle of red wine each night. In fact, most experts believe that the health benefits of red wine are lost if wine is consumed to excess. There is also the concern that those who have a family history of alcohol abuse or pre-existing health conditions should not be drinking red wine. In these cases, the benefits do not outweigh the risks.