Can you think of better way to celebrate the end of a long work day than drinking something healthy?
What if we said that “something healthy” was a nice glass of red wine?
A large amount of medical evidence suggests that those who do drink red wine in moderation can enjoy several health benefits, including:
- Red wine contains a powerful antioxidant compound, resveratrol. The compound protects your heart and arteries against the negative effects of saturated fat, which can help prevent cardiovascular disease. The flavanoids and sapponins in red wine also protect your heart by raising your levels of “good” HDL cholesterol, and lowering the damage done by “bad” LDL cholesterol.
- The antioxidants in red wine can also help prevent the damage responsible for aging and for degenerative conditions like Alzheimer’s, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Guercetin, one of the antioxidants, may help prevent lung cancer. And research has shown that resveratrol, the same red wine antioxidant that helps protect your heart, can also kill cancerous cells.
- Even nonalcoholic red wine can help harden your enamel and help prevent tooth decay. The polyphenols in red wine can also help prevent gum disease.
Please remember that drinking any alcoholic beverage in excess can lead to alcoholism and serious health problems, so limit your red wine consumption accordingly. Some suggest limiting consumption to one glass a day for women and two for men.
There is also an important caveat for nondrinkers: According to the American Heart Association, there is insufficient evidence to recommend that nondrinkers start drinking red wine as a protective measure. Also, the health benefits of drinking red wine may be influenced by genetics, physical activity, smoking, social life and environment.
