If you enjoy a glass of vino every once in a while, choose red over white, and enjoy some amazing health benefits while doing some de-stressing.
Red wine has a long list of health benefits, from acting as a probiotic within the body to protecting the heart.
As a side note, I suggest you look for organic wine as grapes are on the Dirty Dozen list and contain high amounts of pesticides.
Let’s take a closer look at some of the reasons red wine is so good for you:
Balanced blood sugar. Grape skin contains a natural compound called resveratrol, which can help blood sugar remain balanced.
Fat prevention. That resveratrol is converted into another compound known as piceatannol once it’s in our bodies. This compound prevents the growth of fat cells. Did I hear an amen?
Heart health. Red wine contains antioxidants that can help blood vessels stay healthy, reducing the risk of clotting. But moderation is key here because heavy drinking can damage the heart.
Cold prevention. Red wine contains antioxidants that have been shown to reduce the body’s risk of developing a cold. That’s because the antioxidants work in the body to fight infections. For this same reason, red wine also may prevent other diseases.
Cancer prevention. These antioxidants found in red wine might even help lower sex hormone levels, which could protect against the development of breast cancer. Some researchers have discovered that a glass of red wine three or four times per week might starve cancer cells and keep them from growing within the body.
Brain function. Resveratrol in the grape skin also helps keep your memory good and sharp. This compound, which is abundant in red wine, might actually help prevent Alzheimer’s disease by slowing down the formation of one of the key ingredients in a plaque found in the brains of those suffering from the disease. A crossword puzzle and a glass of wine are just what the doctor ordered for brain exercise!
Probiotic. Red wine acts as a probiotic within the body, helping to keep bacteria levels in the gut nice and even.
Do you need any more reasons to enjoy a glass of red wine at the end of the day?
PS–You can receive delicious menus (complete with shopping lists!) that go well with red wine delivered right to your email inbox by subscribing to Dinner Answers today!
7 Responses
YAYAYAYAYAY!!! Cheers… but make sure it is organic!!! grapes are really covered with pesticides!
…which haven’t been shown to cause health problems.
For some reason I get headaches after drinking red, but not white, wine. Any thoughts on red ones to try yet avoid the HA?
Hi Linda,
We found this article helpful when it comes to wine and headaches. Hope this helps! http://guides.wsj.com/wine/wine-tips-and-tricks/why-do-i-get-headaches-from-wine/
Can you please direct me to references on red wine acting as A probiotic? Much appreciated.
Hi Curious,
Here is an article from the NY Times about red wine being good for your stomach. Hope this helps! http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/05/14/really-red-wine-is-good-for-the-stomach/?_r=0
I think I’ll stick to white wine and avoid the migraine.