Wine has been around for thousands of years. This fun awesome drink that actually contains a lot of health benefits. Wine has been known for its antioxidants which can prevent cancer, neutralize free radicals and even improve eyesight.
Before we dive into the 12 proven health benefits of drinking wine here is a great quote from Benjamin Franklin “Behold the rain which descends from heaven upon our vineyards; there it enters the roots of the vines, to be changed into wine; a constant proof that God loves us, and loves to see us happy.”
How much wine is considered healthy?
For wine to be beneficial to the body, it needs to be drank in moderation. It is important to note that overindulgence of alcohol can be harmful to our bodies. As a rule of thumb (provided you are of legal age) Women should not drink more than one glass a day, and men, two glasses. In addition alcohol should not be used as a coping mechanism for dealing with challenges of life.
Positive side of wine
Red and white wine are good for the body however, if you are going to drink, red wine appears to have more benefits than white wine. Here are some great benefits we derive from wine.
- Better sleep patterns – Drinking a glass of wine before bed actually does make you sleepy and helps you maintain a great sleeping pattern. Wine has melatonin which is a hormone that your body normally produces to help keep your rest cycle reliable. This cycle is otherwise called your circadian rhythm that is also known as your biological clock. Wine also has vitamin c which is beneficial in maintaining body temperature and calming your body right before bed.
- Heart benefits – Wine has powerful antioxidants known as resveratrol and procyanidins, which help reduce the chances of heart disease. Red wine helps reduce bad LDL cholesterol while retaining good HDL cholesterol which is good for your heart. Drinking a glass of red wine a day has been shown to reduce the chances of having a heart attack by 30% among wine drinkers suffering from high blood pressure.
- Reduces chances of type 2 diabetes – Moderate consumption of wine reduces the risk of type 2 diabetes by 30% percent. Grapes contain resveratrol has been proven to improve sensibility to insulin. This helps reduce instances of insulin resistance which largely causes type 2 diabetes especially in women. Diabetics can also use wine to reduce low blood sugar, although it is imperative to consult your physician beforehand.
- Prostate Cancer prevention properties- Cancer is a deadly disease in which abnormal cells divide uncontrollably and destroy body tissue. Through a Harvard University study wine has been shown to fight cancerous prostate cells “Men who drink an average of four to seven glasses of red wine per week are only 52 percent as likely to be diagnosed with prostate cancer as those who do not drink red wine. In addition, red wine appears particularly protective against advanced or aggressive cancers.”
- Lung cancer prevention properties – Wine has also been shown to reduce chances of lung cancer by a study done at the University of Santiago de Compostela in Spain. The research suggests that a person drinking a glass of red wine each day is 13 per cent less likely to contract lung cancer than those not drinking red wine.
- Decreases risk of colon cancer. A Stony Brook University investigation of 2,291 people over a four-year time frame demonstrated the impacts of wine on decreasing colon malignancy. Distributed in the American Journal of Gastroenterology, the study showed moderate consumption of red wine decreases the danger of colon disease by 45 percent.
- Anti-aging benefits- Resveratrol helps keep your heart and lungs healthy. This antioxidant found on grapes has a direct correlation with the reduction of fatty plaque buildup in your blood vessels, especially in the coronary arteries.
These antioxidants help damaging free radicals that play a role in aging and age-related diseases. Additionally drinking red wine in moderation can effectively lower your blood pressure and heart rate.
Other additional anti-aging factors of wine include an increase HDL levels, the good cholesterol, by around 12 percent. A study published on the The Journals of Gerontology released in 2017 resveratrol in red wine could help protect the brain’s neurons, slowing down the aging process.
- Gum and oral health benefits- Drinking wine is great for your oral health, with benefits for your enamel and gums as well. The molecules in red wine have preventative properties that help curb oral diseases like gingivitis. According to a study red wine which has polyphenols, which help keep microscopic organisms from adhering to the gums that would typically cause tooth holes and plaque.
- Boosting brain power – Wine is so intriguing on our cognitive functions that even the smell of wine can boost brain power. Wine molecules stimulate tens of thousands of our oral taste and odor receptors. They in turn stimulate both a sensory and emotional reaction in our brain. These stimuli boost different cognitive areas — including memory, pattern recognition and pleasure.
- Reducing risk of Alzheimer’s disease – resveratrol is vital in providing the human body with a plethora of benefits. Resveratrol is also involved in reducing the risk of Alzheimer’s disease. Moderate daily consumption might be able to stop the progression of Alzheimer’s disease. Moderation consumption of red wine also reduces the effects of dementia and inflammation in the brain.
- Wine is beneficial in curing the flu- Don’t let a stuffy nose or blocked sinuses get in the way of you having a good day, take a glass of wine. This is because wine has molecules which are able to lower inflammation and help the body’s immunity through all its antioxidants. This means folks who drink red wine are less likely to have a cold compared to those who do not drink at all—or drank other types of alcohol.
- Skin benefits – Studies on Dermatology and Therapy found the resveratrol in the red wine variety can actually help stop the growth of acne-causing bacteria. The researchers found that “Resveratrol is a potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compound that has been shown to have antineoplastic and wound-healing activities”.
