According to the National Academy of Sciences, people have loved drinking red wine for around 8,000 years now. It has been a staple on our dinner tables for all this time because of its unique taste and aroma.
Even Hippocrates, the Greek physician, considered wine as an integral part of a good diet. He recommended using it as a disinfectant on wounds and prescribed it to cure other illnesses such as diarrhea and anesthesia for pain during childbirth.
He made several distinctions among the different types of wines and their various effects. He then directed their uses to specific conditions to apply them correctly, but he diluted the wine with water.
Wine is known to be the oldest documented human-made medicine, and Hippocrates’ recommendation proves just that. Over the years, several studies have also been conducted on the health benefits of wine, making the beloved beverage even more prominent.
This just gives us a better reason to sip the drink without the fear of destroying our bodies, though only to some extent. So, let’s talk about the benefits of drinking red wine in moderation.
7 Health Benefits of Drinking Red Wine:
● Rich in Antioxidants
Red wine contains resveratrol, a polyphenol compound. This antioxidant helps your body fight off free radicals that can damage your cells and organs. You can also get the same result from eating grapes.
● It May Help Combat Inflammation
Red wine contains other compounds that have anti-inflammatory properties. One study on 4,461 adults demonstrated that the moderate consumption of red wine is directly linked to reducing their inflammatory response.
● May Benefit Heart Health
The polyphenol compound found in red wine also prevents unwanted clotting that is often the cause of heart disease. It does this by keeping your blood vessels flexible.
However, heavy drinking of any kind can also cause damage to the heart. It’s recommended that women only consume one 5 oz glass per day and men two 5 oz glasses. Moderation is key when it comes to any alcoholic beverage.
● Regulates Blood Sugar
Resveratrol is a natural compound that can be found on the skin of grapes. According to the American Diabetes Association, this can help control the blood sugar levels of a diabetic person.
● Reduces the Risk of Depression
PREDIMED analyzed 5,500 individuals who were moderate to light drinkers and found that the respondents who drank around two to seven glasses of red wine a week were less prone to depression.
Science Daily also conducted a study and found that red wine can provide anti-stress expressions. This is done by blocking an enzyme related to the controls of stress in the brain.
● Boosts the Immune System
Research has found that daily consumption of wine may improve immunity. The study showed that because red wine contains compounds with high levels of antioxidants, such as resveratrol, it could stimulate the reprogramming of metabolic T-cells. This, in turn, enhances your immune response.
● Increase Bone Density
Researchers have also associated moderate drinking of wine with the improvement of bone density. The U.S. National Library of Medicine found that men and women who drank one to three glasses of wine had better density in their bones. The reason for this is also the chemical compound resveratrol.
Moderation is the key
Drinking red wine has a wide variety of health benefits. It can improve your immune system, combat inflammation, regulate your blood flow, and even help with depression.
However, despite all its health benefits, excessive drinking of any alcoholic beverage may prove to be more damaging than helpful, and that includes wine. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has provided guidance on the risks to your health from drinking too much alcohol.
They also reported that excessive drinking of alcohol has led to the deaths of 88,000 people in the United States. Approximately 1 in 10 deaths in adults between 20 to 64 years old were directly related to too much drinking. So, it is vital that you consume alcoholic beverages like red wine in moderation.
Most people already enjoy drinking a glass or two of red wine to cap off the day, and it has become part of their healthy diet and daily lifestyle.
Still, not everyone should drink alcohol of any kind. So, be cautious when you drink and abstain from excessive consumption or binge drinking in any form because too much of anything is never good for your health and your body. Otherwise, enjoy a glass of wine on occasion without feeling guilty about it.
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